Hey guys,

Newbie here looking for some advice and after scanning this forum the last few weeks, I think this is my best bet.

Currently using a cheap 6 ft ugly stick medium with a cheap Shimano reel. I use it to throw senkos wacky style and have had some really good luck fishing off a dock. I would now like to take it to the next level.

I have done a lot of reading on drop shot, fishing the super fluke type baits as well as some techniques on spinnerbaits (told you I was a newbie, I know a little all over the place). I would like to try and get a spinning set up and a baitcast setup. Any advice on how I can have 2 new flexible setups and where to begin would be helpful. Advice on how I could use my current cheap setup most effectively would give me a third. Budget is around 200 for each set up. Thanks in advance.

if you want to fish spinnerbaits, check out the 7'1 med. heavy *** *** black.  I have been using it for spinnerbaits, swim jigs, and chatterbaits and it has been a great rod.  You could probably also use it for texas rigs and lighter jigs too.  Its a good rod for only 100 bucks

For spinning reels, I like Penn Battle. Really solid reel, great drag, and the spool is built so that you don't have to use any backing for braid. The reel is about $90, and sometimes BPS has the 4000 size with a Penn rod for $129. I'm sure there are many other options but this is one to consider.

Oh yeah, I've caught tons of fish with an Ugly Stik. Not the best rods in the world, but if you're on a budget they are a good value.

Good luck.

With a spinning reel I don't go crazy 8 pound fluro carbon. I still.you my 6 1/2 foot ugly stick.. upgraded to a Abu Garcia spinning reel.. I use this for senko type baits drop shot small spinners and jerk baits... a lot of plastics are use on that rod.. then I have a bait caster I would recommened a cheaper baitcaster to start I learnend on a black max and loved It.. put it on a Berkeley medium casting 7'.. great setup within still use but I have revos now.. I put 15 pound mono on it and use it for everything mostly jigs spinners, cranks, top water etc.. then I have one for frogging but that's a whole other story... those 2 rods with be plants for a bank fishermen stepping up his game..

Great feedback guys. Sounds like I should maybe grab a medium rod for the spinner which could be very versatile and then the baitcaster could be more medium heavy which could also serve a lot of purposes.

Yes sir that's what do NVR had problems... except bringing to much tackle !!

Great feedback guys. Sounds like I should maybe grab a medium rod for the spinner which could be very versatile and then the baitcaster could be more medium heavy which could also serve a lot of purposes.

You're on the right track. I would get a 7' medium heavy/fast casting rod and a reel with a gear ratio in the 6's. Make sure your reel has an aluminum frame and not graphite. This combo will be good for t-rigs, jigs, spinnerbaits...etc.

I would get a 7' medium or medium light, fast action spinning rod with a 2500 size reel. This combo will be good for drop shots, shaky heads, wacky worms and anything that is too light for your casting combo.

Learn what these 2 combos do well and do poorly and expand from there, down the road. Your Ugly Stik might make a good crankbait rod. They normally have a slower action.

For your baitcasting set up, I would recommend this: http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Pro-Qualifier-Reel/CarbonLite-Trigger-Rod-Baitcast-Combos/product/12041705055310/

Get a 7' MH/F rod with a 6:1 or 7:1. That is a pretty solid, all around set up and will allow you to throw most applications. I would spool the reel with something like 12# Yo Zuri Hybrid. You can go a lot of different ways on line though. I think braid is always a good choice as well.

 

For your spinning set up, you can get several nice reels around 50 bucks that will do a good job. The Pflueger President and Shimano Sedona are usually recommended often. I would get something around 2500 size. As for the rod, I would get something 6'6 - 7' M/F or M/XF. I think the Shimano Compre is a good choice at $100, but I'm sure you will get other recommendations here as well. I would spool the reel with about 15# braid and get some fluorocarbon leader material around 8-10#.

 

Good luck in your decision and tight lines!

Guys thank you for the info. My cheap reel on my ugly stick I think is comparable to the Sedona. That being said, you guys got me thinking. I think I am going to pair that reel with a new M/XF to be my drop shot. Get a Sedona or Sahara with a M/F for my wacky, and the a BC with a MH/F for everything else.

Arv, that setup on BPS you sent looks great and very reasonable. The baitcaster is the one real unknown for me since I haven't really used one. Do you think that set up would be better than going with a Shimano Citica on a cheaper rod? I hear people say your life will be miserable on a cheap BC (backlash). I have been reading about the BPS Pro and Carbonlite and people have a lot of good things to say I am just unfamiliar with any gear from BPS. Is it as good as all the other "named" guys I.e abu, shimano, st. Croix, etc?

Arv's suggestion is what I was going to add as well. In this price range, BPS combos are hard to beat. You can get them with BPS reels (which aren't too shabby, especially the PQ), or with Shimano or Abu reels. If you can be patient, wait for BPS to put them on sale and you get a great value

For the spinning reel, I recommend 2500 size (or equivalent), 6'6"-7' medium power rod with fast or extra fast action and 10 lb test braided line (be sure you get 10lb test and NOT 10lb mono diameter ). As a beginner, I'd recommend not trying fluoro just yet as it has a bit of a learning curve on spinning gear.

For the baitcaster, I recommend a 6.x:1 retriev ratio, 6'6"-7' MH power rod with fast action

You can keep your ugly stick to use for smaller top water and crank baits since the snippy action can actually work in your favor

Good luck

Spinning reel I would look at the Pflueger President or Purist and Shimano Sahara or Symetre. As for bait caster I would look at the BPS Pro Qualifier a great reel for the price. I would stay away from BPS spining reels and from the new Johnny Morris Carbonlite bait caster.

 

For rods for spinning I would look at a 7' M/F spinning rod and a 7' MH/F bait casting rod. For manufactures I would look at St Croix Premiere or Mojo Bass, Abu Garcia Veritas or Vendetta 2, Fenwick Elite Tech Small Mouth, HMX and HMG and lastly *** *** Black rods.  BPS Carbonlite rods are also pretty good rods for the price.

 

For line I would just recommend a good quality co-poly or mono line in 12lbs for the bait caster and 8lbs for the spinning reel. Yo-Zuri Hybrid is a great line for co-poly and Seaguar Senshi for mono would be my choices for line. Also be sure to treat the line of choice with KVD L&L conditioner to help line management.

Great feedback guys. Sounds like I should maybe grab a medium rod for the spinner which could be very versatile and then the baitcaster could be more medium heavy which could also serve a lot of purposes.

Your thoughts on the rods sound great! I prefer at least a 7' rod for both baitcaster and spinning. for baitcasting, I would use a medium heavy power with a fast action, and for spinning I would use a medium power with an extra fast action. I find those two to be the most versatile rods. for reels, I would use something that has a 6:2:1 to a 6:4:1 gear ratio for the baitcaster. 

Guys thank you for the info. My cheap reel on my ugly stick I think is comparable to the Sedona. That being said, you guys got me thinking. I think I am going to pair that reel with a new M/XF to be my drop shot. Get a Sedona or Sahara with a M/F for my wacky, and the a BC with a MH/F for everything else.

Arv, that setup on BPS you sent looks great and very reasonable. The baitcaster is the one real unknown for me since I haven't really used one. Do you think that set up would be better than going with a Shimano Citica on a cheaper rod? I hear people say your life will be miserable on a cheap BC (backlash). I have been reading about the BPS Pro and Carbonlite and people have a lot of good things to say I am just unfamiliar with any gear from BPS. Is it as good as all the other "named" guys I.e abu, shimano, st. Croix, etc?

The Pro Qualifier is a great reel if you ask me. I have 2 and they perform right up there with my higher end reels. There are definitely better reels out there, but for the price, the PQ is VERY hard to beat if you ask me. I've used a Citica G's and old generation Revo's, and to be honest, I'd pick the PQ over both (don't kill me posse members). Also, when I'm putting together a new set up, I invest more money into my rod. Especially if it is a bottom contact rig. It sounds like you will be using this set up for all around presentations, so I wouldn't go any cheaper than $100 on the rod. Just my 2 cents.