Okay, we've go the $1k combo thread.  Let's go in the other direction.  What is the least expensive outfit...your cost...you use?  Please...let's not mention those $1k combos you received as gifts. 

 

You could include what you use the outfit for for extra credit. 

 

Purchased new $47.....$30 for reel, $17 for rod.  Berkley Lightning 6'MH with Daiwa Procaster 100HN.  Bought for grandson who is staying with spinning gear so I grabbed it.  I like throwing 1/2 oz. spinnerbaits on it.  Rod and reel both vibrate from start to finish of retrieve.  Reel is typical Daiwa solid, casts very well and is pretty darn smooth.  Short rod zings that 1/2 oz. out there a fairly good distance.

 

 

$50 Daiwa aird 6'6M, purchased new for $38, and a lews speed spool purchased new for $70 plus a spool of 12lb big game $6 at walmart, my cheapest yet pretty good setup cost me $114. 

 

i use this for small shallow cranks, and small topwaters.

abu garcia siler max is my froggin frog jsut because i fish alot of nasty stuff and dont want to get my others all jammed up with slime etc

5' Avid UL/F spin and my Saros 1000F,  $140.00 + $100.00 or 6' Premier MH/F and Lew's BB1 $100.00 + $100.00

6'8 mh 2nd gen cumara with a ci4+1000f. That's my cheapest and do it all combo.

Might have you all beat on this one lol... I got a Rapala Nitro Spinning combo (http://reviews.canadiantire.ca/9045/0784646P/rapala-rapala-nitro-spinning-combo-reviews/reviews.htm) on sale for $12.99CAN that i've been catching all of my bass on.  Using some flourocarbon line that was on sale for $6.99, and I haven't had any problems other than the bail getting loose and needing re tightening occasionally 

My Cheapest Combos I use - Fenwick Elite Tech M/XF 6'8 or was it 9 =100 + Symetre 2500 FL 100 = 200  and Veritas MH/F 7'3" 90 + Citica G6 120 = 210.  But I bought the Veritas on a blowout price 40 bucks.  So even sweeter. 

Abu Garcia ProMax 3600 - $5 at a yard sale + $3 for a new line guide pawl =$8

 

7' med. Berkeley Lightning Rod at the same yard sale - $2 + $2 for a new tip guide = $4

 

Combo price = $12

 

Tom

Deep South flipping stick I bought from Speed for $80 and a TD-X 103HSDL I bought used on eBay for around $50.

bass fishing -savvy733 i got for i think 115 /w discounts and sales /w curado 201e7 i basically stole from dicks last year for 92.00.

 

stream trout- ESP rods 6'6 UL was 70$ /w shimano sahara 1000 that i got for 25$ new. the 4# stren magnathin on it puts me just above 100$.

Shimano Sahara 2500 - $30

Abu Vendetta - $30

Total - $60

Rod, reel, line, bait = about a hundred bucks...

 

...the 9 pound bass was free   

 

 

My $4.99 to $9.99 Shakespeare, quantum, zebco spinning and Shakespeare, zebco, ready2fish, crankbait rods with my Finor($80) & okuma ($60) spinning reels and my Shakespeare, bps, Chinese, Mitchell, crankbait reels that run between $12 to around $59.

I can use any rod, any decent reel but we do need a quality fishing line. Sorry but I'm very, very frugal.

Right now its a $50 Gander Mountain spinning reel on an Acadia Sports rod that sold at 2 for $50 while the company was still in business, So I've got about $75 in that combo. My first baitcast combo was $55 for a Daiwa Advantage I got on closeout for $25 and an Ugly Stik. I still have and use both the rod and the reel, but the reel is now paired with a St. Croix Mojo and the rod has an Ardent c400 on it. 

Gen 2 vendetta MLF ($30) and shimano sienna 1000 ($30)

7'0" ML Daiwa Procyon spinning rod, Okuma Inspira spinning reel, the rod wasa Christmas gift and the reel I grabbed from a gift card but I picked it out unlike the rod.

 

 The rod was $70 and the reel was on sale for $40 so $110 is the total, BTW if you don't mind fishing with the previous years product or you don't mind something discontinued you can get some great deals. The Okuma Inspira spinning reel I got for $40 is a great reel that was discontinued, it was normally a $109 but due to the fact it was discontinued TW was blowing them out cheap. Right now anyone needing a new set up but is on a budget should keep their eyes looking to tackle shops all over, the ICAST items will be arriving which means any series that was discontinued or upgraded by new will be getting discounted pretty big, look for the old model Fenwick HMG to be on sale, also look for the Lews Tounament speed stick SL to be discounted pretty heavy. If you keep your eyes open and can resist the bait monkey you'll be surprised at what you can get.

Least expensive is a dobyns savvy 735 with a lews bb1 reel and fx2 line. I don't exactly have cheap combos since I fish only dobyns rods

Vendetta with a lews tournament mg

^{I have a Falcon Bucoo micro guide rod with a Curado 50E.  I think I paid $75 for the rod and $130 for the reel.}

The cheapest rod that I use with any regularity is a Kistler Carbon Steel with a Revo S. I probably spent about $200 total for the rod and reel. It's the best spinnerbait combo I've ever fished.  

I don't remember how much I paid for my Shakespeare Sigma/Ugly Stick combo when in my teens, though it couldn't have been much since that was 30+ years ago. My first baitcaster setup was a BPS Tourney Pro and a 6'6" M Ugly Stick which was under $100. Both work well, though my current favorite setup is a Pro Qualifier sitting on a 6'6" M Veritas....

Least expensive is a dobyns savvy 735 with a lews bb1 reel and fx2 line. I don't exactly have cheap combos since I fish only dobyns rods

Not to sound like a parent, but I am.... You said you were 16 in the 1K thread, are you saving for College, or your own home?

Good for you! Keep fishin'

My $4.99 to $9.99 Shakespeare, quantum, zebco spinning and Shakespeare, zebco, ready2fish, crankbait rods with my Finor($80) & okuma ($60) spinning reels and my Shakespeare, bps, Chinese, Mitchell, crankbait reels that run between $12 to around $59.

I can use any rod, any decent reel but we do need a quality fishing line. Sorry but I'm very, very frugal.

I see you're from CT so your cost of living has to be comparable to mine in MA, you HAVE to be frugal....

Now the BIG question: Yanks or Sox?

I have 2 $30 vendettas mounted with a $60 president baitcaster and $50 asaro baitcaster. All bought new. I have 2 $25 quantum pt energy rods paired with more of the $50 asaro. All bought new. Then there is the daiwa ballistic crankin rod for $65 paired with a $30 PQ . rod was new PQ was used. A $39 h2o express with a $40 PQ . rod was new reel was used. One of the least inexpensive was a $39 vendetta spinning with a daiwa exceler spinning for $15 both bought new. Also have 2 $70 veritas with $50 gold carbonlites. Rods were new reels were used. A $50 revo s on another $70 veritas. Both new. And the least inexpensive......a $20 carbonlite paired with a $30 PQ. Both used

Guess I'm a sucker for clearance and close out deals and good working used equipmemt. Bottom line is if ya have patience you can get some smokin hot deals.

7'0" ML Daiwa Procyon spinning rod, Okuma Inspira spinning reel, the rod wasa Christmas gift and the reel I grabbed from a gift card but I picked it out unlike the rod.

 

 The rod was $70 and the reel was on sale for $40 so $110 is the total, BTW if you don't mind fishing with the previous years product or you don't mind something discontinued you can get some great deals. The Okuma Inspira spinning reel I got for $40 is a great reel that was discontinued, it was normally a $109 but due to the fact it was discontinued TW was blowing them out cheap. Right now anyone needing a new set up but is on a budget should keep their eyes looking to tackle shops all over, the ICAST items will be arriving which means any series that was discontinued or upgraded by new will be getting discounted pretty big, look for the old model Fenwick HMG to be on sale, also look for the Lews Tounament speed stick SL to be discounted pretty heavy. If you keep your eyes open and can resist the bait monkey you'll be surprised at what you can get.

This was incredibly helpful.  I've been doing my research on BR here about rods and reels, trying to find a good quality set up that works for me for ~$100. Sounds like I need to keep checking my two local tackleshops! I'm going to do some research on the Fenwick HMG and Lews Tournament SL that you mentioned and see if I can find them. It does get a bit overwhelming with all the options, similar to lures, but with lures spending $5 on something I didn't like is a lot different than spending $100 on something I don't like!