So I am pretty much a noob. I ordered an Ugly Stik spinning combo in July and started fishing for bass for the first time in my life. I upgraded the spinning rod not too long after, but yesterday I picked up the Abu Garcia UltraMax combo from Dick's which is $40 right now on the recommendation of the Realistic Fishing YouTube channel. They are sold out online but I lucked out and found one at the local store. This is my first bait caster and I got to say, not knowing any better, I was able to fish it this morning and even catch a couple bass. My priority was just learning to cast, and sure I bird nested a couple times, but at the end of 60 minutes I felt like I found the rhythm and was casting farther than I expected. All that to say for $40 bucks I think it was worth it to jump in the game. The rod itself sells for more than that so it is like getting it on sale and getting a throw away reel if you want to think about it that way. I thought I would just share my thoughts in case there are any other noobs out there.

 

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tDd

Glad that you are enjoying your new rod/reel! I saw that deal yesterday and was tempted. But I had to say no. It was a great deal nonetheless.

Very good beginning combo! I got mine for about the same price after rebate around Father's day. I quickly got the urge to upgrade once I got used to it and have added 2 other combos but the UltraMax combo still gets used every trip. 

Also found a Bass Pro Shops XPS Rattle Shad cleaning up some line I found on the bank, so that is what $4 back? I'll be making money soon.

 

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tDd

I watched that same vid and $40 for the Ultramax mounted on a Abu Garcia Vengeance rod is a fantastic deal.

 

Like you said the rod alone is worth more than that.

2 hours ago, thedilettantedad said:

So I am pretty much a noob. I ordered an Ugly Stik spinning combo in July and started fishing for bass for the first time in my life. I upgraded the spinning rod not too long after, but yesterday I picked up the Abu Garcia UltraMax combo from Dick's which is $40 right now on the recommendation of the Realistic Fishing YouTube channel. They are sold out online but I lucked out and found one at the local store. This is my first bait caster and I got to say, not knowing any better, I was able to fish it this morning and even catch a couple bass. My priority was just learning to cast, and sure I bird nested a couple times, but at the end of 60 minutes I felt like I found the rhythm and was casting farther than I expected. All that to say for $40 bucks I think it was worth it to jump in the game. The rod itself sells for more than that so it is like getting it on sale and getting a throw away reel if you want to think about it that way. I thought I would just share my thoughts in case there are any other noobs out there.

 

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tDd

Then you can't get hurt on the deal. Our Dick's never has what I go looking for. I only go in because my wife goes to the craft store next door and there's nothing of interest in there for me. Dick's fishing department is like Big Lots. You can always find something to buy, often on clearance, but you can't go in reasonably expecting them to have something you specifically need. And they thin out the fishing department by half during the offseason. I don't have an offseason. There's an Academy in the same town that kills Dick's.

Only a matter of time before that $40 reel is replaced by a $400 dollar reel and then next thing you know you have 20 of them................

1 hour ago, the reel ess said:

Then you can't get hurt on the deal. Our Dick's never has what I go looking for. I only go in because my wife goes to the craft store next door and there's nothing of interest in there for me. Dick's fishing department is like Big Lots. You can always find something to buy, often on clearance, but you can't go in reasonably expecting them to have something you specifically need. And they thin out the fishing department by half during the offseason. I don't have an offseason. There's an Academy in the same town that kills Dick's.

I called ahead and they held it for me so I knew the trip was worth it. It was actually my first time in a.....forgot how to use English's and it actually looked better than the Academy I go to. There was lots of stuff on sale and clearance, so I might go back and look for some jigs. I am trying to do all this pretty frugally.

Good luck with being frugal. The bait monkey will get you soon enough. Then it will be spend spend spend

That monkey works for someone, on commission.