Hi, my son and I are new(ish) to fishing over the past couple of years..... He had a Lew's baitcaster speed spool 7:5:1 reel matched to Johhny Morris 2.0 carbonlite rod , worked great almost never lost fish , well, it broke tying on a lure (dont ask me how) , it was given to us by someone for free. I bought a $15 casting rod and it has been awful, can't cast very far or accurate and losing a ton of nice bass and I'm sure its mostly us not knowing what to pick out or not using it right.. I want to find a rod under $60-70 preferably to match this reel. We use mainly soft plastics and mainly fish for bass , we would appreciate any help on picking out a new rod....thanks!

If you have a Dicks Sporting Goods or Field and Stream I recommend their exclusive rod. The Lew’s Carbon Fire rod. On sale for $59.99 normal price is $79.99

4 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

If you have a Dicks Sporting Goods or Field and Stream I recommend their exclusive rod. The Lew’s Carbon Fire rod. On sale for $59.99 normal price is $79.99

Another Dick's/F&S exclusive is the Okuma Stratus VI rod - I have the 7' MH/M spinning version that I use for crankbaits. It's actually pretty good. Also on sale for $49.99 - regular $79.99

Ok, thanks I'll head over there tomorrow....appreciate it

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Another Dick's/F&S exclusive is the Okuma Stratus VI rod - I have the 7' MH/M spinning version that I use for crankbaits. It's actually pretty good. Also on sale for $49.99 - regular $79.99

Is that a 2 piece rod? I like those camouflaged grips but I don’t need another 2 piece rod.

2 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

Is that a 2 piece rod? I like those camouflaged grips but I don’t need another 2 piece rod.

I comes in both a 1-piece and 2-piece option...I got the 1-piece.

 

Note the 7' MH/M is the only 1-piece - the 6'6" M/M and the 5'6" L/M are both 2-piece only.

My local Academy has the Shimano Sellus which I think is $49 and I have heard really good things about it for the price range. In the store it feels really good to me. I would have gone with a Sellus for my latest purchase but unfortunately they don't make a ML spinning in that line.

15 hours ago, NYWayfarer said:

If you have a Dicks Sporting Goods or Field and Stream I recommend their exclusive rod. The Lew’s Carbon Fire rod. On sale for $59.99 normal price is $79.99

I highly recommend this series of rod also. I bought for my one daughter (36 yo) who gets out with me a few times a year this series of rod 6’8” ML and the Carbon Fire Reel last year. Just wanted to keep it all Lew’s. It is nice and sensitive. And cheap.  
 

At my DICKS the rods were $39.00 so go check it out. That series of reels were on sale also. Whole set up under $100.00. 
 

I realize you are asking about a casting rod but I looked at that series when I was there. The Carbon Fire is a good stick. I fished it prior to her using it and after a few times. Positive results fishing soft plastics. 

The Diawa Aird-X rods have gotten many good reviews and at $50 is a great option.