For three hundred fifty dollars  I'd get two combos .

To sum up and show my agreement. I got 3 OG tatula 7’1MH/XF and 2x6’10 MH/F. Love these 3 rods, light weight, exceptional sensitivity and balance well. I use these three rods for a lot of thing, don’t let MH rate fool you. I use them all from 1/8oz Texas rig, Senko, 3/8jig and 1oz topwater. I got all mine well under MSRP price but for you it is gonna be hard to find now unless you are looking for used one. The new tatula shouldn’t be that bad just a bit heavier than OG. 
For the reel SLX is the way to go. The most comfortable palming, excellent casting, light enough weight and built for last. 
Yes I have more expensive rods and especially reels, but are they better? I doubt it. I don’t mind at all to own a few more SLX.

 

I finally bit the bullet and got myself a 7 ft MH rod and a Daiwa reel.  Took it out to the water for the first time today and luckily only 1 bad birds nest.  I do have a question though, I noticed that my spool spins faster than the lure but it seems to correct itself right before it hits the water.  Is this how its supposed to work?  Or should the spool be the same speed and the lure?   Tried learning as much as I can with videos but obviously time on the water >> YT videos. 

Either use slightly more magnets or use your thumb a little. Is your spool tension set correctly ?

31 minutes ago, dodgeguy said:

Either use slightly more magnets or use your thumb a little. Is your spool tension set correctly ?

Right now it takes about 2 seconds to hit the water.  I noticed it gets worse when I give more power to the cast.  I hear a click a split second before the lure hits the water.  Is that the brake? 

6 hours ago, Kongming said:

I finally bit the bullet and got myself a 7 ft MH rod and a Daiwa reel.  Took it out to the water for the first time today and luckily only 1 bad birds nest.  I do have a question though, I noticed that my spool spins faster than the lure but it seems to correct itself right before it hits the water.  Is this how its supposed to work?  Or should the spool be the same speed and the lure?   Tried learning as much as I can with videos but obviously time on the water >> YT videos. 

 

Ideally, the spool speed should match the lure speed, but in reality, as long as it doesn't backlash at the end, it's fine.

 

The way to use your thumb, is a little hard thumbing at the beginning, then ease out a little during, and finally hit a full stop at the end. So, hard, soft, hard.  

 

I don't know about the click sound before lure hitting water though. Is it because you set the spool tension too loose, so that your thumbing at the end causes the spool moving sideways and clicking? What reel is that?