Hey Im not gonna let u guys show me up so Im doing the baitcasting thing AGAIN I cant afford another St Croix Rod so Im getting a Pflueger Eschelon Reel( which is the reel I want) in a combo with a  CabelasFish Eagle II  7 ft MH rod for throwing Senkos etc around it came in at 99.00 and while I like the rod someday Im gonna upgrade it to a St Croix

Man, that monkey has got you in his teeth, ;D ;D ;D

Actually I think it's kind of a good way to go about learning how to use one.  Buy yourself a descent combo and you will almost be forced in learning how to use one.  I also think it's quite a bit easier to learn on a "new" reel instead of just some old POS that your buddy let you borrow to learn on. (At least that's how it went for me)

good idea. Not sure about the echelon but I have heard good things about the trion. The echelon has a graphite frame and thats why I think it is cheaper than the others.

Muddy,

I have 3 Pflueger Echelon's and I have had good luck with them. I treat my reels with care, and as long as you do that you shouldn't have any problems with them. Pretty smooth five bearing reel. It's not a Curado, but a good value for the cost.

I have a bias against combo's.  I know you can save a few bucks but you are buying a rod and reel that were matched for marketing and price point by my store managers.  Also you generally do not get balance in terms of quality.  Usually one of the items is better quality than the other.

I always, buy the rod first, based on what general conditions I will mostlly use it for.   Then Iwill choose a reel that goes best with that rod for the purpose at hand.

It may cost a little more.  But I am confident  I am getting the best outfit I can afford for the particular niche I am trying to cover.