I fish mostly with baitcasters but would like to pick up a spinning rod for finesse fishing. I want to match it with a Shimano Stradic 2500. I also have a budget of $150. Any suggestions would be appriciated.

For another $30-50, you can have one built personally for you.  Just a suggestion.

total budget of $150 rod and reel? and if it is i would take a step down in the reel to allow more money for the rod, get a symetre for 79.99 instead of the stradic for 109.99 i beleive depending on what size. This allows you $70 for a rod instead of $40 and in my opinion the rod means alot more than the reel in fishing considering the rod is how you feel the fish and the bottom and a greater sensitivity in the rod could be the difference between feeling a subtle bite and missing a fish especially for finesse fishing. For me i would go with a 6'6" or 7' M probably a Falcon Original, Castaway, St. Croix, or the Shiamano Clarus series feel all of them pick the one that feels the most comfortable for you.

The Stradic is $120 by itself. I you are talking about a combo with which includes a Stradic for $150, BPS has it on sale for about that price often. If you are wanting to spend $150 on a rod, I suggest the St. Croix Avid AS66MF or AS70MF.

The BPS combos are apparantly NOT on sale today, but be patient...they ARE on sale most of the time!

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=59174&hvarDept=100&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=3&hvarSubCode=2&hvarTarget=browse

Pickup a shimano claus 66x mh the x is very important. This rod has very soft tip and lots of backbone. Great for general spinning. If you a lttle more punch get there 68x mh I t-jig this spinning stick.

Garnet

The Stradic is $120 by itself. I you are talking about a combo with which includes a Stradic for $150, BPS has it on sale for about that price often. If you are wanting to spend $150 on a rod, I suggest the St. Croix Avid AS66MF or AS70MF.

The BPS combos are apparantly NOT on sale today, but be patient...they ARE on sale most of the time!

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=59174&hvarDept=100&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=3&hvarSubCode=2&hvarTarget=browse

I was referring to $150 for the rod. I had my mind set on the Stradic but will appriciate suggestions on other reels in the $120 range.

This would be a good real for both fresh or saltwater.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp;jsessionid=VHD2EK50QI2W4CWQNWRCCOAK0BW0GIWE?id=0029873119552a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=catalist&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=catalist&noImage=0&_requestid=33153

If you want to spennd $150 on the rod alone, the St Croix Avid is hard to beat.

But I agree with RW. The BPS combo price essentially give you a pretty good $100 rod for $30 on top of the $120 for the Stradic. I know, I have that combo

Then you have another $120 to spend on tackle...

I purchased a St. Croix Avid 6' ML last year for finesse fishing.  So far it has been a very good rod.  I was not sure if I would like the short length but this rod has served it's purpose well.

I would go with a 6'6" or a 7' M G-Loomis spinning rod their lower end runs around $150 other than that a Castaway, Shimano Crucial, St. Croix Avid, or Falcon Cara

I purchased a St. Croix Avid 6' ML last year for finesse fishing. So far it has been a very good rod. I was not sure if I would like the short length but this rod has served it's purpose well.

Perfect, I think the medium power St. Croix rods are a little much for finesse fishing...at least what I consider finesse. That rod (in ML) loads and responds very well with light baits.  I have it in the Legend Elite grade and they are sweet. Compare it to the Loomis SJR722 which is one of their most popular spinning rods.

I'd get a Falcon Lowrider or a G Loomis GL2 in the price range your talking about. I have one of each, and like them both.

I use a 7' GL2 with my spinning reel and it works great. If not check the St.Croix Avid out.

I never hear anyone ever mention anything about the quantum catalyst, i own two energy's and love them but the catalyst is only $110 and i really couldn't tell you the differnce if I couldn't see them. and for rods i have nothing but st. croix rods on my go to spinning setups. i like the avids the most. but the premeires are nice for $100 bucks.

They are nice reels but just too heavy in the hand for me and bugman has his reel picked out.