hi all,

new member with 1st post looking for a good compromise of rod & reel. looking for freshwater apps using mainly live bait (night crawlers) but exploring some lures also. i currently use an ugly stik & love it's strength & it's plenty sensitive for me.  looking into the shimano stradic CI4 as a reel but don't know what rod will compliment it. would appreciate any advice u guys can give. thanks

You're getting a $200 reel to fish nightcrawlers?!? That's a new one. How much are you looking to spend?

You're getting a $200 reel to fish nightcrawlers?!? That's a new one. How much are you looking to spend?

The pairing it with an ugly stik is worse than using nightcrawlers IMHO  ;D.

let me rephrase "looking into".... haven't actually bought the reel yet and the stradic just caught my attention. will be using lures also. i just prefer live bait. price? anything under $250 hopefully for both rod & reel

who's pairing a stradic with an ugly stik? i thought  i asked for a rod that compliments the stradic & even then, is it a forbidden sin to pair the two?  

i'm still open to suggestions

I would say a Pflueger President or Supreme spinning reel paired with a St. Croix Avid, Kistler Magnesium, or Powell Max.  

let me rephrase "looking into".... haven't actually bought the reel yet and the stradic just caught my attention. will be using lures also. i just prefer live bait. price? anything under $250 hopefully for both rod & reel

who's pairing a stradic with an ugly stik? i thought i asked for a rod that compliments the stradic & even then, is it a forbidden sin to pair the two?

i'm still open to suggestions

yeah, pretty much.  ;D

So with the stradic you are leaving about $50 budget for a rod? I would spend more on the rod, in my opinion it is more important than a reel for what you are doing. You really don't need a Stradic for live bait and "some lures." I think you would benefit much more from a nice rod.

Something like this:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10201566_10000

8-)

For $229 checkout the Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Signature Series Spinning Combo

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_98313_100003002_100000000_100003000_100-3-2?ordProd=Y&CMID=TOP_selectitems#itemDetail

I have one as my only spinning combo and its great!

(rarely ever use it but never know when I might need it)

IMO RW gave a good suggestion, I happen to own a BPS tourney and I originally bought it for an inexpensive kingfish rod ( 8/17 mh), it has wonderful backbone and will handle just about anything you will catch, the sedona reel will compliment that rod well.  I put a supreme on that rod recently for froggin and it's working fine.

I'd look at almost any spinner4000, 50 -80 bucks would be fine on that ugly stick , be a nice catfish rod for bait use.

Personally I would purchase a "better" rod for a stradic, it's a fine reel and deserves a good rod, I use a hurricane redbone 20 lb class rod for my stradic.  I've had rods twice the price that do not perform half as well.

thanks for the suggestions guys. that basspro combo that  RW posted does look good enough for me. i was really looking for a rod that has the  backbone & durability of an ugly stick. sirsnookalot i'll have to check out the redbones. thanks again