I need new rod and reel

[Mister Penguin]

I need new gear.  My ancient stuff is not cutting it anymore.  What are some of the best rod & reel out there right now around $150 - $250 range???  I want to get something that can do Fluking and deep sea fishing for the upcoming winter season!

Any suggestion willl be appreciated

[Luna Sea 5]

to stay cheap, get a nice stiff ugly stick with a penn 5500SS..  Looking at under $200.00 for both.  If you want to go more expensive, I use the Loomis with is over $200.00 by itself without the reel.  For a newbi like yourself, the penn spinning is perfect for ya.  That is what I had on my loomis.

[bassnblues]

Ditto on the Ugly Stick...maybe not the most sensitive rod out there but very reasonably priced and legendary durability.

[Mister Penguin]

TY.  I will probably go with an ugly stick and one of those penn reels, unless the salesperson at Dick's has an awesome sales pitch and convinces me to spend more money!

[IrishAyes]

I bought my first ugly stick, a seven footer, for plugging when I was surf fishing.  That was about thirty years ago.  The only reason I mention this is, I am still using it!    That shows the quality and durability of the ugly stick.     I now use this to cast snatch hooks and live line bunker and occasionally cast for blues.

[Hotrod]

I now use this to cast I kiss my mother? with this mouth? hooks and live line bunker and occasionally cast for blues.

Hahahah.  word sensored..

Fixed it.   Snatch hooks

[IrishAyes]

Thanks Rod.  I didn't even think about that.  I had it happen before with that word.  Makes ya look like a dork when it does that.   

[ped579]

   

[hareball]

my ugly stick is almost 20 years old and still goin strong!

if you get into a conventional reel the shimano torum 30 is a great all round reel.

also abu garcia makes a great levelwind reel.

[gottog]

IMHO spinning gear has no place in bottom fishing.  For fluke, ok, but when you need 8oz+ and power to crank, it's gotta be a conventional setup.

Nothing wrong with Ugly Sticks at all.  Alot of bang for your buck.

St Croix and Lamiglass are two great companies that have excellent warranties and make exceptional rods.  Muskie type sticks are fairly popular.  BL-Triflex series from Lami are worth a wiggle or two.

Loomis...nice rods, but blown away by my custom Graphite USA rods.  No comparison.  Seen way too many break while bottom fishing and tog'n.  I even broke one, the old Salt Water series which was replaced with a Bucara that collects dust.  Mega Max80 from GUSA is hundreds of time better and have swung 8-10# tog on it...would never even think of doing that with the Bucara 915C.

Quite a few people rave about the BPS muskie stick aka the "Lep Stick" for bottom fishing.  Under $30, but short, think 6' or 6'6".  Seen a few, never had the urge to get one though.

A Newell 220 is a workhorse, fairly inexpensive, easy to maintain, and dependable.

Most of my fluke sticks are way light for deeper bottom fishing and most have Abu conventionals sitting on them.  Picked up a refurb'd Abu 6000 from FFO for like $35 and the fiance has been using it.  Needed to be tightened up, but looks and works great...even better after putting in som Smoothie Drags

[brijones1]

My fluke setup is a okuma baitrunner with 50lb powerpro line on a ugly stick tiger light heavy action rod 6'6.  It still has a ton of sensitivity at the tip and you can feel everything on it.  It can handle up to 8oz jigging off the bottom.  Same reel for bass but with a bigger okuma reel with 65lb powerpro with a okuma blue diamond heavy action rod 7ft.  It handled a 30lber this year no problem.  Both of these setups are under 100$ with line. 

[Mister Penguin]

I ended up getting Avet MX 6.3:1 and Fenwick hmxt, bowguide was tremendous help helping me pick out a good set up.  Unfortunately me being a jacka** picked up lefty thinking its same as spinning reel which i reel with my left hand 

I am now in process of figuring out how to replace this lefty with a righty