Rod and reel. What should I buy?

I haven't done any fishing in maybe 15 years and even then it was with equipment I got second hand.

This year I would like to try it again and buy some decent equipment but moderately priced.

I plan to fish on the lake where I keep my boat, Lake Champlain, NY and I may also go a little farther south for salmon fishing.

Does anyone have a checklist of what makes a decent (not necessarily quality) rod and reel?

Is there such a thing as an all purpose or multi purpose rod and reel?

Thanks

I personally like the Shakespeare 'Ugly Sticks' as the best 'bang for the buck' fishing rods. I also like the Penn SS series Spinning reels. My personal favorite all around setup is a 7' 'Ugly Stick-Lite' teamed up with a Penn 550 SS Spinning reel loaded up with 12 lb. test Ande Monofiliment line. Works great for me as an all around setup here in Hawaii. The warranties for both products are great, and getting parts for Penn reels are no problem. Just my 2 cents worth. Spy in Hawaii

stay with name brands

I am new to fishing also. I was told to get a Zebco Rhino combo kit. Contains a Zebco 33 real and graphite rod... I think. Haven't bought it yet. <g>

Can anyone second the recommendation on this combo for

You were given a good recco. - Its a good setup to 'try it'. If you stay with it then spend the extra bucks. Keep the old one for a backup or for kids that come along. I still have a couple old Zebco 202's on old poles that I bought 30 years ago and with a little grease every couple years they are still working fine. Plus I don't get upset with kids using them, stepping on them etc. John

Zebco's are good for baitfishing but you'd be a lot better off with a spinning reel for general use. The retrieve on spincasts reels is very slow. If you try to use any lures besides a plastic worm you'll be breaking your arm to get the thing fast enough to make the lure work. (spinners, spoons, etc) A spinning reel/rod setup for 8-14 lb test would be the best all around freshwater setup. You'll be able to use pretty much any type of lure or bait and any type of technique and it will handle 80% of the fish out there without being too heavy or too light. IMHO

Hey, want a great casting rod and real?? Check out 'Shimanos' stuff, they have a nice cast to them and last for a very long time!! I have Shimano equipment on my mountain bike and other things. Hey, want some more tips, check out my web page.. http://www.angelfire.com/or/fool4fishin and the idiots guide to fishing will be there in front of you, just for you to use and abuse!! Sure, its not done yet, but will it ever be?? 8-)

Your going to get alot of opinion on a question like this and alot of personal preferences too. Every rod reel system has a drawback, baitcasting reels might birdnest. Spincasting systems are prone to line twist. Fly fishing gear is specialized and not for beginners.

So, in my opinion, the best multipurpous reels are spin casting reels, with a drag on the spool and no auto bail release. This makes the spin casting reel as mechanically simple as it can be so there are fewer parts to break and wear down and this makes the reel last longer. the most rugged and durable spinning reels made are the Penn ss series. While you'll be fishing freshwater, they probably are the only spinning reels designed to take a saltwater dunking without complete breakdown and re-clean. My wife's one Penn 440ss has outlived 3 reels I've bought for myself and I only recall actually taking it apart twice to clean it and once was just to pacify myself not because it really needed it. Note, if your a Penn guy looking for a testimonial, I'll expect some money .

The most important thing about the rod are the rod guides and the reel seat. Make absolutely sure that either the reel seat mechanism is made of metal, or that if it is made of plastic that it is the type where a tapered front grip is all one piece and screws over the top of the front reel brace, and the back is just a notch which catches the back reel brace. I've had too many brand new rods break at the reel reel holding rings when I tightened the screws because they were made of brittle polystyrene instead of nylon. If you can spare the expense, I highly recommend a high dollar graphite rod. They are just so sensitive, that often you can tell just from the feel what fish is biting, and if your not setting the hook you can change your tackle or lure presentation to increase your catch.

I feel that spin casting tackle is more versatile than baitcasting for the following reason. With a good spinning reel and rod you can get extra casting distance with lighter lures and tackle than with bait casting, which is a requirement for open water wade fishing. There are times, when the water is very clear, and the sun is shining bright, that only lighter smaller lures on lighter line draw strikes for all species, and if you have heavy 15 lb test and 1/2 or 3/4 oz lures you just don't catch as many. Not only that, but some lures were specifically designed with lighter line and spincasting systems. If you happen to hook the occasionally extra heavy fish you can allways play it to the landing net, but not if you don't get a bite. I hooked and landed large bass on 1/8 oz jigs and 6 lb line when I thought I was fishing for bluegill. I caught alot of bass that day on those stupid tiny jigs.

Rods and reels are not quite as simple and general purpose as a hammer or screwdriver. There are 4 major types (counting fly fishing) and many different sizes within each type. What would be best for you depends a lot on the type of fishing you will be doing.

Based on what little description you have given of the type of fishing you will be doing (salmon & Lake Champlain), I would recommend a medium sized spinning reel on a 7', medium action spinning rod. That way, you can handle line from 8 up to 14 pound test. Be sure that the reel comes with 2 spools, or you can buy an extra spool or 2, so that you can change line weights quickly and easily for different types of fish.

Without any idea of your budget, I will not recommend any specific brand or model of rod or reel. Others have done plenty of that already. d8-]

Good Luck and Good Fishing!

Thanks for your suggestions but you would not believe how many people sent me e-mails trying to sell me something.

I will do a little shopping this week-end.

ORBS - Outdoor Classified Ads wrote in message

OK on the above..... but can someone explain the diffs between a spinning reel and the others (spincast)? I'm really dumb abt all this. <g>