First time buying a rod/reel. Looking for something affordable and versatile...

[Chipnice]

For what it's worth I picked up an 8 foot ugly stick a couple months ago and paired it with a penn pursuit 5500 put 20 lb braid on it cot just over $100. The pole is versatile but the more I use it and the better my buck tailing technique gets the more I realize its limitations when it comes to working lures. Thinking of upgrading to a tsunami trophy from ll bean or waiting till I'm eligible to pick something up on the bSt like an airwave elite or a used lami. Or even better a loomis

[stack]

hi all, new to the board and to the world of fishing. right now i really want to pick up an affordable (<$100?) rod and reel combination. i am leaning towards an Ugly Stik. 

 

i'll mostly be using it off piers, jetty's, bridges, and occasionally the beach in NJ and NY.

 

any advice? can someone get me started in the right direction?

 

thank you all! 

Where are you located?  I have a 10' Ugly I barely used and will let it go cheap.

[poopdeck]

I have some very nice rods and I have some ugly sticks and I have the penn battle combo. I really like the penn battle combo and I like every ugly Stick I own just as much as the others. I don't buy into the super rod mentality and find most rod talk to be nothing more than bait shop banter. Buy what you can afford and don't feel like you need to spend a kings ransom to be successful. With that said a hundo is little on the cheap side. I typically spend less on the rod, which is why I like ugly sticks, and more on the reel. It really comes down to what your fishing for and how your fishing for them. Sadly there really is no magic bullet rod and reel combo.

[JordanCoveCT]

A good 7-8' MH rod with a moderate action is a great starter rod that you can use forever, like an Ugly Stick, Penn or bps surf casting rod. The Penn Saugus, used Penn Spinfisher, or a Shimano Saros will all work great and all are very versitale. As for line, a very good braided line is a must. Braid gives you the needed distance. Braid is much lighter and thinner yet super strong compared to mono. Any of the rods paired with any of the reels I mentioned, plus a super line braid will help you tremendously to conquer the main goal and that's to catch fish and have fun. Good luck.