While sometimes it makes sense to buy a rod and reel individually, it requires more research and there is no guarantee the reel will match well with the rod.
Enter the rod and reel combo. It’s been the stalwart of fishing tackle stores for decades and is the way that many people – kids and adults alike – are introduced the fishing tackle.
By buying a rod and reel combo you will usually save a little bit of money and get an outfit that’s well balanced and ready to fish right from the outside.
There are some downsides to buying a rod and reel combo, which we will go through in this article. But for people just getting into fishing, there is not better way to get set up.
Choosing a Rod and Reel Combo
Choosing a rod and reel combo is a bit more difficult than choosing either a rod or reel because there are two sets of specs to consider.
The first thing is to decide your target species as the combo you settle on will be different if you are chasing panfish to, say, largemouth bass.
One you have decided on what you’ll use the combo for the most, then you can choose the appropriate power rod and the right brand of combo.
Most combos are are the lighter under of the spectrum. Make sure the rod has the power and action you are after and that’s the first part done.
Then when it comes to the reel, you need to look at materials. How much is aluminium vs plastic? How light is the reel? And how many ball bearings does it have (the more the better).
To help you out, we’ve reviewed a bunch of rod and reel combos in different sizes for different fish:
