20 Best Fishing Rod And Reel Combo For Freshwater (2023 Updated)

I have been using it for fishing the flats of Tampa Bay which is saltwater. So far, it has behaved admirably. It has not “untelescoped ” with use and is strong enough to handle bigger fish yet has good tip sensitivity.

I would buy again. It has not shown any evidence of rust due to saltwater as long as I rinse it after each use. It is a little heavy for a rod and the handle is a bit long, but it is required for the telescoping feature of the rod.

Im happy with the rod as a durable option for packable mobility. Chinese quality control is a little lax, so you if you don’t mind a language barrier challenge, and maybe sending one back to end up with a good one, I say go for it.

Great quality, great price. Comes in a cool caring case with everything you need. Fits in a backpack so you can hike to your favorite fishing hole.

I purchased this rod for a Christmas present for my adult son. He made three casts and hooked a decent trout and the pole folded in half. We have several ugly stick rods and we have broken one in the past as well, however they do perform very well.

This particular rod was obviously defective. Now begins the frustrating part of getting it replaced. Even though we have had good luck with Ugly stick in the past I will not purchase another product from ugly stick.

Two broken rods in one year? I’m done! We own several okuma, lamiglass, Finwick and G Loomis rods that hold up perfectly but you definitely can’t purchase them for $49. 99. The old saying holds true- You get what you pay for.

Very nice rod and reel combo, I was fortunate to have one in great working condition with no issues. Canadian tires description and specifications are very incorrect!!!!! The correct info I shall give now, The 7’ rod reel combo has a 3500 series reel, not a 3000 series like mentioned.

the 7’ is a fast action, not extra fast like the 6’6” elite spinning rod. And there are 8 guides on the rod. Not 7. It is Also rated for 6-14lb line and a 1/4 oz- 5/8 oz lure. Great rod and reel none the less.

Even better when on sale. The bass are no match for this guy.

I bought this rod last summer in a medium light and spooled it with suffix braid. I could not believe how well it fished. I caught pike and rainbow trout on this set up. With the braid it was sensitive enough for slight nibbles but it held up great when hooked up with 2ft+ pike! It was my first summer fishing spinning rods and I had no idea where to start.

I have two buddies who were guides off the NW coast of BC and they both stressed getting a Shimano. I compared this rod to an ugly stik (same price point) in the store and could not believe how much higher the quality was.

Looking down the blank the shimano was straight as an arrow. I then looked down the ugly stik and it was noticeably crooked…the rep said I was being too picky I just laughed and said I know which one I’m taking home.

The reel that comes with this combo blows the ugly stik’s reel away completely. Highly recommend for the beginner who wants to learn how to fish and not be slowed down by their “entry level” equipment.

I’m a Shimano guy now.

Feels like an elite rod , very smooth and efficient. After one day of using it , hear a loud ping sound. The after the second tip eyelet the rod snapped. Under no load , while sitting doing nothing. Never had a rod tip break ever.

Brought back to store and recived alot of opposition to exchange. Be sure to buy the extra warrenty on this one. Which I did this time.

I’ve been on cheap Kmart rods all my life. I bought this rod and it has changed everything, the rod is nice and light and is very responsive to bites and hits. The reel is just as good with its ultra smooth drag and lightweight design.

This is the best rod ever!!!!!.

My wife and I each have two of these poles, and have had them previously as well. The only reason we don’t have the old ones anymore is stupid things like slamming the tip in a door, dropping one off the side of a canoe.

etc. We love the smaller poles for packing and hiking, or throwing in the car on an impromptu trip. One of my Amphibians I have had for 3 years now and though the reel squeaks a little it still performs like a champ.

Things of note: The pole will outlive the reel. If you are like me and break poles now and then during random NON-fishing activities, you will end up having cheap extra reels. If your pole makes it ’til the end of the reel’s life, then you can buy a new Amphibian setup for like 20 bucks and have a new set and a spare pole.

Win win. One more note: Your bail might get bent over time, so make sure its fully open every time when casting. ANYway. I love that with the shorter pole, I can get nice snappy and accurate bass casts into any nook I want (can cast a good distance too), and the wife and I have pulled up more than a few 24-25″ fighting rainbows out here on the Green River (WY).

Never even had a line snap. Even if you’re just buying a couple to throw in the trunk- at this price you won’t regret it. Great product.

Had one for about a year now. Caught everything from reds to bass to trout on her. Only recommendation is to change the line ASAP. 10 pounds should do ya fine. 4 star in quality is due to the low strength line.

Snapped several times during casting. Just bought a second one brand new for my sister. She handles it like a pro already.

This rod and reel combo really caught my eye, especially when I saw that it was on sale for 4 cents off regular price! Yes, you heard me! Don’t everyone stampede for this item! I don’t know how Dick’s can do it, but they can get you this rod and reel combo for the ridiculously low price of $49.

95! Did you think, “no way can this excellent rod and reel combo sell for anything less than $49. 99”? Well, believe you me, Dick’s is selling this beautiful combo indeed for $49. 95! An amazing 4 cents off regular price!!!!.

This a great fishing combo. , I have thirty pound line on it just waiting for the big one to strike. Like all ugly sticks you don’t have to worry about this pole breaking. The reel has worked really well too! Just check the locking knob that holds the handle on to make sure it is tight every so often.

Dollar for dollar, you can’t do much better than a Zebco 404 combo. I have several now from different eras, from early 90s Made in USA to this newest one I bought this month just to keep in the truck “just in case”.

I use them all. I wasn’t crazy about the line that came on the reel from the factory, so I changed it and casting improved immensely. But I caught fish on it the first day. The drag system is more like the design on the 33 and is a major improvement from past designs.

And it has bait alert with the anti-reverse switch like the 33. I haven’t had a big fish to challenge the rod yet, so I can’t comment on the rod. But basically you’re getting a free rod when you consider Walmart’s price on the combo isn’t much higher than everyone else’s price on just the reel.

If the rod breaks, I’ll get a Rhino rod and keep on catching fish.

I was familiar with this brand as they were around when we were raising children. It was inexpensive and ideal for them. I was surprised that they were still around and more surprised that they had an adult arrangement and decided to give it a trial.

very satisfied.

For the money, these are great combos. I know they aren’t made in USA anymore, but they are still good deals. Although I prefer the looks of the older 404s, I may irritate some by actually thinking the new reels are better designs.

The odd, “serrated bell” design of line retrieval, has been replaced with pick-up pins, which was always an added feature of the more expensive “33” line of reel. This keeps your line from being damaged for much longer.

The 404’s still have metal gears unlike many other brands spincast reels, that are similiar in price. May be pot metal, I don’t know, but I know it works well. Over all this is a great pond, river combo.

I did have to oil mine to make it to my liking, but that should be normal maintenance for a reel thats been on the shelf for who knows how long. I could fill up a boat with 4-10lb catfish I’ve caught with these newer combos.

They work great.

If you are looking to purchase a quality rod and reel combination, look no further, because this is it. Over the last couple of years/months, I became more and more interested in fishing, and in order to fish, you first need equipment.

I searched for a rod and reel from a trusted, quality brand, and Abu Garcia was on top of the list. I bought this setup not long ago and I have zero regrets. The build quality is phenomenal, something that’s evident the moment you get it in your hands.

The first time I took it on an outing with some companions they all had to give it a try and neither one of them wanted to give it back after a few casts. Setting this combo up for a day of fishing is simple, and so is dis-assembly for transportation and storage.

I have had zero issues with this setup, and I am actually considering adding another one to my collection to have for my son. If you are a seasoned angler, or someone new to the waters, don’t let this one float by.

You won’t regret it.

30 years ago I bought an Abu Garcia combo from an Ontario tackle distributor. The downrigger rod I use for light line and such species as Walleye and Lake Trout. The rod has never failed me! My reel, an Abu Garcia 7000 is fantastic.

I have used it for both casting and trolling. The reel just keeps on going. I can heavy 4 ounce plus Musky lures a good country mile with no issues. The drag has always been smooth, no issues.

MH means medium heavy of course. If you need a drift rod like me, this would not be the one. The rod is well made and all but should be used on large to very large fish, not steelhead or catfish, or stripers, as the rod has the sensitivity of a rake, hoe or shovel handle.

I’m just sayin’. The shipping was 25 bucks from texas to nevada, that is steep because i buy and sell on ebay all of the time and it is about 12 bucks, standard shipping to send a rod. The company, shopatron just can’t seem to find a retailer in my area unfortunately.

I will sell the rod and find a better one for my purposes somewhere else. The ambassedeur 7000i of course is an excellent reel and is a pretty good deal with the combo, except for that shipping.

I was recommended a 7ft fast action medium heavy rod and I have to say I’m really happy making a decision to get this rod/reel combo. The rod has a lot of backbone and I was able to get lures out of the bushes and the rod held up 100%.

It reels in very fast which is very useful for the majority of the techniques I use. Very good at casting long distances but I realized that it entirely depends on the weight of the lure itself. I started with 10 lb mono as recommended by an associate however I quickly realized that it was not appropriate for this rod (12 lb minimum).

After getting 15 lb mono it performed significantly better and backlashes (which will occur if you don’t thumb break before the lure hits the water) are significantly easier to get out quickly. The reel brakes well – after testing it at different levels, I find that keeping it at mid level is best suited for most applications.

Great first rod/reel but there are some cons. It will not be useful for all applications – lighter lures – small poppers, 2 inch shad jighead, nightcrawler plus hook (no weights) can cause a lot of backlash or is difficult to cast very far.

It can be done but I find that I have to work around it to make it work. Sensitivity is not the best. It can be hard to tell (at times) when you are getting bites unless it’s very obvious. I think for a newbie it might be better to get a combo that is more sensitive and to consider a entry level spinning rod first before a bait caster.

With spinning rods you can cast lighter lures and line watch (with slack line) for bites. This rod is more of a bass fishing rod – jigs, frogging, crank baits, lipless crankbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, weighted swim baits (4 inch+) but there are plenty of other lighter techniques with smaller sized lures which catch smaller fish (more abundant in my area) that this rod/reel is not built for.

Not great for finesse techniques but certainly doable with the correct weights. Overhead casting at docks and piers – not easy with this rod, side casting is going to be the main technique I also think baitcasters in general there is a learning curve as well so expect more backlashes in the beginning and expect that to drop significantly later on once you understand what you can cast and how to cast.

I did not have a good time with some recommendations of 12 lb fluorocarbon. I really do recommend 15 lb mono to start with and the fish that you should be catching with this rod (bigger in size) can’t tell the difference in size.

For an entry level rod/reel I’m really happy with what I’ve learned on this rod. It does feel like at times the jack of all trades and master of none. Enough time and experience for me to consider what type of fishing I like and which type is suited for my area and season.

I’ve caught largemouth, smallmouth, yellow perch, sunfish, and crappies on this rod. So it is definitely very capable, super strong, amazing at casting 3/8 oz or heavier lures and will teach you a lot.

This is not really a product review but they keep showing us a baitcaster reel on what they say is a spinning rod. It can be used on one but shouldn’t. A spinning reel should be used on a spinning rod and a baitcast reel on a casting rod.

I bought this product a little over a month ago and I’ve used it multiple times. I love it way better than any of the other combos I’ve used and it is not too expensive I highly recommend this product

I have four other okuma rods and I am very happy with them. This Rod surprised me with a good tip and action for a four foot four piece rod. I will keep it in my car with some lures or if I travel, it will go as a carry on.

My first fishing trip out I cought an 18″ Walleye, the pole handled it just fine with 8lb spider wire fishing line on the spool.

This will be great for traveling in our motorhome this summer. The rod has nice action especially for the price. The compactness will be very helpful in our limited space. The reel spins nice and smooth as well.

I have caught SO many snapper with this rod from my kayak. Crazy good value, got dunked many times but it still works great!

Would recommend to anyone who enjoys fishing