sdwalleye wrote:
Any others worth looking into? How about rods?
For spinners you can't go wrong with Shimano or Daiwa. For my money the new Daiwa BG is bulletproof, excellent value, and has tons of "trickle down" tech from their flagship models. Conventional reels the choices broaden, but a basic/value/performance option is the 300 or 500 sized Shimano Tekota.
The new Tranx 300/400 is on my list, but it doesn't have a clicker (I never fish with bait, so no big deal). The low-profile reels in the 300/400 size from Daiwa (Lexa) or Abu (Toro) will all outperform similarly priced round reels imo, esp if you need to launch lures. They tend to have stronger/smoother drag systems as well.
As for rods, options are endless. For general saltwater durability/versatility, I'm a big fan of Shimano's Terez line. The Trevala series is also a common boat rod used for multiple species, but they are shorter sticks.
Terez 7'MH + Daiwa BG 3k or 4k would do you nicely if you're only going out with one setup.
PS. No matter what, do NOT waste money on garbage like Kastking. Absolute garbage.