Fishing Combo reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 120 Reddit reviews across 10 subreddits and 29 posts to rank the best Fishing Combo brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/Fishing_Gear, r/saltwaterfishing, r/muskiefishing, r/FishingAustralia, r/FishingForBeginners. Top-rated brands include Penn (4.4/5), Shimano (4.3/5), Daiwa (4.4/5).
Stats
Reviews120
Subreddits10
Posts29
Brands25
Products92
120 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Penn
4.4
(23)
"Grab an Ugly Stik Big water in any strength and length you seem fit and grab a Penn Pursuit reel or a Okuma Avenger . I’d say that’s the best budget effective setups in my opinion."
"Penn Battle 4000 7’ combo. You can use it for freshwater too. It’s caught everything from crappie to a 40 lb black drum."
"The version three and the version four are both superior to the version two."
"I enjoy my penn battle 3 combo, 8’ MH rod with a 5000 reel."
"Battle 4000 combo with 30 lb braid handled a 34” bull red fine."
"Look at the Penn Battle series. I personally like it. I needed a reel with muscle."
"I purchased a Penn Battle III combo. I absolutely love it."
"For more budget friendly options- penn combos. You can’t kill those reels that’s why all head boats use them."
"He’s brought in almost everything that swims in that water with em including his pb tarpon (53”). Uses spider wire I. 30lb test and 20 lb mono or floro leader."
"I mainly use Penn Fierce III & Penn Pursuit III reels. They hold up well and aren’t too expensive."
#2
Shimano
4.3
(20)
"I shoulda went 300 or 400 simano tranx off the bat. Agree with above… cant cheap the reel."
"I have the 8’6XH. I’d personally shell out the extra 150 and grab a tranx 400HG with power handle to go with it."
"The Sahara is clearly the best option of your three."
"The shimano sahara combo is very good."
"7’ Shimano teramar SE $200-250."
"Shimano Saragossa 5000 $300."
"2024 Metanium DC with an Abu Garcia Pro casting rod. Not a bank breaker, but definitely nice!"
"Metanium dc or daiwa steez with a mega bass or g loomis rod or you can get a kistler helium that are very light."
"Shimano Compre rod, Abu Garcia 6500 C3 reel. This is a great starter combo and easy to sell used if you decide to do so."
"Shimano SLX 70 is $150."
#3
Daiwa
4.4
(17)
"I bought a used daiwa tatula 100h for around $70 on eBay and I fucking love it."
"Practically any Daiwa and Shimano rods are great."
"I have the same combo I love it"
"I bought a Daiwa BG combo for surf casting and couple years ago and it’s still in great shape."
"Aird x + revros 2500 is an unreal combo, tactical bassin has mentioned it a bunch as a crazy good combo for the cost of the 2 together."
"Diawa BG 4000 Bull Bay Karbine 7’10 15-30 would be my pick, probably run you 350 range? Can be used in a ton of different ways and worth the money."
"Daiwa bg"
"Daiwa and Shimano make great spinning reels of the same weight class"
"Daiwa Procaster80 is a $99 combo it’s been good to me for about two seasons."
"Similar prices reels from Daiwa & Shimano and I'd recommend that option every time."
#4
Ugly Stik
4.2
(11)
"Grab an Ugly Stik Big water in any strength and length you seem fit and grab a Penn Pursuit reel or a Okuma Avenger . I’d say that’s the best budget effective setups in my opinion."
"Ugly stiks are great, very versatile and virtually unbreakable."
"Ugly Stik GX2 and. Daiwa Fuego. It is what I purchased this spring and so far I love this combo."
"Uglystick gx2 rod and some Ozark trail reel. Reel doesn't matter as much as the rod and rod won't break."
"For pier fishing, get a sturdy 7-8ft medium-heavy or heavy like the ugly stik Tiger series."
"It’ll be good for fresh or salt and you can upgrade the reel when necessary but the rod will last for ages."
"Been catching carp with it the past 2 weeks and its done great. You will love it."
"Will cop a gx2 combo and ill try to upgrade when i can."
"Ugly stick has stepped there game up. I know they get a lot of hate but the Tiger Elite series are some damn good rods."
"For a first time rod/reel, you can’t go wrong with an ugly stick and a pfleuger reel."
#5
Abu Garcia
4.1
(8)
"I bought a black max baitcaster in 2013 and it’s still my go to. Thing is a tank."
"Better gear is nice and all but the black max is a workhorse and gets the job done just fine."
"They don’t come close to a curado or higher end reel but they are tanks and a great value."
"Abu Blue Maxx off amazon ($70ish). My wife bought it for me and it is one of my go-to's."
"I got one at Ollie's for $35! It's been great so far."
"Pre-built combo, I'd be looking at any if the Abu Garcia Max series."
"I have an Abu Garcia black max combo that I treat like crap and it’s still going strong 5-6 years later."
"I use an abu garcia tormentor travel rod, 306cm long, cast weight 25-65g."
#6
Okuma
4.4
(7)
"Grab an Ugly Stik Big water in any strength and length you seem fit and grab a Penn Pursuit reel or a Okuma Avenger . I’d say that’s the best budget effective setups in my opinion."
"I still love my okuma evx telescopic 9 foot rod. Handles everything(big runber,etc) which you need if you own 1 rod. $120"
"I ended up picking up an Okuma Rockaway SP and ordered a Daiwa Fuego reel online, stoked to get out there with the new setup!"
"Check out the Okuma Rockaway Surf SP rod. It’s great and I could see it working on a lake just as well. Pair it with a Daiwa BG and you are solid!"
"Okuma seems to have them on their website for $140. I don’t think you can do much better."
"Rod: Okuma Celilo ($30) I'd probably get the 7ft Light Reel: Shimano Sienna ($30) 1000 Size."
"I used my Okuma Celilo for like 2 years before I upgraded to a real surf rod lol. They are cheap and reliable."
#7
Lews
4.4
(5)
"Lews Classic Pro + Daiwa Aird-x. Probably comes in closer to $110. I’ve had a couple of the ~$80 Abu combos (STX Max and Jordan Lee) and would take the Classic Pro/Aird-x hands down."
"Lew's Laser MG Speed Spool Baitcast Combo, or Pflueger President combo both are great combos for right at $100!"
"The Lews Classic Speed Spool combo from Walmart ($60 but goes on sale a lot). It's a medium action and is great for squarebills and jerkbaits."
"I have a lews xfinity combo I got on sale at Walmart for well under $100."
"I like My Lews Classic…Retails around $60, Nothing fancy but a work horse."
#8
Picifun
4.0
(5)
"Recently upgraded to a aijoz 300 and a musky innovations bulldawg 8’6. Rod was $120. Reel was $80 on sale Amazon."
"I have an alijoz 400 with a diawa prorex 8' 6" heavy rod. I do like it and it was less than 350 all in."
"I'd grab a few Alijoz reels before the tariffs kick in. I have a 300 and a 400, they seem solid for what you pay."
"Picifun alijoz and okuma evx"
"Reels....lots of folks using Piscifun 300 and 400 series reels now."
#9
St. Croix
4.8
(4)
"I caught my first musky on a 7’6 st criox bass x medium heavy rod with a bass baitcaster."
"6'8" medium extra fast bass x rod with a shimano slx 70 would be a great place to start."
"I recently put together a 7’ M St. Croix Triumph Inshore rod with a Shimano Ultegra 4000 spooled with 20 pound braid and it’s been perfect."
"Bass X rods are around $125."
#10
Unknown Fishing Combo
3.3
(3)
"Definitely, a great fishing combo to make that extra money."
"The test is good. Spinners are good for casting but not as ideal for bottom fishing or trolling."
"20lb test. Stripers, croakers, spot, shad."
#11
President
4.0
(2)
"The President Eagle combo is good or you can buy a rod and reel separately."
"President and gx2 is great combo you don’t need to spend too much"
#12
Berkley
4.0
(2)
"As for line I'd recommend Berkeley big game monofilament either 12 or 15lb test. Around $10 for a spool that can be used to respool quite a few times."
"8ft rod ( Berkeley lightning rod super heavy action. ain't bad for the money"
#13
Bull Bay Karbine
5.0
(1)
"My favorite answer (the “do it all” deal) of my own combos is a 7’6 Bull Bay Karbine MH paired with a 4000 FFP Resolute."
#14
KastKing
5.0
(1)
"Look into kast king products. I have 2 spinning combos and a 6000 megatron reel they are all awesome"
#15
Star rods with Penn Slammer IV or Penn Authority reels
5.0
(1)
"Star rods (6'6 - 7'6) w/ PENN slammer IV or PENN Authority."
#16
Atomic
5.0
(1)
"Atomic Arrowz 7ft UL Estuary rod with a 2500 Shimano Nasci. An absolute workhorse."
#17
Jarvis Walker
5.0
(1)
"For a nice combo I would go for a 8 ft general purpose Jarvis walker rod caught some massive tailor and flatheads."
#18
Snyder Glass
5.0
(1)
"Custom Snyder Glass 8 foot Estuary raider with a Alvey 500b. Lovely combo with 15lb mono."
#19
Shakespeare
4.0
(1)
"Shakespears 7 foot tiger rods are pretty good. I got one myself and have been using it every year since 2019 and havnt had a single issue."
#20
Jackson
4.0
(1)
"Used Jackson Kracken 14, crescent lite tackle 2."
#21
Fenwick
4.0
(1)
"Check out this deal on scheels, fenwick eagle with a pflueger reel and three crankbaits for $60"
#22
James Cook
4.0
(1)
"As a reel I use a James Cook Alu Pro 4500."
#23
Pflueger
4.0
(1)
"Slap a pfleuger trion on an ugly stik gx2 and have yourself a good time."
#24
Komodo
4.0
(1)
"Caught like hundreds of fish on that combo last year. A Komodo works pretty well too."
#25
Black Diamond
4.0
(1)
"Roland Hocking Black Diamond with JM2000 $195, or Blackjack 6'6" with GK2000 for $114."
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