INDIANANGLER

I don't think there can ever be a 'best combination'. Each fishing technique requires a different set up. You need a spinning rod and reel for spinning, a float set up for float fishing, Surf fishing calls for totally different gear and so does trolling.

The simplest thing to do when buying a new rod and reel is to put them together. Then hold the rod the way you would while casting and see if it is balanced. Too much weight at the back or front affects your cast.

Still without any specs like length of rod, size of reel, line, lure weight, etc you can't tell.

I cannot really add anything to MKs advice kinda perfect.

Hi Guys,

Just a thought. For spinning outfits, the reel has almost no impact on the 'balance' of your outfit, since you are holding the rod at the reel seat anyway.

What affects balance is the rod itself. Try this (for spinning rods of say 6 to 9 ft.; forget the coarse & surf ones!): assemble the rod (only) and balance it on your outstretched forefinger. Check how far that balance point is from the reel seat. If it is significant (say >8in.), you'll feel the rod 'top heavy'. If that point is close to the reel seat, the rod feels light and 'balanced'.

Even then, all this is only critical if you are casting lures all day, and do the odd single-handed sidecasts on spinning outfit. For bait fishing, I dont think it's a real issue.

As to size of reel, I think the more critical issue is the size of the butt guide ring of the rod in relation to the reel spool size. Imagine line from a Shimano 10,000 reel entering a guide ring of say 2-cm diameter. You wouldn't be able to cast too far with it.

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