The Best Spinning Rod and Reel Combos

It is a common misconception that rod and reel combos are cheaper quality than what you would get from rods and reels sold separately. The truth is there are plenty of quality combos from top-notch brands that will help you land fish. Purchasing ready-made combos takes the guesswork out of trying to match the right reel with a great rod. Buying a rod and spinning reel as a package deal can also save you money. If you like the idea of bundling your gear, here are some of the best spinning rod and reel combos available. 

How I Tested the Best Spinning Rod and Reel Combos

Choosing a single best spinning combo is impossible. There are hundreds of fishing methods out there, and die-hard anglers change up their styles and preferences depending on the water they’re fishing and the species they’re after. Sometimes, the “best” combo can change multiple times on a single fishing trip, and comparing a surf-fishing bait rod to a lure-casting crappie rig is like the cliché of pitting apples against oranges. 

I’ve fished with each combo in this list, spending hours on the water fishing for crappie, stripers, largemouths, and speckled trout. I pitched jigs, worked crankbaits, and fished live bait from the shore and a boat. Sometimes, I caught fish; sometimes, I didn’t. But casting, reeling, and fighting fish allowed me to evaluate balance, drag systems, sensitivity, castability, weight, and ergonomics. Each combo also spent some time riding in the bottom of a jon boat and sliding around in the back of a truck. 

Best Spinning Rod and Reel Combos: Reviews and Recommendations

Best Overall: Abu Garcia Veritas Spinning Combo

Key Features

• Rod length: 6 feet 6 inches; 7 feet
• Power: Medium
• Action: Fast
• Reel size: 3000
• Gear ratio: 6.2:1
• Bearings: 11
• Price: $300

With an optimized casting system, titanium guides, and a rocket line management system, the Abu Garcia Veritas combo has features well above its price point. The top-notch drag system uses carbon fiber discs that last longer than felt discs and apply consistent drag pressure for smooth line feeding during a fight. The whole set-up performs well enough to earn big tournament prizes without being too extravagant for fishing a back-forty farm pond. 

The setup is lightweight, well-balanced in the hand, and has a smooth, quiet spinning reel. The whole thing offers that just-right Goldilocks merger of durability and sensitivity. I’m a big fan of the sturdy, stainless steel, single-foot Fuji guides, which are outfitted with smooth, zirconium inserts. Not only is it super fun to fish with, I don’t have to worry about it getting beat up when it’s riding around in the back of my pickup. 

I tested the VRPS70, which is the 7-foot model. I used it to beat banks with a 1/16-ounce Johnson Original Beetle Spin and haul in pan-sized crappie and bluegill. It’s plenty sensitive for picking up those super-subtle panfish nibbles. It did a great job of dropping those lightweight jigs under low-hanging branches. 

The Abu Garcia Veritas combo comes in eye-catching white, which anglers absolutely love or completely despise. While the rod color does not affect how well this rig catches fish, it is probably the most polarizing feature of this otherwise stellar combo. I think a white rod tip offers excellent visibility when fishing cast-and-wait natural bait, particularly when I’m fishing in low light. However, rod color doesn’t matter all that much to me when I’m pitching jigs. The white does seem to get dirty faster, or at least lets you see every mud smear and streak of fish slime.

Read Next: Best Baitcaster Combos

Best Value: Pflueger President XT Spinning Combo

Key Features

• Rod length: 6 feet 6 inches; 7 feet
• Power: Medium, Medium light
• Action: Fast, Extra fast
• Reel size: 30, 35
• Gear ratio: 6.2:1
• Bearings: 10
• Price: $170

This is one of the rare combo models where the reel outshines the rod.  It features a lightweight carbon body with machined aluminum components that work together to make it comfortable to fish while keeping the weight manageable. The reel also has a stainless-steel 10-bearing system for a buttery smooth retrieve. I fished this one for inshore speckled trout. It casts a soft plastic jig a country mile and holds up to saltwater use surprisingly well.

The rod in this spinning combo may not be the star, but it’s not exactly shabby. Made from 24-ton graphite, it offers a nice combination of stiffness, sensitivity, and durability. It provides excellent hook-setting power, although I found it isn’t quite sensitive enough to detect more subtle bites from apprehensive fish.

Read Next: Best Bass Lures

Best for Beginners: Ugly Stik GX2 Spinning Combo

Key Features

• Rod length: 4 feet 8 inches, 5 feet, 6 feet, 6 feet 6 inches; 7 feet
• Power: Ultralight, light, medium, medium heavy
• Action: Moderate
• Reel size: 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50
• Gear ratio: 5.1:1; 5.2:1
• Bearings: 4
• Price: $50 – $80

My first ever bass rod ever was an Ugly Stik. The brand is famous for being tough, long-lasting, and priced for budget-conscious anglers. That rod was no exception. I spent less than 25 bucks on it, and it survived years of abuse, including several dives overboard, lots of sliding around in the back of the truck, and one nasty slam of the rod tip in the tailgate. 

The Ugly Stik GX2 combo lives up to its earned legacy of durability and affordability. I have this model in two iterations: a 7-foot ultralight with a size 40 reel (which is a darned near perfect crappie setup) and a 6-foot 6-inch medium action with a size 50 reel (which I currently have rigged for channel catfish). Neither of these rods has been shut in the tailgate, but they have been stepped on several times and walked away without a scratch. 

The reels aren’t anything to write home about. They combine mostly plastic parts with some metal tossed into the mix. Chances are good that the rods in these combos will long outlive the reels. While these aren’t the smoothest reels I’ve ever fished with, they are dependable and easy to use. There aren’t a lot of bells or whistles, but they are built to take a beating and are priced perfectly for entry-level anglers.

Best Budget: Shimano Nexave Spinning Combo

Key Features

• Rod length: 5 feet 6 inches, 6 feet, 6 feet 6 inches, 6 feet 10 inches, 7 feet 6 inches
• Power: Ultralight, medium light, medium, medium heavy
• Action: Fast
• Reel size: 1000, 2500, 4000
• Gear ratio: 5:1, 5.8:1, 6.2:1
• Bearings: 4
• Price: $30 – $100

The Shimano Nexave combo has a durable two-piece graphite-composite pole with titanium oxide guides and a soft EVA split grip. It also features a quality Nexave reel packed with patented features like a “G-Free Body” design and an AR-C spool. Cutting through the marketing speak, that simply means Shimano shifted the reel’s center of gravity to reduce fatigue and angled the spool lip to create less friction during casting. It works. It casts like a champ, and I can fish all day without my hand or wrist cramping. However, the reel on this one is relatively basic, and while it has held up well during several trips on the water, it doesn’t feel as durable as reels in some of the other combos on this list. 

I tested the Shimano NEXS56UL2 combo, which includes a size 1000 reel and an ultralight, fast-action rod that is 5 feet 6 inches long. I had zero hand or wrist fatigue after a full day of jigging for crappie and panfish from a jon boat on a backwater beaver slough. The set-up is the perfect length for pitching lightweight jigs from a jon boat, and the rod made catching even the smallest panfish feel like lunkers.

Best for Salmon and Steelhead: Shimano Symetre Salmon/Steelhead Spinning Combo

Key Features

• Rod length: 8 feet 6 inches, 9 feet, 9 feet 6 inches, 10 feet
• Power: Medium, medium heavy, heavy
• Action: Moderate fast, fast
• Reel size: 3000, 4000
• Gear ratio: 5.8:1, 6.2:1
• Bearings: 4
• Price: $110 – $130

The Shimano Symetre Salmon/Steelhead combo features a high-quality graphite rod blank with stainless-steel frame guides with titanium oxide inserts. The rod has enough backbone to handle heavier lures and larger fish, but it isn’t so heavy that it can’t cast lighter baits if I want to switch things up. 

I tested the 8-foot 6-inch medium-heavy power fast action combo, and it could cast lures from 1/8 ounce to 3/4 ounce, although I struggled to get a decent casting distance with the lighter lures. 

The Symetre reel is easily one of my all-time favorite budget spinning reels. It retrieves smooth as glass, the cast is just as sleek, and the drag, which has a max setting of 19 pounds,  is a total boss when handling long runs. The reel also features Shimano’s proprietary line management system, an array of elements that work together to ward off line twist, thus preventing wind knots, broken lines, lost casts, and tons of frustration.

Best Workhorse: Lew’s American Hero Spinning Combo

Key Features

• Three Rod Lengths: 6 feet, 6 feet 6 inches and 7 feet
• Two piece graphite rod construction
• 6.2:1 gear ratio
• Split grip EVA handle

Over the last decade or so, Lew’s reestablished itself as an industry leader by giving serious tournament anglers what they want and need, at a wide range of prices. These three combo options continue that trend, and they do so in a package that is both durable and refined. I found that you could take these rods pounding through waves, use the tips to dislodge snagged lures, and boat flip big fish, and all they did was come back begging for more like a Labrador retriever puppy. The blue accents stand out among a sea of bland copycats, and while I’d generally prefer one-piece construction, the ferrule created no meaningful loss of sensitivity or fluidity. Indeed, some anglers may prefer that it makes it easier to transport.

Read Next: Best Travel Fishing Rods

How to Choose a Spinning Rod and Reel Combo 

While opting for a combo can reduce the number of decisions you have to make, there are still a few things to consider before you buy. Different combos are better suited for certain types of fishing and for catching different species of fish. Here are some key factors to keep in mind when shopping for a spinning rod and reel combo.

Rod Length

The length of the rod affects how far you can cast your lure and how accurately you can get it there. Shorter rods (under 6 feet 6 inches) are generally better for precision casting in tight spaces. Longer rods are typically better suited for open-water fishing, especially when you need to be able to chuck your bait a fair distance. 

Rod Power 

Rod power is a measure of how much pressure it takes to flex the rod. It is also a good indication of how much weight it can handle without breaking. Power ratings range from ultralight to extra-heavy. Lighter power rods are best for crappie, panfish, and small trout while heavier power rods are better for catching heavier fish like striped bass, redfish, or hefty catfish.

Rod Action

Action refers to where the rod flexes along the blank, with faster action rods bending closer to the tip and moderate action rods bending closer to the center. A rod with an extra-fast action has tons of tip sensitivity and will generally offer a faster, heavier hook set, making it a smart option for jigging. You may lose some tip sensitivity when fishing a moderate action rod, but you get a longer casting range in return. Medium action rods are also a good option when fishing with crankbaits or other lures with treble hooks because the moderate bend helps prevent snatching the bait from the fish’s mouth before it engulfs it. 

Reel Size

The size of a fishing reel determines how much line it can hold. It can also affect the balance of the combo. Lighter reels (1000–2500 size) work well for small crappie, panfish, and other small freshwater species. Medium (3000–4000) are built for bigger fish. Even larger reels (5000+) are generally used for large saltwater species. 

Gear Ratio

A reel’s gear ratio determines how much line is retrieved with each handle turn. A gear ratio of 6:1 means the spool will make six rotations for every crank. Higher gear ratios deliver a faster retrieve. Lower gear ratios offer a slower retrieve and can provide more power for fighting large fish.  

Ball Bearings

The number of ball bearings a reel has directly affects how smoothly it operates during retrieval. A greater number of bearings reduces friction between rotating components for smoother and more consistent spin. A quality combo reel should have at least four ball bearings. However, the quality of the bearings is almost as important as the number. High-quality bearings perform better than low-quality components, even in smaller numbers. 

Comfort

A comfortable grip and good balance between the rod and reel will help reduce fatigue, particularly on long fishing trips. EVA foam or cork handles provide a comfortable, stable grip.

Final Thoughts on the Best Spinning Rod and Reel Combos

Buying one of the best spinning rod and reel combos is a great way to ensure you get a fitting rod/reel setup. It’s also a smart way to save a few bucks. Whether you’re a beginner searching for a versatile setup that won’t break the bank or an experienced angler looking for durability and precision, there’s a combo to meet your angling needs. The combos I’ve listed here have proven their worth on the water and offer a range of features from durable designs for battling big fish to lightweight options that provide much more finesse.