Review of the top 10 best saltwater rod and reel combos

Greetings my dear sea fishing enthusiasts. If you are looking to acquire a combination of a fishing rod and a reel (a combo) for saltwater fishing then you’ll be hard-pressed to find better help with making your choice than our review of the top 10 best combos.

Amazon, being one of the largest online marketplaces, has some of the best spinning rods designed for all kinds of fishing styles available for purchase. In this article we look over the top 10 best combos as listed by Amazon for 2022.

These rods combined with Lew’s Fishing brand reels are manufactured from graphite and aluminum. The ratio of the bearing is 5.1:1.4 which allows the reel to rapidly pull in the monofilament line or the braided cord without them overlapping. The rod blank’s size comes in at 6’6” which gives the angler enough room for long and accurate casts.

The Lew’s has a medium action and is designed for light lures. The two-piece pole features an ambidextrous design which allows both right and left handed anglers to wield it comfortably. The combo’s price is greatly dependent on the type of reel it comes with. The Shimano Exage FD is between $90 and $120 while the Surf Master Expert is between $30 and $45. At its highest the Lew’s can cost up to $150.

This carbon pole is sold in the lengths of 6’6”, 7’, and 7’6” (1.98, 2.13, and 2.28 meters). It works well for spin fishing and is well suited for freshwater fishing in lakes and rivers. This two-piece pole is likewise good for inshore fishing in the sea. The rod has a slow action but is extremely powerful. Special attention is earned by the Black Max’s modernized, low-profile, baitcasting reel.

The compact and lightweight build features 4 stainless steel ball bearings and a single roller bearing. It functions smoothly without any sudden jolts. Depending on the model of the reel the Abu Garcia Black Max & Max X is worth between $100 and $120 on the market.

This combo’s baitcasting reel features a graphite frame and side panels. The spool’s rotating mechanism has 10 bearings. The one-way clutch bearing with a ratio of 7.5:1 provides a smooth experience when winding. The drag adjustment system comes with a multi-geared mechanism. The handle has been adapted for the left hand. The two-piece rod blank reaches 6’10” (2.1 meters) in size. At its heaviest the rod can reach 11.5 lb (5.2 kilograms). This rod and reel combo costs between $80 and $140.

The SoftTouch handle is equally comfortable to grip for both left and right handed anglers. The reel has a ratio of 4.9:1 that works well with braided cord. The anti-reverse feature blocks the spool from moving backwards which insures a secure hold on the catch.

The Pflueger President XT combo is a fishing  tool with a medium action, a length of 6’6” (1.98 meters), and an aluminum reel with 10 bearings and an airtight draft adjustment. This rod works great for spin fishing both in rivers and under the saltwater conditions. The two-piece rod blank has a light lure weight of ¼-1/2 oz (7-15 grams). Amazon offers these combos for the price of $140.

Abu Garcia Max STX

The pole of this combo is a long one and comes out at 6’6” (1.98 meters). The rod blank has a medium-heavy action with a test of up to 19.8 lb (9 kilograms). Ultimate comfort while sea fishing is met thanks to the special reel seat with its built-in polymer handle and the reel’s 6+1 bearing system. Based on the selected model the combo can be purchased on Amazon for between $70 and $125.

The aluminum EVA handle is suitable for casts made by either hand. Anglers armed with such a tool confidently practise surf fishing. The Code Black rod and reel combo can be bought on Amazon for between $70 and $100.

Things to Know

Before we dive in into the descriptions of the best fish catching tools we want to remind you of the criteria used when comparing the rods, how they are used, and the meaning of some key rod-related terms.

Rod Blank Characteristics

These include:

• Length – spinning rods are usually between 4’11” and 13’1” (1.5 and 4 meters)
• Pole Material – this can be: carbon, graphite or a composite of fiberglass and carbon fiber
• Action – the extent to which the rod bends and how quickly it resets to its default state: ultra-fast, fast, medium, and slow actions
• Lure Rating – the weight of the lure or bait intended for use with the rod, it can be divided into 4 classes: ultra-light (up to 1/5 oz or 5 grams), light (1/4-1/2 oz or 7-15 grams), medium (1/2-1 2/5 oz or 15-40 grams), and heavy (over 1 2/5 oz or 40 grams)
• Assembly – how the rod and reel are held together: telescopic (out of hollow, collapsible sections) or two-piece (solid poles that join together side by side)

Casting Techniques

Among these are:

• Overhead Casting – cast from behind the back in a vertical motion
• Sidearm Casting – cast from behind the back from the side
• Pendulum Casting – cast that has the lure swaying back and forth

Angling Techniques

In general these are the most common angling techniques:

• Spin Fishing – the lure moves in a straight, horizontal motion
• Twitching – the lure moves up and down as the angler twitches the rod
• Jigging – a technique good for deep waters, the lure sinks gradually
• Surf Fishing – fishing from the shoreline
• Feeder Fishing – luring in fish with a box or bag full of holes with bait (a swim feeder)
• Fly Fishing – uses specialized rods, reels, and lines to fish with small artificial flies as surface lures
• Trolling – makes use of a trolling setup to drag lures across the water usually from the back of a boat

Being well acquainted with the terminology and characteristics, the angling beginner should have an easy time evaluating any kind of fishing tool including rod and reel combos.

Reels

Modern spinning reels are complex mechanisms. The following image displays the details and parts of the reel:

Spinning reel details and parts

Metric Units of Measurement

• Foot – 30.5 centimeters
• Inch – 2.54 centimeters
• Pound – 454 grams
• Ounce – 28.35 grams

With these basics in mind the starting angler should have a simple enough time in analyzing each of the top 10 saltwater rod and reel combos presented in this article.

FAQ

The Best Combos

The finest quality for its price	Lew’s Mach Smash
For bait fishing	Ugly Stik GX2
For surf fishing	Daiwa D-Wave
For the ocean	Zebco Bite Alert
The best spinning rods in the respective categories of $50/200/150/200	Ugly Stik GX2/13 Fishing – Code Black/ Abu Garcia Black Max & Max X/Daiwa D-Wave

Conclusion

You may have noticed that the positive and negative reviews often contradict each other. This is explained by a faulty assessment of the respective combos’ users. It is a good practice to pay attention to the advice of bloggers, salesmen, and experienced anglers.