At a Glance: Rod & Reel Combos
A fishing combo is typically referring to a fishing rod and reel paired together by a manufacturer or retailer to offer a well-balanced and affordably priced set up for a specific fishing technique. Combos from retailers or bait shops may not offer both components from the same brand but are usually paired with a specific species or tactic in mind. FishUSA offers combos for spinning, casting, spincasting, trolling, fly, centerpin and float, travel and pack, youth, and ice fishing. Some are pre-spooled with backing, line, and leaders while most combos have reels which are empty to allow the angler to spool them with their preferred fishing line.
Spinning combos are available in a wide variety of sizes for salmon and steelhead, trout, panfish, bass, and catfish. Casting combos are paired for bass, catfish, and striper. Spincasting combos are matched for small children and beginners and typically are not designed for large fish. Trolling combos are well matched for most freshwater and saltwater species. Fly outfits are available from most brands and for most species. Fly combos are frequently sold with a travel tube to keep the reel and the rod together. Centerpin and float combos are perfectly balanced for this increasingly popular fishing tactic, most commonly used for salmon and steelhead. Travel and pack combos are spin, fly, or spincasting combinations and fit well in luggage for the angler on-the-go. Youth combos are great for the young angler to transition into adult-sized rods and reels. Ice combos are rods and reels designed for the specialized needs of anglers who brave the harsh environments associated with ice fishing. This is the most diversified combo category, as it includes the trendy inline ice reels.
Popular brands of rod and reel combos available at FishUSA are Okuma, Shakespeare, Daiwa, Abu Garcia, and Penn.