I've had Ugly Stiks and Shakespeare reels for salt water for many years and thought I'd try some freshwater trout fishing. I needed something small and inexpensive and this combo fit the bill. Sure the reel has only one bearing but it's still smooth and should last quite a few years when properly maintained. The action on the Ugly Stik is light, the construction is solid and the two pieces fit snugly together. The reel is solid, cranks smoothly and the bail returns acceptably. I prefer the rear drag adjustment and this one seems to work very well. The black color on both the rod and reel are good for stealth in clear streams (no shiny parts) and looks good too. It casts smoothly and hits the mark every time (mainly because I'm just that good). Can you buy something much better? Sure. In my research I can across an ultralight reel that cost $1300. I say buy this Shakespeare Combo and then take the $1260 and go on a nice vacation to the mountains. I'll pass this rig on to my son and upgrade some day but as for now this will do just fine.
Highly recommended. Shakespeare Two-Piece Light Action Ugly Rd 1 Bearing Combo
Good value in a compact rod with accompanying reel. The reel is a bit cheesy, but is more than adequate for my kids, and the Ugly stick rod has nice action. Perfect for hiking & fishing for lake trout, it breaks down into a light compact package.
At least I got another Ugly Stick. Otherwise, the reel is smaller than I expected. It's another simple pole for the kids. Don't buy this is your serious about fishing.
Oh . . . and the first one I received from Amazon was missing the top half of the pole. I let Amazon know about it and I received a replacement the next day. Mistakes happen and I'm glad Amazon is so quick to fix them. - Fishing - Reel - Fishing Rod - Combo'
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