if your not using baitcasting tackle which to me is a must , go with a 40 size spinning reel with 30# braid and a 7 ft heavy or extra heavy spinning rodThanks for your response. I'm basically just a casual fisherman. Just getting back into fishing after 20 years or so. Mostly because my son is really into it since we went on a fishing trip this summer. As far as my gear goes I have a 6'6" ugly stick medium action I don't know much about the reel except that it just came with the rod as part of the combo and that it's a Shakespeare. I have 10 lb monofilament line spooled onto the reel. Is there a clarity vantage to the braided line ? As mentioned earlier I'm just kind of a casual angler and not excited about the idea of changing my fishing line too often but who knows that may change in the future and I'm always up for learning something new.