Need a little advice

[Scruffy]

I want to buy a Rod and Reel next year sometime for when I go fishing in the summer. I'm a big Bass and Pike fishermen and I only do Freshwater fishing, so I won't need anything too specific. Pretty much any fish I can catch in Iowa I want to be able to handle on my Rod and Reel Combo, I'm just wondering if these are two good products. Please help me match up a good Rod and Reel. Lets keep the cost under 200

[url "http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_44529_100002002_100000000_100002000_100-2-2"]Rod[/url]

[url "http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=96672&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults#reviews"]Reel[/url]
[signature]

[Martini78]

The Saros is a great reel. My opinion would be that the reel is much better than the rod. I would go down a reel to the Symetre, which is a fantastic reel. I've had one for the entire '08 fishing season and loved it. I would also go up a rod, from an IM-7 to an IM-8. The Shimano Compre is a really nice IM-8 rod. I have 3 of them.

The only problem I see for using the same rod for Bass and Pike would be matching the action of the rod for the lure. You'd want a medium/fast (sometimes called moderately fast) action rod for throwing bucktail spinners and crankbaits for Pike, but that rod wouldn't give you the best hooksetting response for plastic worms for Bass. With that said, if you're planning on using spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits, etc... for bass, then using the same rod wouldn't be a problem. I'd probably go with a medium heavy weight so you can throw 3/8 oz and 1/2 oz lures for Bass, and something closer to 1 oz for Northerns.
[signature]

[Dryrod]

[size 4][font "Garamond"][#008000]Hi there Scruffy - while I fly fish 95% of the time I do have what I think is a nice bait casting system. My rod is a 6½' Shimano models # VCA66ML & my reel is a Shimano Bantam Curado model # 200 BSF. Perhaps this system is not for you but it works for me. Take the time to visit a good rod & reel outlet and seek the advise of their professionals. [/#008000][/font][/size]
[signature]

[Scruffy]

You know what I just thought about? There wouldn't be a darn reason why I couldn't just use my current setup for Bass and then buy a new setup for Pike! I dunno why this didn't occur to me. I like my current setup for bass, so I'm sure that buy for Pike would be a better option. I'll do what you said for Pike. You think IM-7 is good then cuz I have a rod in mind. Its a Tourney IM7
[signature]

[Martini78]

Sorry I took so long to see this post.

If you mean the Tourney Trail by Cabela's, that's a good IM7 rod. I have a M/L for trout.
[signature]