A lot of people seem to like the President reel from Pfluegger. I am not sure about the exact price. I like an Abu Garcia combo. They have some you can afford.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templa...dinal&noImage=0That one is ten bucks more, but well worth it I would think. The Abu Garcia 503ALB is a classic. Their Cardinal reels from 300 and up should be top notch for the price. I have not seen the newest spinning reel....for some reason BPS has not had it in at their store. I only looked at Cabelas for that particular reel. See them and see what you think. They are made in China, that is a drawback for me. But still I think it is nice reel....
I prefer to see a rod and reel in person before plunking down money, if at all possible.
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As long as I get a bite, I don't want to leave!