So I'm deciding to enter the world of the Shimano family. I figured the Casitas was a good place to start, since it's a good reel and I don't have to spend an absurd amount of money. However I am not sure what rod would be a good fit. Does anyone have a casitas and could give me some advice on what rod to buy? Thanks!

You need to match the rod to the technique you'll be fishing. A good all around rod that can serve multiple presentations would be a 7' to 7'3" medium heavy. Lots of good choices out there in the $100 to $150 price range.

Crucial might be a good one to pair up with, If you haven't found something yet let me know I can help you out on pricing on the crucials.

When you get your reel, I have a 7'3" Rod you can try out. It will work well with bladed jigs

Shimano Crucial

Definitely give a look at the Crucial. These rods are fantastic and are very affordable. I've owned several over the years and I've never had a problem with a single one of them. They're super lightweight, very powerful, sensitive, and responsive. You can't go wrong with one of these.

I own a Casitas. I got it as a demo and it is a good reel for short casts and pitching. If you are buying a casitas, you might as well buy a flipping rod to go with it. The reel is not large and does not hold much line. I have it on a Gloomis NRX 873 and use it for flipping docks with 5/16 or less baits. If you intend to use this reel for other than flipping, I suggest you go to a citica with more line capacity. If you want a good rod for not a lot of money, I suggest the Shimano crucial or the Gloomis E6X.