As I slowly transition to nicer gear. What would be more beneficial, nicer rods or nicer reels? Are reels like the Metanium or Steez worth it?

If it were me I would I would split the 2. Instead of buying a $400-500 Metanium or Steez I would buy a $150-200 reel and the same for the rod. Now you have both a good rod and reel instead of good reel and a crappy rod or vice versa. Most of my rods are Castaway Skeletons and reels are Lews Tournament Lite or Tournament MB. Can buy both the rod and the reel for the price of a Metanium or Steez and still save $50-80.

Better quality rods and less expensive reels for bottom contact baits, nicer reels and less expensive rods for chase baits. I think you really get more for your money with high end rods than with most high end reels.

I like the higher end reels and think they are worth the investment. The Loomis IMX rods are hard to beat as far as quality for the Dollar. Some of the guides and pro-staff guys can get you a good deal on some of the upper end equipment so you can buy the rod and reel simultaneously.

buy the best equipment you can afford. then go fishing.

Rods

You can get all you need in a rod and reel for $250 total

Better rods are def going to make a bigger difference in your slower techniques where "feel" is more essential. Better reels in your techniques you need to make multiple casts, longer casts, and where you are throwing lighter baits, IMO...

I agree, rods make a TOTAL difference to me. I have been fishing with Curados for near on 19 years and they do the job quite nicely. MOF, msot of my Curados are Bs, not all of them, but most of them. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

Rod is definitely more important to me.

I second this ^

I own and use expensive and inexpensive rods and reels. My personal preference is a more expensive reel. I have a habit of abusing rods a little too much and it is a bummer to break a G Loomis type rod. You can get good rods fairly inexpensively now with all the competition and if you catch a blow out sale on a site like Tackle Warehouse. I have had several inexpensive reels have various mechanical problems and drag systems that don't stand up to bigger fish. Better reels have smoother drag systems and you can cast long distances with minimal backlashing due to the various internal systems. Looks like I am the odd man out.

I agree

You can get good tackle on sale and get good stuff. Most of my Rods are 200 bucks give or take. Reels are 100 to 150. Most I've got on sale and I have a bunch of them.

Good enough for me to not always weigh fish!!

"Worth it" is completely subjective. "Sensitivity" and "smoothness" are also subjective.
In the end it's more about YOUR opinion as to the characteristics of the equipment.
There are differences in rods and reels that do make an objective difference.
Carbon fiber IS lighter than fiberglass.
Ball bearings DO LAST longer than bushings.
Aluminum reel frames DO have less flex than graphite frames.
Lighter equipment is shown to produce less fatigue.

One increase in cost of the reels is to due the cost of materials:
Injected plastic side covers are cheaper than graphite which in turn are cheaper than machined aluminum or magnesium covers. Graphite is lighter but flexes more than aluminum. Magnesium is lighter still but remains stiff. The manufacturing costs and materials are the highest for magnesium.
Higher end reels have better bearing surfaces. Not all ball bearing are the same and in some instances may be worse than high quality bushings for durability.
Many reels tout a high bearing count but they are cheap bearings that will feel like gravel after a season of fishing. Shimano and Daiwa have bushings in some spots but they are high quality and will last for years. The very low end reels use cheap nylon bushings. Bearings with ceramic balls will be the most expensive due to material and manufacturing costs but are lighter and provide the best performance.

In some cases you can take a $100 reel and turn it into a $200 reel by changing out the bearings and a few other key parts. I have done this on Lews, ABUs, and Bass Proshop reels. If you are handy you can shop around for replacement bearings for your reels and change them yourself.

Rods are a little different is that is depends more on the build. Yes, there are different types of guides, many of which are much better than plain steel frames. The care in the rod build such as aligning guides on the spine, the number and tightness of the guide wraps, guide alignment all make a different in how the rod performs especially over time. I have had a poorly aligned rod that wanted to roll under a load. Not fun to fish.

Rod blanks can vary widely in quality and features. In most cases a very light blank can transfer vibration easily but can also break easily too with the slightest abuse.

For me it has been more productive to buy better equipment. I find it lasts longer and is more trouble free. The key is to find the sales!
Be patient and wait. Nothing wrong with "last year's" equipment.