yea those cheaper reel work great for me. i use a quantum. it worked for 4 years then one day i caught some hybrids and the reel is starting to sound grindy lol

I just went and picked up an AG Blue Max combo, regular $59.99 they have them marked down to $29.99. I've had one for about a year now and it has worked well for me.
They also have an H20 Liquid combo that I grabbed, regular $49.99 marked down to $29.99 also. Never used an H20 spinning reel so we'll see how that goes.
The Academy in White Settlement on Cherry Ln. still had a few racks of them left as of this moring.

I never had any real problems with Shakespeare products, especially the Ugly Stick rods. I bought at a Academy several years ago on a clearance rack a Shakespeare Synergy spinning reel model 2935F for $12.00, I loaded it with 250yds of 6Ib test line, I use it for sand-bass and crappie, One day I caught and landed a 20Ib gar with it, it took me 25 minutes to land it, plus some legal sized hybrids as well. I reel is a real work horse. Of coarse now you can buy some line of Shimano reals for nearly the same price.

I also bought one of those ABU Blue Max combos for $29.99, they are great for sandies, cast really great. I even bought my brother one for his birthday so he would stop using mine when we are on the boat. Great rod and reel for the money.

I have one of the h2o liquid spinning rods and it has worked great for me so far. I bought when they were 60 and still think it was worth the money.

if my local academy still has any, i will be picking up one of the AG blue max combos on thursday!