new rod/reel

[lawnguy]

looking to re-oufit myself.  I would like everyones input as to what to buy and which i should focus on first.

fish both from shore and boat


species most to least

bass
panfish
walleye
pike
steelhead

thanks in advance

[rgfixit]

7' medium light, fast action spinning rod, Penn 450ss reel
RG

[Hollywood]

Lawnguy- looks like a perfect excuse to get 5 new setups to me!However if you're looking for just one rod-get an IM7 blank-6.5-7' & don't skimp on a good reel. Extra spools would come in handy as the fish you listed will require different methods at different times-extra spool for different lines would come in handy. There are alot of very good combos out there-much more than even a couple years ago. Even Wallyworld has something that would do the job well for you-but as RG said-go with  light action-fast tip for what you listed-6-8 lb test being a good choice for line-vary your leader (if needed) for panfish/steelhead. You can use a rope to catch bass(they're incredibly stupid-don't let the bassguys fool ya!)

[Thor]

Whatever you decide for lengths and line/lure weight, you may want to take a look at Cabela's Fish eagle Guide SS / Fish eagle II rod and reel combo.

Cabela's sells this reel separately for $59.99 and the rod separately for $79.99.  The whole combo sells for $79.98.  Yes, that's right...the combo is $.01 CHEAPER than the rod alone.

I know one thing, if I bought a Fish Eagle II rod for $79.99 and then found out later that I could've bought it with a $60 reel for free, I'd be pretty upset off at Cabela's.

I never used this reel, but I do have a Cabela's Fish Eagle II rod, and it is a nice rod.

[LoneWolf]

The rod/reel RG recommended would be OK for the bass, walleye, pike and steelhead. For the panfish you would want a light or ultralight rod/reel.
There is a reason for RG's seven foot length recommendation. In a boat usually you would want a shorter rod to make handling and control easier - say a six footer. But from shore you would want a taller rod to help with longer casts and that could be a nine footer.
If you're looking for one rod/reel setup to do both than as RG said go with the 7' M/L and a good spinning reel - I like the new Daiwa Advantage 3500 (pricey but nice).  Good luck !

[broken rod]

hey thor those fish eagle 2 rods are great have 2 myself