Now that you have an idea of how to choose a reel and a rod, you want to make sure that you choose a reel and rod that suit each other, and that suit the kind of fishing you plan to do. The worst thing you can do to yourself is get a reel and rod that are unmatched unintentionally~you'll be losing fish just because of that. Image 2 shows you how to see the recommend line weight for your rod. Some rods will also show recommended lure weights. This is important to pay attention to so that your rod won't be bending too much or be too stiff. Image 3 shows you how to find the recommended line weight on your reel. The reel should also tell you how many feet of line it can hold. Your goal in combining a reel and rod as a beginner is going to be pairing two together that have similar midranges. For example, a rod with a #4 to 10# range will go well with a reel that also has #8 lines in its midrange. (Note: here # stands for pound). There are some basic weight categories: Ultralight: Meant for small fish, can require some real finesse in angling. Holds #2 to #6 lines. Light/Medium: good for your typical beginner. Holds #6 to #17 line and can hold a wide range of lures. Heavy: Meant for really large fish, especially in offshore trolling as a saltwater fisher. Can hold up to #30 line and even beyond in specialty rods. Definitely not meany for your first rod. Your best bet as a beginner is to go with a medium or light outfit. Outfit is used to describe how much weight your rod, reel and line and hold. As a beginner this will give you the most benefits. Next time we will talk about rod action, and how the weight of your line can affect this.
