If I was to get a level wind just for bass fishing, I already got it ABU 2500. Got it years ago and looked at them on line recently and your looking at about $1200 min, I wouldn't pay that for any reel! My first decent bass reel was an ABU 5000. Used it about 30 yrs and lost it in a house fire. Got another right away. I think you can have as big a budget as you want and you won't get a reel better than an ABU. I think you said you use one now? In my mind you don't upgrade from an ABU, you simply spend more money! I don't own a reel in the price range your looking at so not sure where to go there!

Choosing fishing equipment is a pretty personal choice! I like round level winds best but keep a Daiwa low profile around for small mouth ass. But I've caught plenty in the past on my ABU 5000. I have a really weak spot for ABU, I think they are the level wind all other's are compared to! I also have s Kastking Rover 40, really nice reel! Got a Daiwa Millionaire, not a bad thing to say about it, would get another in a heart beat. Shamino was an early one for me, a 100 and that was a super reel. I would be hard pressed these days to pick a best reel but it would probably be ABU because I've used them over 40yrs and love them, they don't seem to wear out! You can certainly fine a reel much more expensive but better is simply a matter of opinion! Love my ABU's.

When I got my sturgeon rod I was advised to put heavy braid on it, I didn't ask why. I did and we simply fished straight down over the side of the boat. No problem. Went od a guided walleye trip in the Columbia River and was advised to put 30yds of 30# braid on the end of whatever I was using if I used mono, I use mono. Didn't like the stuff and saw nothing special that would make me do it again. But the reason seemed reasonable. 30# braid is very thin and Lot less drag in the river current. If I were to go back out there myself and do the same thing I'd use 8# mono and take my chances. But you should try it maybe. Guy's a lot better at fishing than I am swear by braid!

All depends on the size of the fish your after. If I was only gonna have one and think if fish was 5 or 6 pounds, 7' med or med heavy action with max and min 8# line on a spinning reel. You could easily handle somewhat larger fish with that. If I was thinking Trout to about 15" my choice would be a 6' rod with a light spinning reel and 4# line. From there you can get pretty wrapped up buying rods for this fish and that. A light spinning rod would not be a good idea for larger salmon and a rod for larger salmon wouldn't be the best for smaller trout! I suppose were the truth known, you could catch pretty much anything on my sturgeon rod. 7' very heavy action and heavy level wind reel on it loaded with 90# braid. Rod it rated for 30-80 pound line!

One rod for everything just isn't realistic unless your only fishing for something like planter trout to aberage size bass.

I use both. Much prefer level wind but fishing with luer's or weight under 1/4oz, don't work for me with bait casting. My smallest bait caster is a low profile Daiwa, only low profile reel I have. Have 4 to 6 lb test line on it and use it for small mouth bass and mud cats. Close to it is a ABU 2500 with 6# line and mostly for the same thing. Rest of them, I think 10 more are all round bait caster with min 10# line for catfish mostly. Have two level wind depth guage reels if I ever get into trolling for fish. Spinning mostly light and ultra light reels and rods for crappie. 2# and 4# line on all of them. First crappie I ever caught was bait casting with a 1/4oz jig fishing for smallmouth bass. Most people are going to be far more comfortable with spinning gear starting out, much, much easier to cast than level wind reels. IfI were to go to the coast fishing for bottom fish it would be with one of my round level winds.

I don't buy expensive stuff. Can't afford it and to much good stuff out there for way way less. I got a new casting rod a couple years ago off Amazon. Berkley Cherrywood. Around $20 and it's got it's share of cats! Big difference between inexpensive rods and really expensive rods. Slam a door on them and the inexpensive one won't bother you near as much as the expensive one! :-)

Shoot try it! I watched a video some time back of a guy fishing for cats with McDonalds french fries and catching fish!

I don't care for chicken liver, to soft and hard to keep on the hook. Used lot of beef liver and it stays on the hook really well. Don't get calf liver, also to soft. Most the guy's on the catfish forum I'm on use either live or cut bait. Say a video the other day and the guy simply filleted a small fish of some kind and used it. My own favorite here has been chicken breast soaked in strawberry kool-aide and garlic, believe it or not, works great. Have tried whole frozed uncooked shrimp but haven't got anything on them.

https://www.catfish1.com/forums/

Ya know what? I'd simply check a few tackle store, including Walmart to see if I could find a rod I like. 35 mi to the nearest store for me so I look as I can Bought two 6'6" Berkley Cherrywood med actions and love them. Use then for Catfish and would work well on Flounder I think. Used to fish Long Island Sound as a kid for Flounder and we just used our spinning rods, trout rods. I envey you having access to Flounder. Some here in Oregon on the coast but it's a five hour drive!

I remember in the very early years of fishing, go by myself and no one to tie on my hooks so I simply tied them on with a series of granny knots! Worked fine for the 3" bluegills in that lake! Innovative idea's for inquiring minds! :-)

A suggestion. Start out just tossing a weight a ways. Try a good cast and you could end up with an ugly bird nest. Work your way up with longer cast's as you get the toss down

Truth about most reels, they are all pretty good! I don't spin fish except for crappie and ultra light is my favorite. Have a Shimano, Kastking, Ocuma. Really small Ocuma and Shakespeare both with 2# line. Don't think I have a favorite. Have an old Mitchell 300 I need a rod for and a couple big Daiwa's I don't suspect I'll ever use. Of the Shimano, Kast king and two Ocuma's I don't have a favorite, love them all. My all time favorite spinning reels are the Micthell 300 and Mitchell 308. But I wouldn't throw any I have away to get new one's!

Kastking was a surprise! Got a Rover 40 just to try and liked it well enough to try a small spinning reel, really nice little reel. The other surprise is the small Ocuma, really nice and the other Ocuma really nice also.

Now I have what some may call a flaw. I like what I like to look at and use. Give me an ugly $300 reel and I'll never use it. It think that the majority of company's these days are making nice products! I'm pretty much willing to try most anything, well that appeals to me! That little Shakespere I got I got only for the rod. Rod and reel $20! Figured the rod was worth that for some other reel I have. Then got to fooling around with the little Shakespeare and put it on a butt ugly yellow Eagle Claw ultra light and haven't used it yet but it feels great, hope no one see's me with a yellow rod! Funny how things work sometimes Bet if Shakespeare put that little reel on a shorter rod they would sell more. But they, all of them, normally put rod and reels together to try to move slow stuff!

Well if he's talking about casting rods, I've no clue what they do. Been using them since about 1965 and never found a reason for the trigger, I palm the reels. If it's on a casting rod with an offset handle behind the reel seat. I believe that rod is designed for spin cast reels and i suspect it gives you something to help hold onto. The only trigger I'm aware of on spinning gear is actually on the reel, pull the trigger to open the bail to cast. Now that makes a lot of sense! Inagine how much time you save using the trigger over opening the bail by hand! :-)

I have been fishing over 70 yrs and I know two knot's. One is called the Palomar but I seldom use it and the other is not? I'd give it a name but I don't even remember what I had for breakfast!

Ypu ned to learn to tune your reel is great advise! Unless of course you meant 100 yds! Been using bait casting reels some 55 yrs and I have never been able to cast 100 yds! I think that require's heavier longer rods than I use and heavier weight's. 100 ft is a short toss!