As 'Spirit of 27' implied, the wallet is as crucial as your gear ! Never forgot it on any fishing trip, but I did leave it on the mantle one time while prepping for a hunting trip ! Only time I ever got checked by a game warden while hunting; I was asked to show him my license and pistol permit, so reached in my back pocket ! OOOPS ! No wallet ! Also no ID, driver's license, hunting license or permit ! Fortunately, I recognized one of the game officers; told him I had still been half-asleep at 3:00 AM that morning while prepping and had overlooked it (had to leave at 4:00 to be in the woods by sunrise) ! Also told him that I would give him all the necessary, pertinent information he needed, and that he could check on it with someone we both knew and trusted; the salesman (Chuck) at the sporting goods store who sold me my hunting license and pistol ammo !
I knew he was a person we both knew well, as I had seen them talking together at the store the very day that I bought my license and had been the next customer in line behind
him, and why/how I recognized him ! Pretty much settled the problem;
by a fluke of luck I ran into him at the same store several weeks later while 'Chuck' was on duty and we re-hashed the events of that day with him ! (After THAT incident, I think I'd rather be caught in a public venue with my pants down than EVER getting caught without my license again !)

If you're having some difficulty catching fish with lures and/or rubber baits, try going back to basics ! Although I have caught my share of bass with crankbaits, rubber worms, grubs, crawdads, frogs, etc., live bait is still my go-to bait when the bite is off ! I've caught more and bigger fish over the past several decades with night-crawlers, shiners, small (live) frogs and crawdads than I ever did with any artificials ! 'Crawlers will catch most anything that swims, frogs are great for bass, and crawdads are not only good for bass, but bigger 'bows and browns like them too ! The live action and scent are why natural baits generally work better/more consistently than any lure ! A good many of my bigger catches have been on either the 'crawlers or frogs with just a #6 'baitkeeper' hook and a split shot or two ! Also, if you run out of bait in late summer, I've often gone to any nearby grassy field and caught a half-dozen or so grasshoppers or crickets, which are also a good all-around choice, especially late summer/early fall !

Would that I could ! Some of us aren't fortunate enough to have such deep pockets; living on Social Security makes such purchases exceedingly difficult ! That said, I buy what I can afford when I can afford to do so; just wish I could afford the kinds of 'toys' I see other people enjoy !
" The main difference between the rich and the poor is that the rich have a canopy over their beds, while poor people have a can o' pee under the bed !"

Sorry ! Not clear if you meant 30 or 40 rods, or $30/$40 rods ? If the former; out of my league, unless I hit the lottery !
If the latter, then I'm with you ! Most of my rods (NOT fly-rods) have been in that price range, with the exception of the few substitute combo rigs I've bought to temporarily replace any broken gear !

Bluegills, like crappies and perch, will move from one location to another en mass depending on feed, currents, weather, etc. ! Once you figure out where the school has moved to,
you should be back in business; they're still there, somewhere, just not where you're used to catching them !

Related anecdote (true story); back in the day, when I was still young, foolish and married, I decided to try my luck fly-fishing; it didn't end well !
One slightly windy day, I
tried a double-haul cast in an attempt at gaining more distance; on the second pass the wind shifted slightly and I ended up wearing a #10 wooly-
bugger as an earring ! No cutters on me, so I had to hike the quarter-mile back to my car to dig a pair out of my toolbox; using the cutters and car mirror, I finally managed to trim the barb off the hook and remove the 'fly' ! That incident CURED me of the fly-fishing 'bug'; I haven't looked at, touched, or considered buying another fly-fishing rig since ! Have been a confirmed spin-
fisherman for the past 45 years; not real keen on bait-casters or spin-casters, either; WAY too many 'bird's-nests' in my past !

PLEASE ! Since this is an international forum, would anyone inquiring about a specific lake or area give everyone else an idea as to your general location (such as your state, location of lake, etc.) ? Locals may know what you're referring to, but anyone unfamiliar with your area would be thinking WTF ? You'd be more likely to get good input if people know what you're talking about !

FYI: Check your state's Fish & Game Dept. website for regulations and fishing locations. It lists lakes, river fishing and coastal (salt-water) locations ! Also, ALL 70 Texas State Parks have free fishing (no license required) from shore; some allow small boats/canoes/ kayaks, provided the water body is completely within the park ! Hope this helps some; you can also 'Google' any lake you're interested in for further information such as restrictions and/or available fish species for each lake !

Almost forgot ! One more lake ! About 1hr.- 40min. south of the city is Choke Canyon Lake; besides bass, catfish and crappies, there are alligator gar, and some of them are quite sizable !
Some in the 6- to 7-ft./ 200 lb. range have been caught there ! There are also BIG gators ! A 14-1/2 ft. 'gator was shot there just over a year ago ! Small boat, canoe or kayak BEWARE !

Shore or boat ? North of you is Medina Lake, in southeast San Antonio are Victor Braunig and Calaveras Lakes; all three are about an hour's drive !
Just northeast of the city is Canyon Lake (1-1/2 hrs.); most Texas lakes have largemouths, white bass, stripers and catfish , and a couple of these lakes have 'smallies'! Guadalupe River Park is upstream of Canyon Lake (1hr. 20 min.); the water is warmer and slow-moving, so there are bass and catfish, but also 'gators to watch for ! Downstream from Canyon Lake dam is the ONLY trout fishery in Texas; supposedly holds some trophy-sized trout, but strictly catch-and-release and probably other restrictions ! Good luck !

Incidentally, those recommended reels should be in the 2000/2500 size ! If you plan to go frequently or consistently for larger species, then a 3000/4000
size reel matched to a 6'6" to 7' med.-heavy rod would be preferable, and don't let your line strength exceed you rod strength rating !

For a one-rig-for-all
situation, a 6'6" med. action UglyStik in original, GX2 or Lite Pro models (they come in sizes/actions from 4'6" ultra-light to 7' med./med.-heavy) from $25 to $50 ! A good match could include any one of several models of Shimano or Okuma reels ($35/$50), an Abu-Garcia Pro Max or Black Max ($45/ $50), or the Pfleuger President ($45/$50) ! A good idea for the ene-rig scenario is to invest in spare spools for whichever reel you pick; allows you to adapt quickly and easily to changing situations (fish species/terrain/current flow) ! With 4-lb., 6 to 8-lb.
10 to 12-lb. test lines on separate spools, you can do a quick-change in the field and be ready for whatever happens !

Looking for lakes/ponds to fish in N.H. ? Check the N.H. Fish & Game Dept.'s website; they have over 200 depth maps for lakes and ponds all over the state, with directions and fish species listed for each lake/pond ! Mind you, some of them may be remote, walk-in ponds requiring some hiking to get to ! In southern N.H. in mid- to late-summer, look for deeper, clearer water to fish, especially for trout, as they need cooler, cleaner, well-aerated water to survive ! Same goes for rivers/streams; look for bigger, steadier flows with deep holes and good cover/shade ! Also, a lot of good trout streams often have good populations of river-run smallmouths, which are a riot on light tackle and may be biting when the trout aren't !

Being an old-timer and somewhat set in my ways,
I've stuck with what works (that I can afford); that said, I've stuck with Ugly Stik rods for over thirty years ! They're reasonably priced ($30/$50 range), come in sizes from 5' ultra-lights to 7' heavy action, and I've only broken two rods (from non-fishing accidents) in all these years ! Prices vary slightly according to type/model, including the original, pro-lite and GX2, but you can usually find any/all of them at Walmarts, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, etc. ! Good luck, and happy fishing !

Just a thought, after all this writing about maps; TOO MANY PEOPLE depend too much on their GPS devices - items which can go dead from weak/worn/uncharged batteries ! Also, depending on their location/terrain/elevation, they may not be able to get a signal to tell you where you are ! Anyone spending any serious time with outdoor activities really should take a course in map-reading and orienteering, as well as knowing certain basic survival skills and first aid !
Any or all of these skills could save your life or your partner's; FIRST RULE - don't hike, camp, hunt, fish alone ! ALWAYS have a partner you can count on !