What is your favorite rod and reel combo, and what species do you fish for with it?

I like my 5' Eagle Claw "Feather Light" with a Quantum Micro MS00 spinning reel with 4lb. test. Bass are my favorite fish to target with this set up.

My favorite combo(as of now) is an Acadis Sports Baitcast reel paired with a  6"6' MH Acadia sports F-series rod. I use this to catch Largemouth Bass.

I really don't have a favorite. As long as I am fishing it's cool.

Bobber Rods:

For Steelhead I use St Croix Avid series 9' 6-12lb or 9.5' 4-10lb with Shimano Symetre 2500, and a Lamiglass 8.5' 12-25lb with Symetre 2500 for big natives.

For Salmon, Lamiglass 8.5' 12-25lb with Symetre 4000.

For pulling KwikFish for Salmon Lamiglass 8.5' 12-25lb with Okuma Induron.

For Bass, I just picked up Loomis 7' paired with Pflueger Trion.  I have not used this set up yet.

Fly fishing I use a Jim Teeney model Lamiglass 4 pc 9' 3wt, or St Croix Avid series 9' 5-6wt.

I also have various pack rods, plug rods, and spinning rods for bass, panfish, trout,and other species.  Symetre 750 or Curado

JustDave

Hey Pegsguy, sorry to take so long answering your question, but its been awhile since i've been on the computer.

There baitcasters are AWESOME. They are extremely smooth(the smoothest), well built(all aluminum, even the side plates) and great braking system. You will not get backlashes with this reel. and even with the brakes on high, the bait will soar for quite some ways. These reels are very affordable, unlike most other reels you see in stores. These reel could be priced $200 or more. If I were you i'ld get one. I've had mine since they first came out and am not disappointed. it's the best $80 i've spent.

Hey Peg: the drag power is 9 lbs, which is slightly above the national average for drag power( the average is 8.8 lbs).

Although the reel is priced cheaper than other "high end equiptment", it is better than Shimano or Quantum.

This reel is very hard to beat. you would have to spend at least $250 or more to get the same quality. In my opinion it is high end, but without the high end price!

I am going to say my all time favorite rod and reel combo is a UL rig made up of the center section of a bamboo fly rod and 80% of the tip of my original UL rod (purchased in'62).  I put this rod together in 1969.  I a Mitchel 308, purchased in 1962 and a Quick 110 purchased in 1970.  I use them with 2# line. 

I have combos for many different types of fishing. Living in SW FLA, I can fish year-round for bass, inshore and offshore. Some of my favorites are.

Bass

   6'6" G Loomis GLX 10-20 MHF with Quantum Tour Edition PT (blue one) 

   6'6" St.Croix Legend Tournament 10-20 MHF w/ Quantum Tour Edition PT

   7' St Croix Avid 10-20 MHM w/ Pflueger Supreme

   6'6" Allstar Titanium 8-17 w/ Pflueger Patriarch

   7' Techna AV 8-12 MM spinning with Pflueger Supreme XT spinning size35

Inshore  (snook, redfish, seatrout, baby tarpon)

   StCroix Ledgend Inshore 6'6" 10-20 MHF with Revo Inshore

   Techna AV 6'6" 12-25 MHF with Quantum Cabo CBC20PTS

   Quantum Cabo PTS 7' 8-17 MHF w/ Quantum Energy PTS

   Allstar Platinum 6'6" 10-20 MHF w/ Penn Sargus

   St.Croix Legend Inshore 7' 10-20 MHF spinning w/ Quantum Cabo 40

   St.Croix Tidemaster 7'6" 10-20 MHF spinning w/ Okuma VS 45

   G Loomis IMX 7' 8-17 MF spinning with Quantum Cabo 40

   G Loomis IMX 7' 8-17 'popping rod' spinning w/ Okuma VS 30

 Inshore (fly rod) 

   G Loomis GLX 8 wt.  w/ Loomis Current 7-8 reel

   G Loomis GLX 9 wt.  w/ Ross Momentum 5 (floating line)

                                          Fly Logic Optimum 789 (Sinking line)

Offhsore/Beach Tarpon

   St.Croix Tidemaster 8' 15-40 spinning with Okuma VS 80

   Star Rods Custom 6' 15-40 conv. w/ Abu BG9000 gold

   Fenwick Offshore 6'6" 50-80 conv. w/ Okuma Titus Gold 30

   Daiwa Saltiga 8' 20-50 conv. w/ Penn Special Senator 113H 4/0 (40# mono)

                                                   Daiwa Saltiga 15 (50# braid) 

Plus the stuff I don't use any more or haven't opened yet sitting in closet/garage. About 10-12 more combos.

Pegsguy, it is harder for me than it used to be and if the light is failing, I'm toast and not just with fine stuff.  I am seriously considering one of those pocket gooseneck lamps.  If I break my fly rods out again I mahave to get one of those things that holds the fly while you tie it on.  I may even try the needle threader trick.