Manufacturers like Shimano, Penn, and Abu Garcia have taken the guesswork out of pairing rods and reels, making it a breeze for anyone to pick up a ready-matched combo, head out, and start reeling ...

Looking at the Shimano lineup, you might consider one of the Shimano Curado rods at just under $200, matching it with a Shimano Stradic FL reel, also at $200. And I’m not saying that’s not a ...