The
Ugly Stick Elite spinning rod is highly durable, and when paired with one of
Daiwa's BG reels, you've got an unbeatable combination.
Ugly Stik makes some of the most utilitarian fishing rods on the market, and they also happen to be among the most affordable. The Elite spinning series rod is highly durable, and if you do manage to break one, the company will ask few — if any — questions before replacing it within the 7-year warranty. Paired with one of Daiwa's BG reels (one of the few widely available sealed reels for under $100), minimal maintenance should keep this setup in your quiver for many years to come.
While there are higher-performance, and arguably more durable spinning rods on the market, it's difficult to beat Shakespeare's Ugly Stik line until you start doubling or tripling your budget. Although Shakespeare mysteriously discontinued the original Ugly Stik series in 2013 — the hardy rods which truly earned them their namesake — I still use an array of newer models for just about everything but fly fishing and offshore excursions for pelagic fish like tuna and mahi mahi. That's not to say I haven't managed to catch these fish on other Ugly Stiks like the more robust Tiger Elite series.
The Ugly Stik Elite comes with Shakespeare's new single-piece stainless steel "Ugly Tuff" guides, which unlike other rods within this price range, take quite a beating. Some anglers who fish braided line have had trouble with grooves being cut into these guides, which can result in heavy fraying, but I've used mine for a couple of years now and have yet to spot even a nick on any of the guides on my rods.
While I don't recommend braid to every angler (especially a novice prone to tangles), if you do plan to fish with braided line, it may be worth considering stepping up to something along the lines of Tsunami's Airwave Elite series, but again, I haven't had any trouble at all.
The Ugly Stik Elite has a soft fiberglass and graphite tip, which, apart from making the rod more resilient to breakage, offers a little more sensitivity that's ideal for bait fishing without entirely compromising the stiffness throughout the rod, which still makes it a viable lure fishing rod. Lure anglers looking for a stiffer option will find Ugly Stik's Inshore Select model more amenable, but less likely to survive abuse.
Shakespeare has dominated the affordable fishing rod market for several decades, but the race to create the best affordable spinning reel has intensified over recent years, with several companies going neck and neck. Right now, Daiwa's redesigned BG reel is hard to beat with most sizes offered for under $100. The biggest difference between the old BG is that the new version is better designed for the increasingly popular braided line.
Lastly, Daiwa's BG wins out thanks to its partially sealed drag (that is, the stack of washers that keep tension on the reel's spool). Although it's more corrosion-resistant as opposed to corrosion-proof, you'll be hard-pressed to find a reel with a fully-sealed drag at 3 or even 4 times its price.
Pros: Rod is responsive at tip for bait fishing, but keeps a sturdy backbone for strong hook sets and lure fishing; reel is extremely smooth and accommodating of braided line
Cons: Ugly Stik's new models aren't as indestructible as their predecessors, Reel isn't fully sealed
Buy the Ugly Stik Elite spinning rod on Amazon for $49.95
Buy the Daiwa BG on Amazon for $78.74-$105.85
Buy the Ugly Stik Inshore Select on Amazon for $59.95