What spinning setup to get next?

[SculpinKing]

I just started fishing again after many years of other interests and I'm feeling the need to expand my setup. Currently I'm using the spinning rod and reel I got almost twenty years ago. The rod is an generic (or at least not labeled that I can find) light graphite rod and the reel is a Shimano that is probably closest to their low end IX series, although it seems better than that. Surprisingly, considering the age, I haven't had any issues with it to speak of, but I'd like to at least have a second rod rigged to quickly swap between soft baits and crank baits when I'm bass fishing, etc.

Right now I'm leaning towards a 7' Medium Action Ugly Stik paired with an Okuma Avenger Bait Feeder. In my head this would give me a pretty versatile combo.

• Reel comes with two spools so I could use one with lighter (8-10lb) mono and have the other spooled with braid.
• Baitfeeder function would allow me to use it when I want to fish for heavier bait feeding fish (carp, cats).
• Would still be light enough to fish for bass, etc.
• Reel is sealed and rated for salt water so that would be an option as well.

Just curious if anyone has any input.

[kzoo]

I'm not sure about now, but ugly sticks are known to be undestructable because they are made out of fiberglass. Fiberglass rods are typically heavier than the graphite rods and have slow action. Slow action is ideal for crankbaits, but not for soft baits that use an embedded hook rigs such as texas rigs. If it was up to me look into a graphite rod with a medium power with a fast action. I bought a fiberglass rod before when I was really into crankbaiting, but ripping crankbaits out of the weeds with a crankbaits constantly really was sore to my wrist and arm.

As for the reel, I've never used the okumas, but if the price is right go for it. The bait clicker is not a standard in the reel market, and can be expensive in the other models.