Freshwater rod and reel combo?

[broadway]

Hey Penn guys,
  I need a freshwater rod and reel combo to give as a gift.
My brother in law fishes a few lakes in the Poconos with his son for bluegill, small pile, bass to 4 or 5 lbs max.
He likes to go light so not too heavy of a rod and reel.
I want looking at the penn battle II 2000. Is this too much for what I'm looking for?
Also, he likes a 6'6" rod for 6 lb test.
Thanks in advance,
Dom

[Keta]

I use Battle II 1000 reels for bass, they are .7 oz lighter than the BTLII2000 and work well. I also have a BTLII4000 I use for albacore, people told me it was too small but several dead albacore tell me it was a good choice.

As for rods Fenwick makes some nice mid range rods, I have 2 Elite walley rods that I like for bass. Both are extra fast action.

One ofe these would work,       www.fenwickfishing.com/fenwick-freshwater-rods-fenwick-hmg/fenwick-hmg-spinning/1363884.html#specifications 

[mo65]

   Does he fish modern gear or vintage? For bass and 'gills a small Z series Spinfisher would make a vintage guy very happy. For a modern gear fan...a new Mitchell 300 combo is hard to beat...price wise and performance wise. I have a new Mitchell 300X(actually 5+ years old...about 3 models ago) and it has been fished hard, like a daily driver, caught hundreds of fish and never a hitch. If he's a guy "in the know" and likes a little pricier reel, a Pflueger President is one of my favorites.

[Alto Mare]

I purchased a couple of Prion combos a little while back for me and my son, I wasn't crazy about the reels, I sent those to Lee .
The rods feel nice though, I believe they're 6' / 6-12 line.  We use those with 430ss and 716's, nice and balanced.
There are many combo's out there, he has to like the feel.  Take him shopping wiyh you.

[Keta]

I purchased a couple of Prion combos a little while back for me and my son, I wasn't crazy about the reels, I sent those to Lee

One was given to a friend of mine's grandson for trout, the other is on my shelf.  Nice reels but small, just right for creek trout.

[broadway]

Lee, thanks for the quick reply. I thought the 2000 was the smallest so now that I know I'll be looking into the 1000. A skilled angler can do amazing things with inferior or undermatched gear
Mo, I'll give a look see at your recommendations but was kinda trying to stick to Penn. I should've been more specific.  I also like the Mitchell 300's though I don't own one I have used one.
Sal, I'm sure lee could catch a salmon or salmon shark on those little puppies.
I know I should be going shopping with him but we see them about 3 times per year so that's a tough one. I'm sure with all of your help I can get close to what he would pick.
Good call on the fenwicks, Lee.👍  I'll also check out the prions, Sal.
Other suggestions are welcomed.
Thanks guys
Dom

[Penn]

Hey Dom,

You could also go Conflict 1000 for an even lighter setup, pair it with an ultra light Ugly Stik and it will be a blast.

http://www.uglystik.com/uglystik-rods-spinning-rods/ugly-stik-gx2-spinning-rod/1363867.html#start=6

tony

[Keta]

I also have a Conflict 4000, it is worth the extra $ but the Battle II is nice for the price.

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

just penn combos?

tight lines!

[philaroman]

IMHO, light F/W rods are not Penn's forte

VINTAGE: for that type of fishing, if your B-in-L doesn't need Fast Action, old-school premium "tobacco" or "honey" glass is AWESOME (Fen, Lami, Croix, Conolon, etc.)...  rebuilt w/ modern guides is even better...  get the rod first, then ask Fred for an appropriate reel

MODERN: too many options to be guessing what will suit another angler's preferences, unless you do that type of fishing, yourself, and KNOW what works well.  a good gifting strategy would be to get the brand & specs of his go-to favorite from sis/nephew & go a notch or two higher -- e.g., if he likes Fen. Triumph/Eagle get him Elite/Legend w/ same specs.

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

my 2 cents get a salmon/steelhead rod...longer better for UL gear.

[broadway]

The conflict is a bit too pricey. We're looking to spend about $150 and it doesn't need to be penn but if possible I always try to go that way.
Thanks for everyone's help,
Dom

[Penn]

Dom,

Battle II 1000 paired with an Ugly Stik ultra light will fit within your budget.  I only brought up the Conflict because it is slightly lighter. 

tony

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

paid $39.99+tax for my Okuma salmon/steelhead rod...

[philaroman]

my 2 cents get a salmon/steelhead rod...longer better for UL gear.

X2
I was sticking to Broadway's 6-footer parameters, but I love my old tobacco glass Feralite & modern IM-6 12' Noodle Rods & shorter L/ML Steelhead rods...  If that's the way you want to go, here's the DEAL OF THE CENTURY:
http://www.fish-united.com/products/Cortland-ProCast-Noodle-Rods.html

Cortland is out of the non-fly business (and floundering, in general, despite decent products); their ProCast/Endurance Noodles got good reviews at the original $90 MSRP; then FishUSA was blowing 'em out for $50; then, $35; then, GONE...  so $21+extra S/H directly from Indonesia is most likely a genuine super-bargain -- not a scam!  ...probably way better than low-end Okuma

that would leave well over $100 for a reel