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scotch, a lot depends on where you plan on fishing, the conditions you plan on encountering, such as tide rips, and if you target large fish or a range of sizes. for an all around reel, it's hard to beat a abu 6500 class reel. get one of the more decent ones w/ all the bearings, roller bearing, and upgrade the drags to smoothies. you should be around $100 for the abu, maybe a bit more. the abu 6500cl big game is tough to beat. if shimano is in your mind, the 400 is great. if you plan on fishing larger tide rips and expect larger fish, i would suggest a abu 7000c3/7500clc3 class reel. they are proven reels. again, the only option i would do is upgrade the drags to smoothies. these reels can run from $100-175 depending on the options, of which most are just fancier. finding parts is easy for abu's.
for rods, it's tough to beat a custom lamiglas, but you may be pushing your limits a bit. you also have to decide on glass or graphite. how long of a rod do you want? 9, 10, 11, longer? in the 9-10' range, all star makes a great rod in the 1088 (9') and 1208 (10'). these blanks are strong and can throw/load a 3 oz jig well, but a 3/4 oz minnow might be a challenge for an uneducated thumb. if you think you'll throw more lighter stuff between 1-2 and eels, you may want to look at the 1087 or 1288. so, there are some ideas, but there are so many options and considerations a custom rod builder needs before making a suggestion.
fww, a 7500cl bg reel has a faster gear ratio (5.3:1, vs. 4.1:1, i believe) and the sideplates were made of brass and annodized. a plain 7000cl has aluminum annodized sideplates. that's the difference, and, well, price. all 7500 class abu's have that gear ratio. only the big game series abu's have the brass sideplates. they do weigh a bit more due to the brass sideplates.
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