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SnS - the cheap 7000C is the bushing model, no bearing bottom of the line 7000 reel. It's the new Taiwan Spec model that can be bought at Wally World for around a hundred. You could put 27 THousand feet of 10 pound Fireline on it and if yer ch#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g bait you would snap off every cast. That reel can hold 270 yds of 20# mono or 400 yds of braid. How far can you cast? Work with me here. Do you think you need 1200 feet of 35# braid on the real? Plus, that braid is gonna get REALLY expensive filling up a 7000 as you backlash and backlash and backlash while you learn to cast conventional (or get a 7000 Big Game and I'll buy it cheap if you get frustrated).
You'll want to use a comfortable mono line when learning a conventional - no superlines need apply - trust me on this.
If you want the BEST learning experience for conventionals while fishing in the bay, use a 6500 (C3 or TCST), spooled with 15-20# Big Game Green (buy the 1# spool - you'll need it). This will be the most versatile - maybe even just versatile enough to handle all the different fishing you are talking about. But you will need 2 new rods, a chunking rod and a seperate eel/plug rod as you have 2 totally different styles involved.
So - this is what I recommend you do. Get an ABU 6500C3 from capecodtackle.com or weekapaug.com (our sponsors both closest to you). BUT save your money up for now because the last 3 years, ABU kicks off the end of winter with a $15 off coupon that should get the reel down around $60-70. A LOT of the "6500c3" reels in inventories at other shops and superstores are the older style - not the REAL GOOD old ones or the decent newer style from the last few years, but the cranky, high plastic content, unsmooth mid 90s model.
If you are really good, and save up $80-90, you can get the 6500TCST - Trophy Striper. This reel has the big handle which most of us prefer, a tick smoother than the C3, and a purty little picture of a Striper on the side.
Either reel should eventually be upgraded to the Smoothie Drag washers (4-8 bucks).
If you are going to get into conventional, expect to take at minimum a few months to get used to it so you should still bring your spinner with you. Some people take a while (took me a year to get adequate) and some people never do get comfortable on the switch.
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