>>27289016’-7’ medium or medium light spinning combo, whatever Lew’s or Abu Garcia or Shimano or Okuma oe Daiwa is within your budget. Look at the rod above the handle and it will say something like “Medium Weight, Fast Actuon, 6’6”, 6lb-12lb line” IMO, for $60-$75 at Bass Pro or Dick’s or even Walmart, you can get a spinning combo from one of those brands that isn’t bad at all. Under $50 and it will work, but you will want to upgrade it real soon if you don’t give up the hobby within a week.
Then get yourself a spool of 6lb or 8lb monofilament line or like 15lb braided line if you want to upgrade, a 150yd-200yd spool should be good enough, put that on the reel.
As for baits, you can get basic ass assorted hooks and split shots and bobbers and use nightcrawlers. Or you can get lures, but that’s sort of a rabbit hole because it changes depending on water temps and seasons and where you’re fishing. Easy beginner bass fishing lures I always recommend are inline spinners like Mepps #2-#4 or Rooster Tails in the 1/4oz size. Rapala Originals or Husky Jerks as well, you want like the 2”-3” long size unless you have a bunch of big bass that are hungry. The soft bait paddle tail minnows with hooks already in them like the Power Bait or Storm branded 5pks are straight too. Then there’s all the soft baits, pic related is a Texas Rig, something like Zoom Finesse Worms with a ~3/16oz bullet weight and 2/0 or 3/0 EWG worm hook, but these take a little more skill to fish as you’re bouncing them along the bottom.
Go to the fishin and tackle thread, lots of autism and advice over there
