This season I decided to give hardware tossin' a go.

I searched the archives for recommendations on an inexpensive casting rod, went with Cabela's Fish Eagle II, 10' med.

Regularly $80, currently on sale for $40.

I'm a newbie at steelheading and a novice when it comes to baitcasters--I didn't want to invest the money on a technique I've never tried (First and foremost I wanted to make sure I could consistently cast).

Matched it with a Citica and I'm in it for under $200.

Working well for me, though nothing caught....

Just my $ .02