Honestly, the 5 - 6' ultralight combos (usually Zebco) at wally world are the best bang for the buck. I used them until I narrowed down exactly what I wanted in a rod. Another consideration are the 8 thru 10' "Crappie Hunter" rods. Both have really "soft" tips so you can play with the little monsters a bit. When you get hard and heavy into the gill fishin (and who isn't) refer to the rod sticky for bigger and better ideas.