Daiwa Fuego CT vs Daiwa Tatula 100

The rod can be had for $50. It is slightly more expensive than this combo, but the value is so much greater.

Um, so I'm going to talk to you a little bit about what I like about them. Um, this reel The 100 comes in at 159 retail. Um, I think for that price yo...

The drag is smooth and not jerky. It feels good on the rod and is very ergonomic. I will continue buying this reel as it is every bit as good as my much higher priced Shimano Citica.

I received the reel today. After opening the shipping box the first thing I noticed was that the Daiwa box was not sealed. I thought "oh no." Upon inspecting the reel, everything looked fine until I checked the drag

Does extremely well with braid. Very sturdy. Only complaint would be the weight, though it’s much of an issue with a balanced rod. I use it for heavy applications and the drag holds up perfect

Light baits, lighter rod, i would look at something like a Daiwa Fuego or Tatula 100. I haven’t personally been that impressed with the low to mid range Lews reels and feel like Daiwa gives you a lot more for the money. The SLX XT is a good reel, but I think the Daiwas might still handle the lighter baits better. If you want to go Shimano, you could look at the SLX MGL, or possibly find a Curado MGL or Scorpion MGL for reasonably close to your budget