A combo is a rod and reel already put together and ready for use. It's a supplier's best guess at what best suits the customer. Many tackle stores offer combination rod and reel sets, some assembled by the manufacturer and some assembled by the store. You can also find them in fishing supply catalogs.

When you buy a combination outfit you get a matched set that's usually cheaper than the same rod and reel bought separately. But you have few choices and if either the rod or reel is not what you want, you'll be disappointed. Combos are usually in the middle range for fishing a wide variety of lures and situations so you often can't find them for specialized types of fishing.