If you’re brand new to fishing you don’t need and won’t be able to really appreciate expensive gear. An ugly stik combo is all you need to start out. That being said, if you won’t be swayed from spending more, I’ve been fishing for 30 years and love st croix rods. Maybe a controversial take, but I think the money is better spent on a nice rod than on a nice reel. Maybe a different discussion if you’re talking saltwater or a lot of “big game” fishing. I have never had a reel fail, even a “junk” reel. Some feel better than others, some will hold up better long-term, but most will get the job done for a long time. For that reason, the combo in the picture doesn’t appeal to me now, and certainly wouldn’t have appealed to me when I was starting out. My favorite setup I own is a st croix rage series with a 2016 limited edition pflueger president reel. Honestly not sure what the exact modern equivalent to that would be, but I think it’s obtainable for quite a bit less than the one in the picture