I would suggest you look at the TFO website and buy the 8 wt rod that fits your budget, along with a TFO reel. I have their 'TiCr' 8 wt and think it outperforms $600+ US made bonefishing rods, but the less expensive Series I and Pro. will do just fine.

If your PRIMARY target will be stripers, a 9 wt might serve you a bit better, so it's kind of a tossup beween the two weights. Either will work for both species, really. Something like the TFO 350 or 375 large arbor reel will work great, although they are a bit pricy. Their Mk II reel will work fine, too.

You will want a floating line for bonefish, and most likely an intermediate line for stripers. Since these fish are not co-located, you can easily change the line on the reel between trips, and shouldn't need multiple spools.

[This message has been edited by josko (edited 02 September 2005).]