Ouch! I would say it is tough to get a good working reel for under $50. I'm a click drag reel guy that just wants enough resistance on my reel that it doesn't over run, and cause me a backlash when I pull line smartly off the reel. I get drag from the rod angle, and my index finger on the line...I never palm a reel. But click drags have gone by the wayside for the most part. The industry has convinced the consumer that they need a good disc drag, and that adds expense to the reel. If I were to buy a inexpensive reel that worked, and play the fish the way I do, I would buy a Chinese made Pflueger Medalist..internal spool reel. Durable, and works, and it comes in various sizes. I never put in my two bits on rods you need. I don't know your motivation, and situation, but I would only buy one, and that would be a trout outfit. I'd learn how to cast, learn good line control, learn how to present a fly properly, and many anglers never go beyond trout fishing with a fly rod. Salmon fishing is an advanced level of flyfishing. Bigger rods, bigger reels, bigger flies, harder to handle the outfit. You make adjustments in casting often just to keep the fly out of harms way. I would get good at handling a trout outfit, and then move to salmon fishing with a flyrod. That Pflueger Medalist costs about $35 ?? Just looked at some the other day, and saw a good fly angler buy one. but forget the exact price. There is also an external spool Pflueger as well if you think you'd palm a reel to add drag pressure. The downside is if you drop it, you can bend the spool rim in, and bind up the reel..internal spool ones can take some abuse as the spool is protected. The old, American made Pfluegers were considered not the best reels, but now, they get bought up quick when someone finds one on E-Bay, etc. They now run over $100. The Chinese made reels work just as well. I have about 3 of the Chinese reels, and several American made Pfluegers.