What kind of rods do you guys use for your inshore fishing.  Also, what kind of line?  Do you use the same type of rod for flounder, drum, trout, and striper?  I'm trying to decide if I want a limp rod or a firmer rod on my inshore spinning real....also not sure what kind of line i want to use.

The financial advantage is obvious when you consider that with a rod that carries a lifetime warranty, you have bought that rod for life and you have bought the upgraded version for life in many cases. I will also say that if you take into account the few extra fish that you will catch because of increased casting distance, better feel and accuracy then you are protecting the other investment you make every trip and that is time. Considering that you may cast 15 or twenty feet further because of the better rod, reel and line then you are covering hundreds more acres of water each trip. If you catch four or five fish extra per trip and you do that for 10 trips, then you are paying about 50 cents fish extra for a rod that costs $100 more than a cheap one. If you are investing time on the water, expense to get there and want to maximize your enjoyment, then you should protect that investment by investing in quality gear. I would honestly rather see someone in a cheap kayak with good fishing gear than an expensive kayak with cheap rods. You may not think that there is that much of a difference, but trust me there is. 

Chad

my girlfriends dad got me on the braided line, i love it.  however, i dont use a mono or flouro leader.  how do you tie it onto the braided and how does that make a difference? 

I'm a convert to PowerPro braid and use either a flourocarbon or monfilament leader depending on the application. If you want your bait to float, use mono. Otherwise, flouro is strong, clear (so it doesn't spook the fish) and doesn't stretch, which helps you detect strikes better. Chad taught me the Albright knot for joinging the two and it only took a little bit of practice to master.

   For rods, get the best that you can afford. You can buy the St. Croix Premeir series for about $100, but they only come with a 5 year warranty. G. Loomis rods are twice that, but carry a lifetime warranty. I used Berkeley rod for years and the difference that a G. Loomis or St. Croix rod makes is unbelievable.

   For reels, take Mark's advice - Match them to the rod. If the rod says line weight of 8 - 14 lbs., then find a reel made for line of 10-12 lbs and spool it with PowerPro of an equivalent diameter. Matching the reel to the rod ensures that you will get the best performance out of both. Also, plan to spend $120 - $180 for Shimano Stradic or Saros reels. With proper care, they will stand up to salt water for a very long time and are worth the investment.