Must have fishing gear...

It all starts here, with the rod and reel.  The spinning reel is, in my opinion an absolute must.  They can be used with any type of lure and are easy to use and maintain.  When you are using small lures such as light jig heads and weightless worms, this is the one to have.
I am a huge fan of Shimano reels, they have a wide selection and a variety of prices.  Abu Garcia is another great reel manufacturer and you really can't go wrong with either of these.