well myself, i am a shimano fan, and they do have possibly the best value on the market with the citica for $119(reel only), but that may be a little pricey for a beginner... i bought my girl friend two package deals that i have thrown a few times and been impressed with, first was a quantum package from walmart for $70 (great for crank baits) and when she got into it a little more i got her a pflueger package from gander for $100 which had a more sensitive rod, both have seemed to be great for the price

yes the reel is important but my rule of thumb is to spend as much or more on the rod than the reel, so if you are on a budget, find a package with a good rod and hope the reel holds up