Abel, Hardy, Sage and Galvan are big names in reels today
This is valid if you lose or break a part on the road, for ANY reason
Whereas a very stiff a rod will not give you long casts when using very light lures and jigs
We've already covered Entry Level to mid-range gear along with Rain Gear and Jig Fishing
Yes, theoretically water could get inside the gearbox through the screw holes if the screws weren't outside of the seal, but in practice that wouldn't happen unless the reel sinks very deep where water pressure is high enough to actually push water into the capillary spaces around the loctite treated screw threads
Here are key best practices to follow: Catch and release carefully use barbless hooks, wet your hands before handling fish, and release them gently