Get a front drag reel, rear drag will fail if you intend to do any wading, it's inevitable they get splashed/dunked.
Front drag reels are more water resistant.
A budget also helps people with rod and reel selection.
If your working to a smallish budget look at bushwhacker rods, they are good value for money, if you want something a little more expensive teklon concept rods are excellent value for money.
Regarding braid and lures, get 20lb braid, you need to be able to rip a lure out of kelp when fishing in the rocky weedy shallows. lures...now there's a minefield. Get very shallow divers, sandeel and small baitfish imitations. Get a topwater 'walk the dog lure'. Try and get to one of the lure meets on here, being shown how to work a top water properly would help. Other than that, just get out fishing...
How to find Bass...they like to feed in the shallows, hard ground especially, the beaches are harder work and don't usually hold the fish like hard ground does.
The final thing to consider is they can't really be arsed to chase after lures till the sea is about 10 degrees. 14 degrees and the sport gets fantastic, shame the magic 14 doesn't last long up here.