A good beginners Rod and Reel setup for fishing river, lakes and ponds

[TanksNHank]

So I'm pretty clueless when it comes to fishing as I've only done a little fly fishing (by fly fishing I mean standing in the river and tossing a line). I did do a lesson and have been out a couple of times.

I enjoy the time by the river but want to maybe increase my rods of actually catching a fish and maybe mix it up a little so I'm thinking of getting a conventional rod and reel.

So here's where I'm stuck is that I have no idea what kind of setup to even begin looking at. How long of rod? What kind of reel? What kind of line? What kind of bait?

I'm hoping maybe you guys could point me in the right direction.