Ugly Sticks are not bad at all if you have to buy them new and want value for money. I have a long one I use for surf casting that's probably more than 20 years old. The Ugly Sticks I've used have all been a little too whippy for the kind of baitcaster you are talking about.
Squidco carries a line of custom rods called Varmac that are probably better for your Curado for a lower price than Ugly Sticks. I'm pretty sure you can find a fresh, new Squidco Varmac for your reel in the $50-60 price range. I think Varmac is a long time local company.
Otherwise, I have found so many good things at yard sales for a few dollars it fills all available free space around me, LOL. If you are around Mission Valley/La Mesa, I might have a rod you can have for free. I would have to doublecheck to be sure I have one suitable for the reel you want to match.
I bought my Lamiglas 9' (still with the plastic wrapper on the cork handle) at a yard sale for $25. It's one of their lifetime warranty models. I think I paid around $250 for my 7' Lamiglas from Turner Outdoor.
I love yard sales
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Rods tend to have more longevity than reels. Reel technology continues to improve, and there's nothing like a new reel out of the box that hasn't been screwed up yet. Saltwater takes it's toll pretty fast, as does personal habits of people who abuse and neglect their equipment. Personally, I'm not very interested in buying used reels. It depends.
It's nice to have nice things, but this stuff gets beat up and used up. It's easy to get overly involved and blow a lot of money fast (understatement).