Rods
I'd start with the zebco 202 for lake and docks, you can even get the smaller dockmaster it works just as well just catches smaller fish. The zebcos come with line already spooled and the 202 may even come with some terminal tackle.
Baits
Worms are the go to, you can use shiners or mud minnows also as live bait. Bass eat mostly anything. Here is how i rig mud minnows, either through the back or through the lips.
lures
The rattlebot is my fave so far, it rattles in the water attracting bass and bluegill. it comes in two body types, the bluegill and the crawdad.
soft plastics
plastic worms such as senkos are a must.
plastic crawdads in blue and red are highly effective for murkey water
soft plastic frogs and snakes are just sick. you can make them swim in realistic ways and bass love them.
spinning lures
mepps roster tails are useful for catching bait fish and even trout and bass. reel this lure at a brisk pace through the middle of the water to attract fish. there is a spinning clip that rotates and shimmers like a baitfish as it retreives.
top water
top water frogs are by far my fave way to go fishing. The frog floats ontop of the water you twitch the tip of the rod as you reel in to make the frog hop. Once you see the first strike from the fist count one mississippi and start reeling in. So fun. Any frog works well, even the 1.92 orzark frog sold at walmart. There are mods you can do to the frog, the frog comes with long tassel legs, trim each leg down and of set the legs so one is distinctly shorter than the other. this will decrease the fish's strike on the legs and improve hook-up ratio. You can also take pliers and slightly bend one hook jutting out, this has also been said to improve hook-up ratios. The best frog on the market is the berkely swamp lord. Its also got a dope name.
there are also top water rats! these are maybe even cooler. swim them like a lost rat (in an S pattern) to entice the bass. just like the frogs these float atop the water and attract fish from below, so the only color you need to worry about on topwater lures is the belly. a dark belly for sunny days and a light belly for overcast days is the norm but i dont really think it matters too much. i have one white rat and one black rat.
general tips
fish tend to bite with in the first 30-40 seconds of your cast landing, if youre in a rush to find more fish recast after a minute of no bites.
the 90/10 rule states that 90% of the fish are in an area of 10% of the water. normally grouped together feeding. Recasting helps find this 90/10 zone.
if youre in brackish water presence of dolphins will scare away fish and cause them to stop biting.
i dont recommend getting a mystery tackle box subscription but if you can find an afforadable box at a chain store i'd get one to expand your collection and get some new gear.
soft plastics can be remelted easily and recast in any mold you want, find a bait mold you like and an injector, use the microwave to melt the old plastics fill up the injector and inject into the desired mold.
to free a caught line get to the side and tighten tension on the line, keeping the rod tight take the line and form a triangle with extending from the bottom near the reel and release to snap the hook free from the debris. Do not pull straight back as this can cause the bait and hooks to slam right into your face.
fish around other people if youre beginning, other fishermen are really friendly and will help you out if you ask, most of the time people will come up and talk to you or help you out unprompted
polarized sunglasses will help you see below the surface of the water to view some fish.
look for bubbles in a scattered pattern, these may be fish. bubbles in a straight line of larger size are normally methane gas escaping the lake bed.
cast where fish have jumped out of the water, this may indicate scooling fish.
fish finding radar is for rich bitches who like to cheat