MaineGuideMK

What I ended up doing was taking an older 4000 size reel and putting 10lb mono on it. Then I put on a 12lb fluoro leader with a surgeon's knot. This seemed to work very well. I didn't get into any fish over 3 lbs, but I pulled some fish out of some nasty trees without breaking off. Had I been using my old 8lb fluoro setup, I know I would have lost several jigs. Thanks for the help everyone.

Thank you everyone for the input. I'm fishing out of an 18' square stern freighter canoe. When I have a client up front I can paddle the boat away from structure. When I'm on my own, I can only do so much without a trolling motor. The rod in the water trick is something I will try to do more consciously. In the deep lakes I fish, they often hit on the edge of a drop off and head straight for bottom once you get them to the boat. @BassB8Caster I am in coastal/central Maine. My line is replaced once or twice a season. I check for nicks often and I'm confident with my knots--the line looks frayed after breaking one off. I'm afraid of using braid because I fish lots of rocks. Maybe mono or 12lb fluoro is the way to go. I have no idea how big these are without getting a scale on them. I just know that they are big. @A-Jay and @J Francho a plan sounds nice, but it's hard to know when you will hook a big one, unless they are on a bed or are cruising an area. Still, it's a good idea and I will do my best to try to stay aware of potential hazards. Thanks. So it sounds like I need to size up. Why go to a bait caster? Why do so many people fish them? I don't really get it. I think 12lb fluoro and a medium heavy rod may help me. I'm not sure if I should go spinning or bait casting. More ideas?

The water here in Maine is very clear. I normally fish 8lb fluoro on 6'6" or 7' medium rods. I throw lots of crank baits and plastics for smallmouth. Recently, I've been getting into some big largemouth on texas rigged craws and 1/4 oz jigs. The big fish keep breaking me off. In open water they go under the boat and rub the line against the boat. In tight cover they rub on a tree or dock post and break me off. If I tighten down my drag and horse them, they break me off. Any suggestions? Should I go to braid with a fluoro leader? Can I stick with spinning gear? Thoughts?