I have this Shakespeare Stampede ST30A reel that I absolutely love. It's got the E-Z cast trigger on it, 5.2:1 retrieve ratio and is an absolute beast when coupled with my Berkley IM6 Lightning Rod.

The specs:

6lbs @ 185yds, 8lbs @ 145yds, & 10lbs @ 120yds.

The rod:

Berkley 6' Lightning Rod Medium/Light spinning (my tiny quantum is currently rigged up)

Anyway, I had a pretty bad tangle while fishing yesterday and lost a LOT of line from my stampede reel. I hated it because now I only have about 50-60' of line around the spool and I cast about 75-80' normally with ease.

I don't know what kind of line I have on it now, but it's small and breaks around 8lb. It doesn't have very good abrasion resistance, as I noticed when a bad eyelet chewed up the line and cost me a nice spinner bait.

This combination has been a REAL winner for me with 1/8oz, 1/4oz, and 3/8oz lures. It's got an amazing cast with very little effort and a fantastic retrieve rate. Not to mention it's actually quite a strong, potent, little reel...

So, experts of angling... what do you advise for this?

I'm open to all suggestions, braid, mono, flourocarbon... (a buddy of mine keeps telling me to run Berkley 6 or 8lb Fireline, and I have to admit, I've been considering it for the cast-ability)

I run Sufix Elite 8 lb on my spinning reels. Been wanting to try the new Trilene XL Armour coated

I advise you get a new rod. That bad eyelet will chew up any and every line out there.

But for line, for all around use i'd say Sufix Elite 8# mono.

I advise you get a new rod. That bad eyelet will chew up any and every line out there.

But for line, for all around use i'd say Sufix Elite 8# mono.

Thanks, but I repaired that issue with JB Weld quick a week or two ago. That eyelet is smoother than a well lotioned pole dancer..

The screw up happened when my line got snagged and I yanked it out of the cover, really messing everything up... I guess you'd call it 'user error'.

I like Sufix Elite 8 lb. as well on my medium power rods, both spinning and baitcasting. In the old days I only used spinning gear and Trilene XL. I have 30 lb. FireLine on my MH spinning rod with Daiwa Advantage 2000A spinning reel. I was going to go with 4 lb. or 6lb Elite on my Daiwa 1500CU, but now think I will give 20 lb braid a try first (probably Sufix Performance or PowerPro). 20# braid = 6# mono, 30# braid = 8 lb mono.

From what I read, braid on a spinning reel eliminates most of the line twist, plus casts very well.

According to Berkley's web site, 6# Fireline is = to 1.5 mono and 8# Fireline is = to 2# mono. Have you ever fished 2 lb mono? I have. It was a pain when I was younger. Now my eyes aren't what they use to be I doubt I could use 2# at all.

I like Sufix Elite 8 lb. as well on my medium power rods, both spinning and baitcasting. In the old days I only used spinning gear and Trilene XL. I have 30 lb. FireLine on my MH spinning rod with Daiwa Advantage 2000A spinning reel. I was going to go with 4 lb. or 6lb Elite on my Daiwa 1500CU, but now think I will give 20 lb braid a try first (probably Sufix Performance or PowerPro). 20# braid = 6# mono, 30# braid = 8 lb mono.

From what I read, braid on a spinning reel eliminates most of the line twist, plus casts very well.

According to Berkley's web site, 6# Fireline is = to 1.5 mono and 8# Fireline is = to 2# mono. Have you ever fished 2 lb mono? I have. It was a pain when I was younger. Now my eyes aren't what they use to be I doubt I could use 2# at all.

That's good to know. Yeah, Don keeps telling me fireline is great stuff. I might just try it out.

#4 or #6 Yo-Zuri Hybrid