New to Cat Fishing

[Tyler Holm]

I also run 80lb test line on spinning reels for cats. I can just hold the spool and point the rod at the snag and pull like a mother. Sometimes I have to reel up some line, but I NEVER cut the braid. If it breaks, it breaks down towards the knot.

I've also used the oar once as the wooded dowel when my buddy had a baitcasting reel.

[rushing]

Icehole - yes the dowel is to help break your line when you get snagged.

I have switched to 80lb power pro with a 40lb mono leader last year with great results. I got tired of losing big hunks of power pro in the river so now I just lose little chunks of mono if and when i get snagged and in combination with a mono dropper for my weights I lose very little power pro ever. 40lb mono is plenty strong for just about anything in the river if you have your drag set and play the fish instead of just wenching it in. If I had to choose between the two evils of line being left in the river i would rather see mono since it tends to break down faster than the super braids.