Yep handler tackle is always a personal choice which is probably why none of us have identical kits. My rods and reels are identical that way everything works the same. I use tica long cast bait runners and 14ft penn slammers (copies of the Kidwell slx). I also have a pair of okuma Solaris for when the weather conditions are a bit rough. I prefer the slammers for actually landing fish as they feel more like really large spin rods. Braid or mono aside the thumb casters do make a big difference when I need longer casts. The problem I have had with braid is when fishing in 2m or more swells I get pressure on the line from incoming swell and because there is no flex in the braid it tends to breakaway my sinker and then I have no option but to bring it in. Perhaps the thin super raids you are using are better for the job. I would be interested to hear other's experiences or views on using braid vs mono. Cheers Steve