Hey guys I just got back from a fishing trip, Caught 3 big ones, 1 channel 2 blues, 1 decent, but had 2 snap my line, one fish swam towards me, then swam away, and just snapped the line. The other, I set the hook, and it started to swim, had it on for bout 10 seconds, then just snapped it immediately. I know its not the knots I'm Tying, because the line snapped up near the weights. So I was wondering, what is some good lb test line for these two reels? http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_126207_-1?N=78002124+4294967153
http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_473501_-1?N=78002123+933739032
I just have the standard line they come with.
The website says 25 LB, reel says 17lb on the first one. Haven't been looking at the other one, because its line didn't break.
Thanks in advance!

Sounds like you either have old/bad line or your drag isn't set.

I bought my son one of those CatStik when they were on sale for $14.00. I striped the line that came with it and put Stren Big Game Fish #25 and have not any problems.

Either your weights are fraying your line or your drag is too tight. I think the rule of thumb is 1/3 the pound test of your line.

I use 55lb power pro braid. It has next to no memory, verry strong, and is lite. It's no bigger than a 12 lb mono. So I say go with a braided line. Of a fish takes you in to some brush, you should be ok. And you can get away with stronger line than the reel allows. I also had the problem of my line fraying. It was die to me running slip weights. My fix for this is to get my dremel kit and de bur my weights and to start using beads. Fixed that problem.

I have braided on my baitcaster for bass, when I'm bored, never have really liked it, so you think I would be okay bumping up to 30 instead of 25? Most of the fish I'm catching are channels.

It is my experience that line that comes prespooled on reels is low quality. I always used to respool my reels when I bought ones that came pre-spooled. That would be my advice. I would put some 15 or 20lb test berkley big game on those reels.

I was trying to decide between 20 lb and 30 lb , the 25 lb they are selling is way to much for me to need. I'm just wondering if 30 lb is to much because 25 is recommended max. Any thoughts?
(Also one of the lines was snapped on a pole I found rigged up, its at my uncle's house, and I'm sure the line was sitting there for years)

I use high vis yellow off shore 25lb test form bass pro on all my reels(nothing over 15lb tho lol).one of my dads reels has big game berkley 14lb test and caught a 35#er on it.

20 lb mono should be plenty - u gotta change out mono atleast once a year and alot guys do it twice a year....get yourself some 20 lb Big Game or Ande mono. U said it broke by the weight- what weights and how u attaching them?

In my opinion, channels fight harder than a blue. And academy had the power pro on sale for $15 for a 150 yard spool. I also have bent the shaft on a spinning reel cause it was rated for 20lb line and I was running 30lb big game. I prefer braid cause its a lot of power in a small package and has no lone memory. It seems to cast farther. Now I have a reel that is rated for 20lb mono that I'm running the 55lb power pro and no issues. I'm a big fan of braid. So I would say not to go over what the reel is rated for.

I was using split shots

It's probably cause the line was older and brittle. Reguardless, I would get you some 15 to 20lb big game or something simmlar. Make shure your drag OS set properly. This is just me, but I tune my drag by pulling line with my hand. I set it by stripping drag with my hand and its not to hard. I can pull it by hand with some resistance.

20#big game i like the solar

I'm going to have a clamp/barrel swivel on my line with a swivel weight attached, then have a leader running down with a treble attached. I think this set up should work, with 20 lb test line.