I like braid for jigging. 65# Whiplash was my favorite but Berkely decided it had to be replaced by Spiderwire Stealth
I tried 65# Stealth, was the thickness of 30# mono or darn close to it. And it casts like crap. They tell me 30# is closer to the diameter of 65# Whiplash and probably as strong
I tried 50# Power Pro when it first came off and lost a lot of plugs due to unexplained break-offs. I gave it a second chance last year, noticed some differences just in appearance, and so far, so good.
Whiplash didn't affect your thumb as much as other braids, if you used an open spool convench. Some of the others cut a groove in it. I've only used Power Pro on level winds and spinners, so I can't help ya there.
I still like mono for topwater plugging in the Canal. You might find yourself catching buck fever and hitting too quick with braid--it's so sensitive that you can feel the fish before it has the plug in a position where the hook'll set into something solid. Plus, you often have to horse a big fish in the Ditch, and you can tear treble hooks loose and even straighten them with heavy braid. Braid will give ya longer casts and a better set on a fish out in the middle---so it's a trade-off for plugging.