when i was younger i spent 90% of my time large mouth fishing with one rod using 4lb test and my bigger using 6lb. caught a 6plb pickeral on the small one. it almost pulled me in the water. the lose sand under my feet was giving way. no line snap. berkley trilene.. i swore by it. only lost to fish to snap offs
it's kind of disheartening to see so many guys go with the "over power the fish" style. as opposed to finessing it. stick with that 8lb bro. jsut put a leader on next time.
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When I was younger, I spent 90% of my time largemouth Bass fishing with 10lb line, especially if I was using live minnows. I spent a great deal of time fishing slow flowing rivers in Georgia, where the chances of hooking into a 20 or 30 llb catfish, drum or freshwater striper are just a great as landing that 5 or 6 lb bucketmouth. You may call it "over power the fish style", but I call it sensible preparation. I would use 4lb or 6lb line for Bluegills and Crappie in Farm pond, but not off a jetty or in a rolling surf, or for that matter any body of water larger than an acre. Oh, and buy the way, when I deadbait or liveline for Pike or pickeral, I use wire leaders...