I like Daiwa reals. Get one with a few ball bearings if fishin fresh water but if yer fishin the salt I would not get one w/a lot of ball bearings.

Any supple, limp line works well on spinning reels, yer right, max is too stiff.

Trilene, silver thread, stren are all lines that I have had god luck with.

I usually go for the smallest diameter line that I can get away with.

If fishin deep and \or jigging I like the new small diameter high strength lines -- the sensitivity can't be beat. Be sure to use a mono leader tho cuz of the nearly zero stretch.

Good luck and tight lines

Sincerely,
Roger