You should buy a reel with as many ball bearings as you can afford. I was gonna suggest a Penn GTi 320, but since you say it doesn't cast very well with 80lb test perhaps it couldn't hurt downgrading to 60lb test. Also, using thinner diameter lines would cast more easily than if you're using low grade mono. When it comes to big fish like sturgeon, don't skimp on tackle, buy the stuff you need to manhandle the brutes.
If you're fishing Friend's Landing I really suggest using some stout tackle mainly because there is a lot of submerged woody debris. Plus bring along a bunch of sinkers since you're bound to lose one every couple casts if not every single one. Don't use pyramids cause if they hang up they're not likely to come back out even if you try mightily to break it loose.