I've got a ABU 6500 but use it mostly in salt water, where I seldom go anymore. In the past I've used my ABU 5000 on cat's. These days I'm using A Daiwa Millionaire, nice reel! Also getting ready to try a Shakespeare SKP 2000C I've had for years and never used. But then I've never caught big cats either. I think the size of cat's your hoping for would determine the equipment you'd use. On the reels above, I like 10# line. Probably not strong enough for really big cat's. If I was targeting really big one's, like over 10#, I'd use my ABU 6500 and probably 15# line. I really don't care for heavy lines. But then I used to love braid and I think it can get fairly heavy and stay limp. You getting those huge cat's I only read about, all bet's are off!