Alan give the Fireline in 10lb. a shot, when I could afford braid it's what I used on my trout/flounder rods. If you're getting 'wind knots' (aka the little bundle of joy fluffed up at the end of your spinning reel) it may be the way you're winding the line onto the spool. Have someone hold the spool on a pencil/dowel horizontally, and pull line from the top of the spool and make sure it's going on fairly tight. This should get the line to lay on the spool perfect.
That current was somethin' else out there... did kinda set you up for the perfect drift through the spans though. Good meetin' yah.