Please recommend some line that can hold up to the elements

I've been  using Trilene XT mono 8lb for awhile and I think it's time to move on. I need something stronger, I'm wondering if I should try out braid. I don't really want to go higher than 8lb test because I don't really have the reel for it and the thicker the line the less distance you get casting. I use 6'8" MF spinning setup, primarily after smallmouth or whatever may be lurking in the local rivers of Western PA.
 
I'm constantly losing lures/ baits because of frayed line. I try to re-string lure as much as possible due to frays, but it's not enough. I just cast my Zera Spook into the middle of the river because I whipped the line too hard and it snapped probably because of some fraying. Also a lot of times when I get a snag the line will break very easily while attempting to get it out.
 
Very open to suggestions here, thanks.

I would check the eyes of the rod for cracks,also check the line pickup roller to see if it is loose,it can let the line get behind it & shre it. Also I cut off a foot or so of line every time I try a new lure in case a fish's teeth or some rocks may have rubbedit. I personaly use Triline xl 8 # when throwing plugs & do not seem to have as many probs. as you state. Also keep your reel out of the sunlight while not fishing.  sam

I use braid almost exclusively. From 3 lb up to 65 on my catfish gear. Abrasion resistance is definitely not it's strong point. Like others said if you're constantly fraying line without it dragging through rocks or mussels, there may be some underlying issue. That being said, I've never had braid ruin any of my equipment. If I'm fishing clear water or snaggy or rocky bottom, always tie on a leader at least 18" up to 6-8' with a uni splice, improved Albright, or micro swivel. Get like 12 or 14 lb power pro and use mono leader of the same lb test.

On the subject of braid:
I tried braid line sometime around the late 80's I believe . It was horrible stuff back then on a spinning rod & reel. The line was so limp it would forever wrap around the rod tip and make jigging / casting difficult . Gave up on the stuff.
Fast forward to the present:
Went back to braid line for ice fishing while jigging extremely deep water for lake trout.
First big mistake was not tying a piece of mono on the reel first before spooling on the braid. What happened is , I would turn the reel but the line would just slip on the spool. Ever try pulling 100 yards of line off on the ice to re spool it ? Not easy. See braid has no stretch so it will not tighten properly around spool. Tying mono on first solves this.
Now as I said there is no stretch to braid so while jigging in 100 feet of water gave you instant feel to your lure. Issues ensued however. Braid absorbs water and it will become a frozen mess on your reel for below 32 temps. It drives your sonar crazy as all those water droplets disperse as it's desending to the bottom. It frays like crazy and that would be from digging into the guides. Yes when situations that require constant sliding through guides, it starts to cut groves into them over time. It will do the same on your bail roller on the reel and also tends to fall into the side of the roller connection due to its small diameter ( I'd use 2 lb ). The possibility of breaking the rod increases due to the unforgiving nature of no stretch.
Lastly, tying knots is a PIA , you need good sharp scissors to cut the tags off the knots.
While it may work for some and they are happy with braid, it's just to much hassle for me and not worth the extra $ or issues.

Eman, just wondering what you mean by not buying at Wal-Mart? I like to buy form the little guys myself when I can but have bought line at Wal-Mart on occasion. Just wondering if you think there is a quality difference in the same line at Wal-Mart from a Tackle shop.

Sounds like he got a bad spool. By just trying it once how can you compare ?
I don't like the place myself but, I nor anyone I know has had any issues with the xt and it gets fished often.
I will say this , bought a spool of stren from a shop because that's all they carried and it was brittle . My thoughts , bad spool or too old .
It happens ..

Tuna, I got a fairly weak spool as well but didn't feel like writing about it lol
 
Its just my personal opinion, I will never buy line there again. To each his own. Ed

I did look once and I never seen a date. Could of been hidden though..

That's too much work for me. I don't use any leaders on fishing for the regular gamefish. Don't think its worth it. Only time I run leaders is in saltwater or catfishing

tippet i love the seagaur grand max fx..

seaguar is probably my least desired tippet made.. Generally I love frog hair.. FH mono for warmer temps such as salmon, FH fluro for colder steel..
Granted I have had a few problems with each and I would attribute them to old shelf life..
As for seaguar: It seems that was a big promotion push on the Great Lakes tribs the last few years.. The shops must have gotten a good "deal" from the company so that was what was available..
The stuff stinks IMO, way too much stretch causing the material to coil like crazy .. Not just after fighting a fish but even after casting awhile.. It seemed to lose it's strength in cold water/weather too.. I was using 3X.9.2 lb seaguar for steel and it was "tweaking" when I would normally use 3X 8.8 FH fluro without issues..
Never again will that product make it's way into my vest.. just IMO..
 
As for the original thread topic:
Slabdaddy is correct.. Proper line test, Retie and clip off after a few will help solve the problems..

I dislike frog hair as well. All about opinions though

I fished bass tournaments for a tad over 20 years and could count on one hand the number of bass I broke off -- 99% on Trilene.  My spinning rods were spooled with 8, baitcasting with 10, and flipping with 17.  I fished from late March until December in all types of conditions and fished as few as one weekend day or as many as five days per week.
 
I suspect, as others have stated here that either there is 1) an issue with rod guides or reel roller, 2) you got a bad spool (it happens), or 3) you are trying to make the line last forever -- it does not.

If you're using older gear braid should be avoided...  Since cutting into the guides and tearing up the roller bearing use to be an issue...  But now a days the inserts in most guides are braid ready as are 99% of reels only when you get high up in the JDM market is when reels are and should only be used with Mono/Nylon/Fluorocarbon.  And as stated anywhere there is debris or mussels or jagged and even smooth rocks your line's gonna fray, and if you're fishing the Allegheny there's plenty of rocks and there are freshwater mussels that will wreak havoc on your line.  I have 2 spools for my main reel, one is spooled with Cabela's X50 Fluorocarbon 8# test and I've hauled in everything from trout to musky and even a small flathead catfish in with that line, I absolutely love it, generally like all other Fluorocarbons the abrasion resistance isn't top notch to say mono and it's a bit better than braid but this stuff has a mix of strength/abrasion resistance and a lower memory than mono...  I also have a spool of 30# Power Pro with anywhere from 8# X50 to 12# InvisX Fluoro leaders that are about the rod length or 6'6-10' connected with an Alberto knot.  I used Triline XT for the longest time and never had the issues you spoke of so maybe it could be a bad batch?  I've used 6 for steelhead and 8/10 for my river set ups.  Also, my buddy I fish with used nothing but 4# for the longest time and fished the same waters and snaggy area's I did and caught everything from trout to big drum and channel cats out of the river.  If anything I'd say maybe try 10# I use that on my rod I use mostly for lures and have little to no issues other then a few loops here and there from throwing 3/16 lures on a MH with 10# line. 
 
Also the breaking off thing may come from snapping the lure out also, my girlfriend has done it a few times with spinners and 1 or 2 cranks (I guess trying to aim for the other bank of the river...)  But the stress and stretch on the knot could be a factor there...

SKEELOL  Most of what is said on this can be helpful and not helpful. Unless you your fishing rod and reel are from the 70's to 80's or very cheap, then I wouldn't worry about braid cutting grooves in the eyes. Most rods have ceramic eyes which the braid can not penetrate. On the reels braid CAN NOT CUT into metal. If you are a mono/flouro  guy then just use a little bit heavier line. If you use 8lb line using 12-14lb you will not lose that much line footage on the reel, I would go with the P-line that KK mentioned. Line is much like anything else you get what you pay for. I only use braid with leader for fishing for game fish, Unless it is a top water presentation  and cheap  line for bait fishing. If going with braid NEVER EVER put on reel without a few feet of mono or sport tape or you WILL have the problem that BT had!!!!! If you do a lot of river fishing the heaver the line the better you just never know just what the heck your going to catch LOL