Aaron,
It sure feels like spring might finally beon its way what with all the sunshine we have here today!
Here's what I would suggest:
1. Hooks are not sharp when they come out of the box. There's a tiny microscopic nub on the end of each barb that's there as a result of the plating process. You'll need to file that off if you want your hooks to be as sharp as they possibly can be. I use a fine file. You can find hook-specific files at most tackle stores.
2. Line recommendation is gonna depend on what you're fishing for. If it's browns, then go I'd light..10# or so. If you're chasing spring Kings, I'd say 17# is probably more like it. I have two different mono set-ups. I think I probably have 6 or so of each. One I keep spooled with 10# for brown trout fishing, and I leave that on all season long. The other I spool up with 17# in the spring, then up it to 30# when the fleas show up. That's my Kings set-up. Additionally, I have wire, leadcore, and copper setups that I can deploy when the situation warrants it.
Hope this helps!
Bill