Not sure what I could have done different

[cassidyta]

Went down to the lake for some afternoon swim bait tossing. Managed to get a couple of 3-4 lbs fish, but it was a very slow day. I made my way into the shallows, looking for a couple of pre-spawn girls.
The water level is about 6 foot high, so my normal shade trees are now submerged upto the leaves. As I was surveying the area, I saw a shadow that should have belonged to a carp or catfish. This beast was massive. I won't try to put an exact weight on her, but I am confident she made it into double digits. Since she was hunkered down along the now covered trees, I knew the swim bait was out.
I started off with a blue gill colored spinner and she showed some interest on the first two casts, but that faded. I switched over to pitching T-rigged baits. The whole time, she just moved back and forth around the tree. Finally, I switched over to a fat IKA. On the second pitch, she opened her mouth and the bait disappeared. I dropped the rod tip, waited till I felt her on the line and crossed her eyes with the hook set.
What I could not do however was turn her head to my side of that tree. She went over one branch, under the other, and just like that I was holding a broken line. I have replayed it in my head most of the afternoon and for the life of me I think I would have done the same thing again. I am not usually one to be upset about a lost fish, but this one hurt.

17lbs Seaguar fluoro on a Revo/St Croix combo. 5/0 gami hook with a palomar knot.

I know some will say that I should have used Braid, but in the trees like that, I would rather break off than beat her head against the stumps. I use the braid in thick grasses and tullies where it won't hurt the fish to pull through it.