i'm pretty sure i know the answer to this question but want to ask it anyway...
the quality and type of line can effect the distance you can cast pretty dramatically correct? and like the smoothness of the line going out?
You can cast a little further with lighter line, and of course with lighter line your reel will hold more line.
I like to use as light a line as I can get away with because the feel is usually better. For most bass fishing 8-10lb is perfect IMO. However if im fishing in brushy areas with lots of underwater stumps, logs and brush I use a heavier line. The reason for that is if you hook a large bass on light line it requires that you play the fish and let him take some line which is OK in an open water environment but back in the stumps that usually means he wraps you up and you lose the fish. When fishing for the lunkers in brushy areas you want 20-25lb test and a big stiff rod so you can bulldog that bad boy straight to the boat.
As far as lures my #1 bass getter in most all seasons and conditions is the texas rigged worm in purple or black, the more flouresent colors seem to work well in spring and early summer. With that said there is a time and place for many different baits, crank baits and spinners work very well in shallow water during spawning season.
There is no substitute for local knowledge, make friends with the folks that run the marina or fishing lodge. Keep up with the fishing reports throughout the year for your favorite lakes and locations. Fish hang at different locations and different depths depending on the season, water temperature, and even time of day. And they may hit one type of bait at a certain time of day like dawn and totally ignore it at other times. My old man would go as far as making friends with a guide at every lake we frequented, he would keep in touch with them through out the year, send them christmas cards and bring gifts when we visited the lake and they would always tell us the hot spots and when the fish were hitting and what bait to use.
I've found it helpful over the years to keep detailed notes of my successes. Record season, location, time of day, depth where you got on the fish and of course the bait that worked best. Do this for a few years at you favorite lakes and you will be amazed at how successful you can be. I learned this from my dad, I can't tell you how many times we would come in with a boat full of fish when everyone else at the marina were coming up empty.
And once you find the best times of day to fish use your time wisely and efficiently. On many occasions the best fishing is the first few hours after dawn and the last few hours before dusk, this is especially true in the summer time. Fishing in the middle of the day in summer is usually a waste, time better spent napping at the lodge^_^
Another successful trait my old man taught me was to maximize the time the bait is in the prime location. He was what I would call a "mad caster" if he was fishing a target area along a brushline he would cast right up to the edge then work the bait through the 10'-12' prime area he was targeting then haul it back to the boat very quickly and cast again. This would mean he would throw 3 or 4 times the amount of casts as someone who worked the bait all the way to the boat. But it also meant his bait was in the prime target area 3 or 4 times more than the other guy.