Line... What's the main draw lately to Fluorocarbon's?

[The Yeti]

Is it simply the fact that they become clear underwater, or are there more strength aspects?

[Fisher Dave]

The only thing I will use it for is leader material.. other than that it is JUNK. The lighter line(6# for example) cant even handle a clevis for a spinner rig for any time at all.. bump a weed and your rig is gone. Heavier stuff(17#) will last a day of fishing sometimes.

It has a lot of stretch, it has no abbrasion(sp?) resistance at all, And once its stretched(couple fair fish, snag) the stuff has no knot strength.. you have to tie a polimer knot to keep it from fraying just to cinch a knot.

[Melon]

I just saw a report on this issue this morning. I can't remember the show but it was on OLN. Anyway, they had a Fluoro that was bright yellow and disappeard when underwater. This guy was fishing LM Bass in 50' of water. His reason for using fluoro was that it's heavier so his plastics would get down to those depths faster. Also, At the depth he was fishing it was necessary to be able to feel the bass swallow the lure with a Mono it has more streatch so wouldn't always be able to feel a strike in 50'+ of water. This is just what I saw on TV... Like I said I don't know the name of the show or who the guy was.

[nolte]

Dave

I'm suprised that you said the stuff you used didn't have any abrasion resistence. I use the vanish and now p-line as leaders on my tip-ups and found that they hold up better than my old mono leaders. I have also had less breakoffs from northers. As for spinner rigs, I really haven't used it enough to see the true toughness there. When you are running your rig thru rocks, weeds, and tougher structure it can nick it up in a hurry and cause it to break.

I did notice a big difference in the abrasion resistance between the vanish and Pline. I don't use the vanish any more.

[FullTilt]

I'd have to agree with FisherDave on this one, less than impressed with this stuff. I bought a spool of Vanish to try ice fishing this year. I started tying rigs and was very dissapointed with the strength, especially the knot strength. I ditched the Vanish and went back to Fireline. I have a brand new spool of 6 Lb. Vanish that works great for sewing on buttons.

[irishjigs]

I used Vanish last year for "lindy" rigging. I thought it worked well...but after reading some of the posts, am I better off using mono? I guess I didn't realize that fluorocarbon was heavier, and probably kept my bait closer to the bottom than mono would. Thoughts, suggestions?

[Bigfife]

I used Vanish one time two years ago. It was opener and I spent a half hour trying to tie a hook on. I was breaking 6# stuff with little effort.

I hear so much good stuff about it, so I might try it again. The box says superior knot strength right on it so maybe they improved it or something.

[Crow Hunter]

I use 6lb and 8lb Vanish regularly, for leaders only. I like that it has some stretch as my main line is Fireline and this allows for a bit of shock absorbtion when I set the hook. One thing that I have noticed is that when you are tying a knot it is essential to wet the knot before drawing it up tight. This is recommended with most lines, but with flourocarbon the knot strength is very low if you tighten the knot up dry. Other than that it has worked well for me.

CH

[Fish Head]

I have been using 6# P-Line Floroclear the last 2 years. It's a fluorocarbon coated line. I've been very happy with it. I haven't had any problems with memory and it’s been very abrasion resistant. I tried Vanish once 3 or 4 years ago and didn't care for it at all.

[steel24]

This is great line. People that are having problems with it breaking are not wetting the line before cinching the note. This is way more abrasion resisitant than mono. It also allows you to use heavier pd line because the fish are not able to see it. I tie spinners with 12 or 14lb and very rarely will get bite off by northerns because of this. With lindys it is a heavier line and does sink so I don't use it for this application. The other way it works great is as a leader for my cranks. I usually tie on a 8-16 ft leader on my fireline or my lead core. Again very tough to bite through and invisible in water.

The line that is colored on the reel but invisible under water is called Transition. I just spooled my jigging rod and my lindy rod with it yesterday. More sensitive than mono and when tossing jigs a high visible line will help pick up a few fish you might have missed.

FYI A lot of pro Walleye fisherman are using Flourocarbon for the reasons I mentioned above. Remember to wet the line before tighting the note and your problems will Vanish.

[Wayne Ek]

I have been using fluorocarbon line now for a couple of years, with out problems. I do not use it on open face spinging as it has more memory than most mono's, if I need it for finese fishing then I don't go over 6# test. I use the heavier stuff 14-17 on some of my tourny rods, mainly worm rod, cranking rods and use it as a leader on my C-rigs and jig worm rod. I think its great. When I use it as a leader I have been using a double uni-knot with fishing glue, no line break at the knot in two years.

[RedDB76]

So that was my problem! I used 8-pound Vanish to tie a LOT of rigs last year. Seems about half of them worked fine, but then half of them would break when I set the hook on a fish. I can't say that I was really careful in tying the knots to wet them down - so that makes sense. Guess I'll be retying a bunch of rigs, as I still have some left....I just wasn't sure why I got the breakoffs. I'll try a heavier line next time, and be more careful with the knots.

[Captain B.R.K]

Actually I tie a lot of my leaders and lindy rigs with 10lb Stren Flurocarbon. Have a pack of it I bought a few years ago that works great.

Since it loses it's color when water hits it, I've never had a problem with fish sensing the difference between 6 or 8 or 10lb test.

The new transition line of Vanish Berkley Flurocarbon came out this spring and I just might give it a whirl on my jiggin' rod. Just not real soup'd up about a $14 spool of line when I can spool up one spool w/ my favorite XL or sensi-thin for a 1/5 of that price.

[gunflint]

From what I've read, flourocarbon line because of it's make up gets very warm from friction when tying knots. This can cause the knot to become weak or brittle. If you wet it while cinching it should work just fine. I hope so I bought a spool just for rigging.

[Fisher Dave]

The line I have had my problems with is Vanish.. I havent tried P-line, or any other Florocarbin due to the problems I have had with vanish. I currently have some 17# vanish on one of my rods and it has held up for a couple trips, but I have had more line damage than I normaly would with standard Trilene XL.. Usually I use trilene Big Game on this rod and it stands up way better than any other mono I have seen.. but the visibility factor is an issue compared to Vanish... I'll take the visibility over not being confident the knots are going to hold when I hook into a flathead catfish.. or any specie of fish that is not out of the norm to be in the 30+ pound class..

Whats the point of using 17# test if its only 8lb test after cinching the knot? Sometimes where I fish I'm 15' above the water with no minnow bucket on hand to wet the line..

I guess in the end I have to have confidence in what I am fishing with. I need to know exactly what a line is capable of, advantages, and disadvantages.. not knowing if I can put substancial extra pressure on a large fish when its heading for a snag is not an option..

To me there is no point to using a line that is near invisible if you cant, or might not be able to land a fish on it.

[fishface5]

I have flourocarbon on almost all my reels now. I use 2# vanish on a 7' ultralite openface. I have 2# and 4# Vanish on all my ice rods, panfish and walleyes. It does have memory but looses it after half a dozen casts, or a few mins. use. I would like to try the p-line to see if the memory is less. Stren seems to have less memory than Vanish in equal line strengths. Stren doesn't make flcrb. lighter than 6# as far as I've found. I use 6# Stren, for jigging and rigging, Including the Lindy rig leader. I do snell the hook. These leaders last all day with Much less re-tying than with Tri. XL, which I used to use to tie rigs with. You HAVE to suck on the line WELL, before sinching the knot down or it won't hold! I tie palomar knots 99% of the time, with all my set-ups, and have no trouble with bad knot strength. I am not the best at re-tying after catching larger fish. With the 2# that is anything over a pound and a half. Some days that is pretty common. I use 10# for worm fishing even around weeds and other cover. I think it is more abraision resistant than XT. I used XT since it first came out. I don't make changes easily. I'm pretty loyal and stuborne with my tackle choices. Also I've had the 6# Stren on my rig rods for as long as three years with no more trouble than the memory prob.. I was thinking about trying some of the line lube spray, but just never think about it when I'm at the store. I do still have mono on one or two rods. Mainly because it's cheaper. I use fire line for deep dragging, bottom bouncers etc. but that is all I'll use fire line for. I've had GREAT probs. throwing spinner-baits and crank baits right off the end of my line. It doesn't handle shock well at all. But for down deep it's pretty good, thin, and sensative. I always use a long flourocarbon leader. Bottom line? I like Flourocarbon.

[MetroEye]

I was using 6# vanish fluorocarbon as my leader material yesterday on the river. I am in the camp that says it is JUNK!I broke countless leaders off by hand after tying the knot. It didn't seem to matter if I wet the knot or not. I lost half a dozen rigs that broke at the knot and abrasion was an issue. Never again.

[Mr.Seaguar]

Vanish is junk, the only reason it survives is that its a Berkley product. Try Pline or Seaguar.

[fishface5]

I'm betting you guys are heating it up when you're putting it on the reel. It doesn't take much! You REALY need to be carefull! Spoolling it and knot tying. I realy don't care if you like it or not, but it does work very well when care is taken. It does take some attention to a couple of CRITICLE details though. Fire line and mono are much easier to use.

[CrappieJohn]

Fluoro disappears in the water and it absorbs water so it sinks....so if you are a bobber fisherman you'll be less than happy with it. It has less stretch than mono and I think it is very sensitive line- readily sending good vibrations. So it has its attributes. Some people do not care for the stuff. Some people find favor for one brand over another, but that is to be expected. I find no problem with the 6# vanish at all and have all of my lake trout/ salmomn rods rigged with it.

I fish lake trout using the 6# vanish all summer from shore and around concrete structure such as breakwaters and have absolutely no problem breaking unless I am stuck in something or the fish is too much. Incidently.... this six pound vanish handily handled a 29 pound laker from shore a few years ago!

Those who are experiencing knot failure should maybe find a different knot. I have never had a knopt issue using the vanish from 2 pound for ice fishing up to 17 pound for dipsie rods on Superior.

So you are aware, that new vanish in the disappearing fluorescent yellow has some stiffness issues and a ton of memory if it is not warm out. And even then it isn't such good line as far as I am concerned. If you don't have it loaded , as in trolling, it does nothing but create a mess.

[Fish Head]

Fisher Dave, you don't need a minnow bucket to wet the line. Just a little old fashioned saliva is all you will ever need.

I have heard many people say they don’t use fluoro for lindy rigs because they sink. However I have been using 8# - 10# Floroclear for my lindys and with good success.

[Fisher Dave]

Tell you what.. lets go catfishing for a day at the river and see how much you want to stick your line in your mouth. Unidentifiable gelitan like substances from the cut bait, or from channel cats.. what ever goo comes floating down river and hangs on the line, periodic fish with skin parasites.. makes little warts all over some catfish.. Its not that important to me to use Vanish if its that high of maintenence.. Not to sound concieted .. but I know I'm in that 10% of the anglers that catch 90% of the fish.. mono has treated me well this far, I will stick with it other than a couple presentations that super lines(fire line) works better how I personaly prefer to present the bait.

To each their own..

[fishface5]

F.D., I'd stick to what ever it is you're doing as it seems you are catching so many more fish than any one else on this site. Good luck Dude! I do fish the river. alot! It is fantastic! I'll suck any line that's been in the mighty Miss., and NOT break my flourocarbon.

[Fish Head]

FD - I'm not trying to talk you into changing anything that works for you. I didn't care for Vanish either when I tried it a few years back.

Yuck, there is no way I want that slime in my mouth. I don't put the line in my mouth even on a gin clear lake. I just let a big blob drip on my thumb and index finger and wet the knot before I tighten.

31 days, 12 hrs, 2 min's, and 27 sec's left until Opener!

[92python]

The main hype on flourocarbon is to move product and make you think you need it.

I have used Vanish and P-Line flouroclear. I will never buy Vanish again. Horrible knot strength, doesn't matter if wet, dry, trilene knot, clinch knot, palomar knot, whatever... Not as good as mono. High maintenance line with no advantages as I see it.

I like the P-Line Flouroclear for ice fishing walleye sized baits. Better knot strength that Vanish, but not as forgiving as mono.

Tried Iron Silk last year. Knot strength about the same as Flouroclear. Decent line.

Now I'm back to lower stretch mono, Fireline, and Power Pro.