Fluorocarbon - I've had bad luck with it - do you have advice?

[FlipR70]

I've had bad luck with fluorocarbon. I've tried different weights, spinning & casting and haven't found it to be really usable.

Last year (for example) I bought quite a bit of Vanish and tried both the 17lb & 20lb on several different baitcasting outfits. I had a lot of line breakage (not just at the knot, and I do wet my knots) especially with abrasions.

On spinning, I had significant problems with line twist.

With both, I had a huge amount of memory.

Here's the ????

Am I missing something here? I've mainly tried Vanish. I'm game to try other brands but it seems like many of the people I've talked to recommend it. I've also tried P-line co-polymer but the reason to use fluoro is because the refractive index is most like water and you loose a lot of that when you have a co-polymer.

If you have suggestions, I'm willing to to try some again but you'll have to put up with my skepticism.

Thanks,

FlipR70

[JPSavage]

I think you will find that many currently use Fluoro as a leader (of say about 3 feet) instead of spooling on your reel because of line manageability problems that you have explained.

[Wayne Ek]

Flipr70: I'm a big advocate of fluorocabon lines... just not on spinning reels. I used Berkley Vanish (Transition) last year on (bait-caster)a worm rod and on a heavy tube rod. I had no problems at all. Because I'm on the water almost everyday, I do change out my line quite often. For spinning I use a fluorocarbon leader attached to a braided line by back to back uni-knots. In the power pro packages there is a good illustration of this knot. I do use fishing glue on the knots just prior to pulling the two knots together. Since doing this I have never, and I mean never broken off at the knot.

[SluggoMaster]

I can't say that P-Line is the answer since it is so stiff. I like Trilene sensation a bit better, since it is a good overall line, for mono.

Flourocarbon works best for me on baitcasters. I have had better luck with flourocarbon in the lower pound test (10 and under) on spinning tackle. Any larger, and you start to have problems with tangles. A quality reel helps as well.

I primarily use braid (Stren, PowerPro) but there is a need for mono-flouro for crankbaits, and spinnerbaits, especially for clear water and spooky fish. I don't like using a swivel, since you lose some feel by doing so.

Just my two cents.

[RobertELee]

When spooling the line on your reel take a cloth and spray it with a silicone based line conditioner (i.e. reel magic, etc.) wrap the line with it and hold it between your fingers while reeling in. It will coat the line and remove any line twist that may be there. It should also help to prevent line twist. Also when using a spinning reel don't let the bail close while reeling, close it by hand then start reeling. Doing this should help with many of your problems.

Rob

[Boedigheimer]

Flip, I had the exact same problem with Vanish. I switched to Silver Thread copolymer for my leaders and never went back. Thin, limp, strong. I have heard similar complaints about vanish, which surprises me since I use and really like most all berkeley lines.

[CrappieJohn]

The heaviest fluoro I use is 6 pound some on spinning equipment used on Lake Superior and some cast rods used for vertical jigging on the river. At this weight during cold to cool weather, I haven't seen any problems aside from it's wanting to coil a bit more than a copoly or XL. A friend and I use 12 and 17 on some Lake Superior cast/trolling reels and we haven't had any issues either, but then we are not casting.

Fluoro is a hard line and I think that as one gets up there in weight, it will be the root of troubles, especially for spinning equiment and those making long casts on casting reels. For jigging straight up and down it is incredible when using it in the lighter weights. I use it in 2 pound for ice fishing and love it. I have it in 4 pound on a couple of the crappie rigs and love it for tossing jigs in deeper water, but learned early on that using a float while fishing fluoro is simply a problem.

All lines have plusses and minusses. It becomes a balancing act when trying to decide the merits of each. The best I have used is the p-line. The worst, hands down, is Stren fluoro.

[FlipR70]

RobertELee; Thanks for the line-conditioner idea, I'll have to give it a try

A clarification and another ????

When I did use it on spinning equipment, I used 8 lb.; perhaps I should have gone lighter weight.

I didn't use Vanish transition. I used the original Vanish fluoro. Have you guys noticed that the transition handles better? I wouldn't mind trying it again if I knew that transition handled better than the original.

I'm mainly looking for baitcasting line for clear water situations (T-rigging, C-riggin, and some pitching). If you have other lines that you find superior, I'd be happy to hear about them.

Thanks again,

FlipR70

[swampbuck]

The transition is a lot better than the original vanish. i used 6-20 lb last year. 20 for flippng and I realy like the sensitivity, and strenght! You do have to retie a lot though. If you are catching a lot of fish you need to pull off 5-10 feet and re tie.

On spinning rods close the bail by hand, this helps a lot. I also pull against the drag about a foot before casting this seems to alleviat e a lot of line twist.

I learned this from Shaw Grigsby. Yes it takes a little more time, but I hardly ever get twisted line. Another good trick is to cut your bait off in the morning when idling out from the dock and trail the line out for about 100 feet behind the boat with nothing on it. This straightens the line and also lets you engine warm up before you drop the hammer.

[beeflover]

Fippr-RobertELee gave some good advise with the line conditioner. I usually respool about 50-60 yds at a time. I spray the spool after I wind on about 30 yds then again when its full.

Almost any line over 10 lbs is going to be trouble on a spinning reel. Go to lighter flouro! Stay with mono or go to braid for fishing heavy cover.

I use a lot of 8 and 10 lb p-line flouro on spinning reels. Don't overfill your reel! Instead of filling the spool to about 1/8 in of the top, don't fill the spool more than at least 1/4 in from the top. You'll get a lot less loops floating off the spool after a cast.

I believe with the line conditioner the performance of 8-10 lb flouro is about like XT.

I use 8lb on spinning reels.

I use 10 lb on a med wt baitcaster for small to med sized cranks. Flouro will get you about a foot more depth on a crankbait than the same diameter mono but you sacrifice the stretch so keep your drag a little lighter.

[OnTheWater]

I found that transition was more managable then the original vanish; it was more limp, and coiled up less. I also noticed that transition lacked the same abrasion resistance as vanish; causing you to re-tie more often. However, I did manage to land a 39" pike on 8lb. transition w/ no leader. So in my book, transition is the better line.

[dan sexton]

Flourocarbon has won me some money the last 2 weeks!!

I have 6 spinning rods with either 6lb or 8lb "Seaguar" Flourocarbon line. I always use a pre-wetted palomar knot for all tying. I caught a 5.80 pound largemouth on Saturday fishing the drop-shot on 6#.

For my baitcasters I use: 10 pound Seaguar for flukes, (deep-water)crank-baits and rip-baits

12# Seaguar for jigs and senkos

20# for spinnerbaits and flipping *I seem to get more bites on Flouro when flipping/pitching outside grass lines. And because the line wants to sink you can get away with lighter weights or no weight at all for a slower fall.

If the water is stained and you can't see past 2' I go with Power-pro braid (reaction baits) or 25# Stren flourescent mono (flipping/pitching brush, tulies, or thick grass).

For the big swimbaits (MS Slammers, Huddlestons, mission fish etc.) I only use 25# P-line, Monofilament, on an extra-heavy, 1 pc, 8' Shimano, Crucial Rod.

Probably more info than you wanted, but someone may find it helpful??

*I have tried the Vanish, P-line, Stren, and Bass Pro Flourocarbons and I really think the Seaguar is worth the money. Saving money seems to always costs me more money later!!!

Dan

[HawgTide]

For every person who swears by a line, there'll be someone who swears at it. This much I know, Fluorocarbon requires a perfect knot or you are not going to like it because it will break. If you can tie a good palomar without kinking the line, you should be set.

From what I gather from various message board and some experience...

Stren is dump.

Vanish is dump.

Vanish Transition is somewhat better.

P Line is better.

Seaguar Carbon Pro is great.

Seaguar Invisx is too new to get an opinion on yet, but supposed to be softer (more limp) than Carbon Pro.

Take it all with a grain of salt, but if you are just now trying FC, I would start with Seaguar.

[Boedigheimer]

Mr. Sexton, whats your take on the big Dixon bass, it would be like lippin' a five gallon bucket.

But back to the topic, I have drug my line behind the boat, maybe a hundred feet or so, and had that help when using flourocarbon, seems to get most of the 'memory' out of line.

[bassrap]

I fished with Greg Hackney last week during the Bassmaster Elite tournament on Sam Rayburn and he is absolutely swearing by the new fluorcarbon line he is using. It's called Gama. It seems like a number of the top pros are using it now.

He caught a couple of 4's that he dragged around trees and brush, fully expected to have to re-tie, but there wasn't a nick on the line. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it.

[HawgTide]

I've heard good stuff about Gamma too, except it's about the most expensive line you can buy. $28 for 120 yards! That's is a lot of money for line.

[dan sexton]

I don't get it. Even a novice fisherman would wait to certify a legal bass that size....something fishy about the whole story. Basfan had an interview with the guy who had the 1st shot at this monster, according to the guy, he was offered $1000 bucks by Winn and his buddies to fish the spot. Interesting article. I hope to get a chance to fish Dixon this Summer, while doing the Disneyland/Legoland/Sea World family trip. Who knows, I might make a few thousand bucks if I can just locate some fish, HA HA. Pay for one day at Disney (which you have to get a loan for, almost).

I live about 45 minutes from the Cal Delta, 3 hours from Clear Lake and about 8 hour drive from San Deigo.

But to answer your question, yes, that would be a five gallon bucket with an attitude for sure!!! I would hope to get a clear bite off a bed, but I would probably call my wife and let her know I wouldn't be home for a long time (days or weeks if so) until I got her fair and square.

dump man, a guy might be able to retire off that fish....

then someone would catch a 26 pounder...

Fun to dream,

Dan

Flourcarbon-Your are right - a proper palomar - for sure!! I will try the Gamma, thanks for the tip!