Okay, what's the consensus on flurocarbon line? Some anglers seem to believe it's the best stuff they've ever used but others think it's lousy (low knot strength). Before I plunk down some $$$ on some flurocarbon leader material, what are the opinions of the anglers who have acutally used the stuff? Is it worth it or not?

I don't mind spending $$ on good equipment , especially leader material, but I'd hate to lose a 20lb springer because the new fangled line I just bought can't hold it. Thanks.



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MSB

Very low knot strength, I used it for the first time last week on the wynoochie and I will never buy it again. Lost a huge fish and broke leaders of at the knots all day. Im runnin mono until something better and more consistant comes along. I have caught hundreds of fish on mono and it only lets me down when my drag is to tight.


Keep it REEL!

I'm with Large all the way. I also tried it last Saturday and with the same results.

I followed all the directions including the Trilene knot(double improved cinch) at the swivel, wet the knot before tightening, yada yada yada. I hooked two fish solid only to have this garbage break about 1/32 inch below the knot. On the second fish I felt the pick-up really well so I didn't even set the hook, just tightened up. The drag was set very light. The fish shook his head a few times started to take line then....nothing. Exact same results as the first fish. Twilight Zone stuff, believe me.
So I went back to Maxima and finally hooked and landed a nice hatchery fish at the end of the day.

I think this line will probably work well for dry fly tippet material. I like its stiffness and it is really nearly invisable.

If someone out there knows what I'm doing wrong I would really appreciate hearing about it. Otherwise I will never never again use it for heavey fish.

Hey coho, I tried the major brands of Fluro and did not care for it but I did buy some Fly Fishermens Fluro tippet in the 10Lb and am very happy with it.

I find the flourocarbon line to be graet leader material, ie: berkley vanish. but you have to go up in line test, if you use 10lb mono main go with the 12lb flouro. i use 12lb mono main and 14lb flouro. leader always breaks before the main line. the real secret in tying the dang stuff onto you swivel, it makes great bait loops but other knots are just a pain. here is the secret, use a modified cinch knot to your swivel, thats two times through then pull the loop tight wrap no more than five times around your main line, put the tag end only through the one loop, there should be only one if you pulled it tight before wrapping. put the whole works in your mouth and really swish some spit on the thing pull it tight really slowly keeping it wet in your mouth the whole time. if you hear or feel any crackling sounds while your tightening the knot start over cuz it'll break. give the knot a couple good tuggs when done just to make sure. this all sounds like a pain in the a$$ but i am convinced the stuff really works. i have caught quite a few big steelies with the stuff and haven'y broken one off since i figured out how to tie the stuff. good luck

Thanks Mr. T,
I was using Vanish for leader and Maxima for main line. I am an experimentor at heart so I'll do some testing here at home where I don't stand the chance of leaving a hook in a fish. I've lost fish before, that's just part of the game. I whack a hatchery fish once in a while but I stopped taking natives almost twenty years ago. Didn't even get a look at the two I lost and certainly didn't get to check their origins so it bugs hell out of me just thinking about a steelhead wearing a Gamakatsu and two feet of leader. Do you think you hook more fish using it? The takes I had were solid so I think it is evvective stuff.

I use Berkley Vanish and have been very happy with it. I have heard that anything under 14lb test will have poor knot strength. After reading that, I bought the 14lb test and have no problems with knot strength.

I have not used it, but my buddy on the stilly loves it. He uses 14lbs for leader and went to 15lbs main. Watched him catch a 21" cutt.in gin clear water So since a cutt can't see it, 14lbs is no problem.

Here's my experience. I really only flyfish and used Vanish(10 and 8 lb) this last year for my tippet material. I finally managed to catch my first and second steelhead on back to back days with the stuff in ultra-clear water on the Skagit. I can't prove that fluoro is better than conventional mono but it worked for me. I snag/break off so many flies nymphing that it is hard for me to tell any difference in strength. -Old Chum

Thanks for all the responses.

This past weekend I was at the Portland Sportsman's Show and I talked with a Berkley representative (they make Vanish flurocarbon line). He said flurocarbon line is NOT to be used as you would mono. It is very stiff, has no stretch, and cracks easily when tied "dry". That is, you must wet the line thoroughly before and during the knot tieing operation. You also need to tighten the knot slowly so you don't build up friction and heat. It's the heat that causes a major loss of knot strength. He even suggested tieing the knot while holding it underwater so you avoid the friction (yeah right....).

Plus, he said you shouldn't use the Clinch knot or the Berkley knot since they build up too much friction. He suggested using the Palomar knot for all flurocarbon line. If you do everything right, he said the knot strength for flurocarbon line should be the same as mono. But he admitted that even expert anglers don't always get it 100% right.

That clears things up for me. I'm not likely to use flurocarbon line until the bugs have been worked out. Or at least until it has the flexibility and forgiveness of mono. Thanks again everyone!


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MSB