Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Fluorocarbon...

I've been using fluorocarbon fishing line in certain applications for the last few years. I am getting ready to respool a lot of my reels and will be purchasing some new line. I am looking for opinions by anyone else who has experience with fluorocarbon lines. What brand and styles have you used? Did you like them and why? Disappeared in the water, strength, abrasion resistance, castability, etc... I have been using Berkeley Vanish mostly, but am not necessarily sold on it. I don't have anything bad to say about it though. Any thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated before I drop the hammer on this purchase.

I can't remember what brand I used but I liked the flurocarbon line. Only problem I had was it didn't hold a knot as well even using the improved clinch knot. However I was using it as leader material trolling for trout with a downrigger and attractors in very clear water.

I haven't fished public waters in a few years except for once (we don't get into that) so it's been a few years since I used the line.

I'm no great fisherman but I use Bass Pro Shops XPS Fluorcarbon line and I like it. Seems to cast well and seems strong enough, but once again it's not like I'm one of the better fishermen here.

I prefer mono because of knots, also Flouro is stiff, but they are making inroads there. Cajun makes a really good Fluoro, one of the most improved out there. Still, I use thier Red Lightnin and Advantage mono. Main problem I have with fluoro is cost. I am always spooling up reels, and I just don't see the extra bang for the buck with it. Maybe if I was a tourney pro, but I'm not.

I use the buck three eighty stuff at Wally world and change it every year, but I haven't won any tournaments lately either.

I usually use Trilene.

Last year I bit the bullet and re-spooled with a few different Fluorocarbon lines because I had the same questions you have and couldn't find any good answers. I used the following lines:
Berkley Vanish Transition
P-Line Floroclear
Cabelas No-Vis
Maxima Fluoro
Seaguar Carbon-Pro

When I spooled the line, I did my best not to induce any line twist, even flipping the spool back and forth with the P-Line. I pulled the line behind a boat in the lake without anything on the line to get rid of any twists that were in the line.

All these lines were used on spinning reels.

Here's the + and - that I found:

Berkley Transition: Good knot strength, good castability. Seemed to be more succeptable to line twist.

P-Line Floroclear: The stiffest of the bunch. Very good knot strength, poor castability. Seemed to drag in the guides. No problems with line twist.

Cabelas No-Vis: Good knot strength, average castability, line twist in the middle of the pack.

Maxima Fluoro: Good knot strength, minimal line twist, great castability.

Seaguar Carbon-Pro: Poor knot strength, good castability, about average on line twist, seemed the weakest of all tested for a given line weight.

When I re-spool, my first choice will be Maxima, followed by Berkley Transition. Line weights tested were 2# thru 12#.

For a non-Fluoro line, I really like Maxima Chameleon in Brown color.

Thanks Scott for the review. I only use fluorocarbon for specific fishing applications. I use it extensively as a leaders as I fish a lot of clear lakes that see tons of fishing pressure and the fluorocarbon makes a huge difference IMO/IME. I use Shimano reals mostly and when you buy them they usually come with a spare spool so I often put different lines on different spools and switch them around when I fish different ways. I still like my Trilene XL for every day business. I think I am gonna go with the Maxima fluoro this year. It has the highest rating on Cabela's and with Scott's experience with it I am sold. I use Maxima to make fly line leaders and have always like their products there. Anyone else with fluorocarbon experience or ideas, please feel free to share them... Thanks!

I haven't really thought about fluoro for fresh water, this seems silly to me now since I use it extensively for leader material in the salt for everything from seatrout to grouper. This stuff is obviously heavier than most freshwater applications, up to 50# + on some of the grouper rigs. I have not noticed too much of a difference in the major brands, and usually tie to power pro with a uni-uni. Will have to give the maxima a try for the freshwater stuff.

esshup, Thanks for that review. I use Berkley Vanish for clear water but was looking for a smoother casting fluoro. I use Fireline for lighter apps, and Spiderwire for heavier ones. Thanks to the reviews on PBF if am moving to Maxima Fluoro for clear water, and Power Pro for all braids.

You're welcome. FYI, all I'm using is the improved clinch knot (moistened before drawing tight). I really like the Uni knot for it's versatility, but I should really learn to tie more knots. I always gravitate back to the clinch knot, and have to remember to improve it.

I've been using the palomar knot with fluoro, mono and braid. According to the knot wars, the palomar is the strongest knot across the spectrum of line types. I like the uni to uni knot for connection braid to a fluoro leader. There is a new knot out that is supposed to be a bit stronger, but I can't remember what it is called. But when I watched the guy tie it on TV, my head started to hurt. I love Power Pro for braid applications.

I fish a lot of different types of line and the ONLY florocarbon that I trust is Pline flouroclear. Vanish breaks too easily. Haven't tried the new Trilene 100% floro yet but I have heard several of the guys I fish tournaments with say they really like it.

I've tried most of them. Pline flouroclear isn't a true flourocarbon and is pretty poor IMO, you can't use a clinch knot with it unless you lube it with something slicker than spit. It doesn't cast as good as mono either and I've been broken off on it more than any line I've used. Trilene 100% Flouro is too stiff but it's tough and strong. Vanish was less stiff than the Trilene Flouro but I still didn't like how it casts. I've found PLine pure Flouro the best balance on spinning rods for castability and sensitivity and good knot strength if using a polomar knot (it's triple the cost of Flouroclear for a reason). Clinch knots heat up Flouro line and weaken it. On baitcasters, I still prefer good ol Trilene XT mono for everything but crankbaits. I use the Trilene XL on the crank rods to give a little stretch and shock absorbtion. Power Pro braid in the really thick stuff where line visability isn't an issue (I like the bright yellow to see bites).

For my pond, I'm usually using a Zebco Rhino or med. spinning rod, 8lb XT on both and also an ultralite spinning combo rigged with 4lb XL for bluegill.

The quality of the rod and reel make a lot more difference than the line used.