I used to use Varivas flourocarbon 50#, which was awesome - extremely abrasion resistant , tied like a dream, it wasn't cheap but it was well worth the money to me - unfortunately, the distributor isn't bringing it into the US anymore

I've gone back to using Big Game clear 50# but I'd really rather be using a good flouro - SeaGuard is junk - any thoughts on an alternative...:huh:

I've got time to go over my gear and plan my Fall strategy...and I may treat myself to a trip after the doldrums pass...;)

80lb berkly mono on eel rigs.

I have had zero issues with the product you call JUNK. It is readily available and has never failed me. Please inform us of any potential problems we may face based on your recent experiences with seaguar.
What are doldrums?An excuse to sleep perhaps.

Hey, I've got a new low-impact summer sport, it looks like...

Trolling for Chris...:rotflmao:

crafty check out the yo-zuri flouro, stuff wears like iron.

I just use Ande clear in 50#. Works for me so far. I've had it fail but only after many quality fish.

I used to use Seaguar Floro, and all the other brands until one day/night I ran out and tied up a whole bunch of rigs using either Penn or Big Game leader 30-40lb test and I caught just as well with regular mono over floro so I've not gone back to florocarbon leaders.

I also tried using regular barrel swivels over the very expensive B/B barrels and also found that the fish don't give a shyt about that either. I used to think that any edge I could give myself was worth the extra money, but after using regular mono leader and plain ole' barrel swivels for connecting to the mainline and caught the same amount and all manner of sizes, I go the cheap/inexpensive route now.

Orvis Mirage Fluorocarbon 60 or 80lb.

You will love it!

Orvis Mirage Fluorocarbon 60 or 80lb.

You will love it!

Yes! Been using this for a while now, no problems, and its a lot cheaper then seagar.

try the berkley. it's a hell of a lot easier to use than the seagar. of course, do to my lack of success with large, i have no knot failures.

Thanks, men - I've been hearing good things about the Orvis Mirage - just wanted to see what was being used.

May give it a try - coupla questions, are you using 60 or 80 for eel leaders - and how does it tie up?

Seagar mostly when plugging. That's what I started with when I went to Fluoro and never tried much else. Can't say I've noticed a problem. Fluorocarbon does lose strength with age......for fly tippets I've run into bad batches of several different brands.

Been using 50lb big game clear mono.....seems to work fine.

Thanks, men - I've been hearing good things about the Orvis Mirage - just wanted to see what was being used.

May give it a try - coupla questions, are you using 60 or 80 for eel leaders - and how does it tie up?

Ive been using 52 , 60 , and 80 for eel and some plug leaders. The 52 and 60 tie easily , the 80 is a little harder , but fine. You still want those otw mags?? If not there going out to the trash on wed.

http://dimpost.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/pol_pot2.jpg
For a leader, I've put a picture of Pol Pot up on the wall, and I use the threat of sending myself to a re-education camp to keep me motivated.

Hey, I've got a new low-impact summer sport, it looks like...

Trolling for Chris...:rotflmao:

Thanks for the insight,now get back to counting sheep.

For the Canal , Ande Pink in 50 LB or Ande green in 60 lb.

For the beaches , I use 30 LB Ande pink.

I tried flouro and don't like it. Ande is very tough stuff.

chuck

ande for me


I have used orvis and liked it a lot....just not the price

50 lb pink Ande, my first year using the stuff and I have no complaints, not alot of fish on it, but no complaints.

Ive been using 52 , 60 , and 80 for eel and some plug leaders. The 52 and 60 tie easily , the 80 is a little harder , but fine. You still want those otw mags?? If not there going out to the trash on wed.

Chef, I've gotta take a trip to Quaker Lane Wednesday and can swing down your way to pick 'em up if that works for you -

Thanks for holding them - PM me the contact info, I've got the whole day off but would like to do it in the AM if possible

Yeah, think I'm gonna try the Mirage 60 - next time I'm going by the Edge I'll pick some up

have any of you guys that use fluoro noticed a big advantage over mono in durability? for bass i don't think line visability is an issue at all but if it is that much more durable it might be worth consideration.

Yes! Been using this for a while now, no problems, and its a lot cheaper then seagar.

cant even find it in the store. all fo them holds 20 lbs test. =/

i tried online before and its hard for me to tell if its in higher lbs test or not. can u point it out to me?

cant even find it in the store. all fo them holds 20 lbs test. =/

i tried online before and its hard for me to tell if its in higher lbs test or not. can u point it out to me?

Select this

$15.95 40-Meter Spool .017"-.030" (SI76P6-60) , then lower down select size .030 is the 80lb , .027 is 60 . and .025 is 52. Quaker lane has it too.

I'd still like to know what the gripe is with seaguar Chuck.

have any of you guys that use fluoro noticed a big advantage over mono in durability? for bass i don't think line visability is an issue at all but if it is that much more durable it might be worth consideration.

I think it has better abrasion resistance. For eel rigs it wouldn't matter, one fish is unlikely to saw through a leader, and it is simple enough to change if you have to. But I fish a long shocker (@10 ft), when that gets raked I either have to retie (bimini-uni-uni) or risk it. Mono, even the leader stuff, is softer and frays more easily so it means more down time fumbling with knots, not to mention bugs, bad eyesight, bad wading, and unwanted attention from light use. I also think fluoro makes for stronger knots.....although I've never actually tested it.

Been using 50lb big game clear mono.....seems to work fine.
Me too, cheap and no headaches. I have used some Fluro. Seaguar but never realized any advantage and the cost is waaaay more.

Momoi smoke blue 60lb.

I keep a service spool on the boat and just cut what I need. Inexpensive, tough as nails, ties easy, and much smaller diameter than other brands.

I use seaguar with out any issues, but have tried others that worked very well. gamma is pretty good and much easyer to find now a days, but one that has really stood out for me is Suffix both in flouro and mono. it's very abrasion resistant and ties well, plus stays very limp wich is good for some applacations. Tho the most important and probably the best leader material you can use is ...what ever you feel is the best for you. It's like every thing else, if you have confidance in it and it works for you then go with it. Hell I know grown men who won't fish with anything else then a zebco push button.

I use Ande back Country - Abrasion resistant, ties beautifuly and doesn't fail. Cheep enough to change leaders every time out. I carry spools of various weights for different conditions.

Ande 50lb clear mono.

If you really like Varivas flourocarbon 50#, then I would google. I.e., there has to be a shop with overstock or some stock still on hand. You may also find a shop that will ship to the US (e.g., Canadian online vendor). If you get lucky, stock up. :).

Why is Seaguar fluorocarbon junk? How is Varivas fluorocarbon technically superior to Seaguar fluorocarbon?

I'd still like to know what the gripe is with seaguar Chuck.


Okay, Chris - I'm not gonna take the bait but I'll take a swipe at it...:hihi:

Steve Cross at the Edge turned me on to it when it first showed up and I just got partial to it - it seemed limper and tied up better than the Seagar - IMHO. I think the Iron Man was using it too at the time, but don't know what he's using these days. It's personal preference and it sounds like you're pleased with it -

Like Roy said, It's like every thing else, if you have confidance in it and it works for you then go with it.

(BTW, Roy, I got a graduate course in snook fishing the Sanibel pier by the lighthouse from an old guy using jigs and the biggest Zebco I've ever seen on an old Harnell...:hihi:...)

Anyway, I've Googled the Varivas a number of times since the importer stopped bringing it in and was unable to find anything heavier than 20# - Steve was going to bring me some from his personal stash the last time I talked to him

Just checked my PM's and someone sent me a link last night, so apparently it's back stateside again...:humpty:

A BIG thumbs up to my undisclosed source...:kewl:

seagar never had a problem

have any of you guys that use fluoro noticed a big advantage over mono in durability? for bass i don't think line visability is an issue at all but if it is that much more durable it might be worth consideration.

It's been a lot more abrasion resistant for me than the Big Game but the spots I fish locally are pretty bony, luds

I use 52 lb orvis mirage, it's been fine for me
I get it when it's on sale

Save your $$$, get a spool of green 50# Big Game

Mirage

40# Berklee Vanish.

I have one leader tied on in May that has caught at least 30 fish and it still has hardly a nick in it.

I use Vanish in 30# and Seaguar in 50# and have had no issues with either. The only reason I use different brands is because they didn't have Seaguar in 30# when I bought it. I've also used Ande mono in the past without any problems.

The only leader I would never use again was Triple Fish. I bought some 50#because it was ridiculously cheap and made one leader and realized it sucked. I now use it to tie stuff up around the house.

I use jigs we pour ourselves and use Mustad 34184 long shank Hooks. These hooks have a bend so the eye is at 45 degrees to the shank. Most guys use either this long shank or the 34185 short shank Mustad in their big jigs. The eye is also at 45 degrees on the 34185 hooks.

With this eye , my jigs break off easily if I use flouro because the eye hits the rocks sometimes and in effect squashes the knot loop between the rock and the eye steel. With flouro that knot breaks after just a few casts but with ande it lasts sometimes all night. Its not even close how much better the ande is at surviving the canal bottom on my jigs.

I know someguys use flouro and like it better than mono but my experience or fishing style does not tend to lend itself to using the flouro.

One big thing you must do with the heavy thick ande leaders is be sure to wet the line when you tighten up the knot. If you don't it will grab and thin the line down right at the knot which of course is a disaster.

OIne person loves a certain rod , one guy hates it. One guy loves a Calcutta while another loves and Abu ambassadeur. Its the same with leader and line material. One guy loves flouro and anothe loves Ande. Find out what works best for use.

Buddy of mine gets some nice fish in the 40+ lb range in CT drifting eels and he is wicked frugal - he uses whatever is on sale! :D Last time out with him, I was using some 50 lb Southbend clear mono rigs he tied up - no issues with 30 lb fish! I tied up some knots with the SB and it was great.

Yo-Zuri Hybrid is crazy strong, but takes a bad set. I stretch it out and use it and it has been fine. The Ande leader material is nice - stiffer than the regular line and costs about 1/4 of FC and comes in 50 yd spools.

I've come to the conclusion that ALL mono on the market now is good stuff. All of it is imported one way or another. Wetting the line as stated above IS very important for properly tied knots!!

I don't buy into the FC hype - it wasn't around back in the day of the old times using silk or braided nylon. Lots of big fish are caught on NO leaders and straight mono tied to the lure. YMMV

I've been using 25# seag. f/c for the past two years without any problems. I guess I haven't run into any fish to teach me a lesson yet! I fish the rockiest of places in RI and have landed fish up to 33# without a break-off. Am I just lucky (or ignorant)? Seems like everyone else is using much heavier. Usually start with about 6' and after a night of tying direct end up with 4'.

Save your $$$, get a spool of green 50# Big Game

Its the only thing I've ever used for leaders (20 years and counting) and can't understand why one would use anything different.

I won't trust anything else when it comes to landing trophy dogfish.