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

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'.

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.