Flurocarbon

[Highlander]

I am with the others bin it. When it first came on the scene some years back everyone & their granny jumped on the bandwagon & started using it. The more enlightened of us soon realised it was not all it was cracked up to be & got rid. Plenty still use it but for me at least any advantage is more than outweighed by the disadvantages.
Tight Lines

[SoldierPmr]

I use fluro alot the 3lb stuff is very weird stuff for example using 1 fly and a tucked blood knot would result in the fly just pinging off. I later found that using a double Davy knot stops this and a 3 turn water knot for droppers.

[Highlander]

fly and a tucked blood knot would result in the fly just pinging off

This knot whilst fine with nylon is totally unsuitable for fluorocarbon. A Grinner or Water Knot is the right choice.

[corsican dave]

well, once again i have to be the voice in the wilderness. i use a tucked half blood knot all the time, except when i'm using something which requires a bit of wiggle in which case i use a loop knot. never had a problem. honest! i always wet my knots, snug them down and give them a pull on a zipper pull or split ring before using.

[SoldierPmr]

well, once again i have to be the voice in the wilderness. i use a tucked half blood knot all the time, except when i'm using something which requires a bit of wiggle in which case i use a loop knot. never had a problem. honest! i always wet my knots, snug them down and give them a pull on a zipper pull or split ring before using.

I use it constantly with 6lb upwards flouro but with 3lb it just would never work.

[Inverguseran]

Rio Powerflex for me all the time.

[sagecirca]

You're on a hiding to nothing using 3lbs in all fairness when using droppers.  I use copolymers when river fishing like stroft but in diameters such as 0.12 and 0.14mm which is 1.8 and 2.2kg breaking strain respectively.  I'd be wary of adding droppers to the 1.8kg leader but I fish quite soft rods so can just about get away with it.  I have on occasion stepped down to 0.08-0.10mm/1.0-1.4kg when the need arises but that's tippet size and I'd never add a dropper to that. 

I use fluorocarbon when pulling wets or lures from a boat as it's stiff enough to aid turnover and is far more shockproof with smash takes than copolymer.  But I use 3-5kg breaking strains usually.

I would suggest beefing up your leader as knot strength will increase retrospectively.

[caorach]

It is funny that Dave and myself were chatting about this over the last few days. When fluoro first came out I gave it a try, and gave up on it. Then a few years back I gave it another try for two seasons, mostly wet fly for trout with some sea trout and salmon in the mix.

Once more I've given up on it due to the occasional unexplained break. Now I know that some of this has probably been down to me but the decider for me was a sea trout of around 2lb that broke 10lb (I think it was a actually rated 12lb) fluoro. There was no big pull or snap, it was just like the leader slowly came apart. On examination the break was in the middle of a straight section of leader and it was the first cast of the day making a wind knot unlikely.

Gordon (Laxdale) suggested Yo-Zuri and I've tried it and been impressed. It is clear and stiff and excellent for the wet fly. I put an overhand knot in 7lb fluoro and 6lb Yo-Zuri and found that I could easily snap the fluoro but would have had to cut into my fingers badly to break the Yo-Zuri so that also helped with my decision.

I don't NEED fluoro for any reason so even if it has given me an occasional problem there is no reason for me to stick with it. The only catch with Yo Zuri is that it can be hard to get but on a positive it comes on 275 yard reels. Buy a reel, compare it to your fluoro, put an overhand knot in it and try breaking it for example, and see what you think.

[corsican dave]

it is strange isn't it?. i'm by no means a protagonist for fluoro over nylon, and yet it has worked well for me. i looked for the thinnest diameter tippet i could find for a given breaking strain. that's all. riverge grand max came out on top and yet theoretically it's actually far from ideal for what i use it for most, which is surface fishing for barbel & carp, since it doesn't float. maybe i've just been lucky but i've had none of the weird break-offs, failed knots or partings that others have noted. & i only mention this as a point of fact. if i were coming at it cold with no prior experience and basing my decision on reviews & reports i wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. or even a tenkara pole  :lol:

[caorach]

I think it works for some Dave and know a man who says that he simply gets more fish with it. In that case even if it was giving him an occasional strange break, and he has never said it was, then he is ahead with it. So it certainly has its place but it just happens not to be for me at the minute. I think folks should give it a try and see, but maybe your one Spring salmon day of the year is not the time!