On vacation down in San Diego, thought I'd be on the leading edge, so I topshotted my calcutta 250 and spinning reels with 8 and 6lb Vanish for bay fishing. I had to be EXTREMELY careful with tying knots or they'd break when cinched. Countless over-runs later (and I cast well) on the calcutta, and similar problems on my son's spinner, I stripped it off both reels down to the mono. I lost 1/3 of my fishing time. Seemed way too stiff, and had to keep wetting the spool since it doesn't absorb water. I was so frustrated that I'm not inclined to even use it as leader material. Does anyone out there actually prefer flourocarbon?

As an aside, those spotted bay bass love the AA curly tail grubs on a 1/4 ounce standup head using the 3-5 cranks, stop, repeat retrieve in the eel grass.

What brand were you using? I have had great luck with the 30lb Sugio Florocarbon as leader material and have heard good things about the 16lb test as well.
I have never tried the lighter lines but maybe the nature of thin diameter florocarbon causes it to be springier?

Berkely Vanish, which is allegedly flexible. I probably had 50-75 yards on both reels.

I tried 8lb Vanish, it was awful! Breaking strength was really poor. If you still want to try florocarbon, buy a pure florocarbon like sugoi, seguar, or triple fish. I have also heard good stuff about the basspro florocarbon. There is a reason Vanish is so cheap by comparison.

I was just about to make some leaders with Izor fluorcarbon. Is this a good one, or should I toss it and buy one of the others that you recommend?

Thanks.

Izorline is fine. As long as it's real fluorocarbon, it should be fine, no matter what the brand. I've tried P Line floroclear which is also a hybrid (like Vanish) and had terrible results, but I've heard good things about the real fluorocarbon (I haven't tried it yet). Seaguar also makes a very high quality fluorocarbon.
-Brian

Thanks Brian.

vanish is crap. i think it was a berkley ad i saw in some magazine comparing the breaking strengths, and the 15 broke at like 12. now maybe i'm wrong here, but i don't think that's something you wanna put in your ads trying to sell a product. but it is amazing how invisable it is underwater (that's the point i know i know).