Tywithay

I used it for a couple years and never had an issue. I just upgraded to better lines nowadays. I'd still use fluoroclear without question. Still not sure why people think it's fluorocarbon though.

What companies say that fluorocarbon matters? Every company produces multiple lines and generally doesn't promote any single one. I've heard fishermen touting fluorocarbon, never a company. If you think it helps you catch more fish, then you'll catch more fish. Confidence in your equipment is important out on the water.

They have much different braking profiles. Z is basically tuned for distance. It's closer to centrifugal style brakes, but more dynamic. The V has lower initial braking, and excels with lighter baits and/or pitching.

Fish don't see the dark line, they see the silhouette. What humans see and what fish see/feel are very different. That's why people use dark colored baits in clear water.

The features have the same name on the label, but not the same materials or refinement.

Yeah. Can't understand why they'd take tech from their wildly popular mid-range reel and put it in their most popular lineup of all time.

We all know Cajun Line is the most invisible though, because it's red...

I don't care for the RJ. However, the FJ is a nice little reel. They're eessentially the same, but the RJ has a rear drag. Rear drags are just a poor design in a spinning reel.

Sound advice. I've spent more time selling fishing equipment to buy upgrades than I care to mention. Hard for to pass up good sales and I end up with things I don't want. I no longer compromise. If I have to quit playing golf for a couple months to save a few coins, or whatever, I always go for what I really want instead of settling; because I'll end up getting the first thing eventually anyways.

Might as well just wait until they're available. I have heard November would be the full release, with maybe a few sprinkling out here and there. If that's really the case, just wait until Black Friday and save some shekels.

Is there a particular reason? St Croix is widely regarded as one of the best blanks and best customer service in the business.

This.

First, Fluoroclear is not a fluorocarbon line. It's a copolymer. Second, everyone keeps talking about the refractive index and how fluorocarbon is "invisible;" that's probably the least important advantage that fluorocarbon has over mono. The abrasion resistance of good fluorocarbon, when wet, far exceeds anything mono can even dream of. The good stuff has much less stretch, meaning better hooksets and more sensitivity. It doesn't break down under UV light, so you can leave it on the spool for much longer and it won't weaken, like mono. The biggest key is just to get good line. Too many people just want to try it and end up getting the cheapest kind, then they hate it. The better quality line you get, the more pleasant the experience.

Can't speak for the old one, but I bought a new IMX for around $200 and it wasn't wortg it either, even at that price. There's rods under $200 that blow the IMX away, in my opinion.

I, too, like the handle; basically hate everything else. The blanks are heavy and as thick as a tree trunk, plus they're dead. The aluminum oxide guides can be found on $30 rods. If they sold them for $100, they'd be a pretty good rod. At $200, someone should be ashamed of themselves. Not only are there better rods in the $100-$200 range, I'd almost say that there aren't any worse; to be honest.

I just hate retying out on the water, so I figure I need one rod for every lure I own. Won't stop until I get to that point.

That's an absurdist reach. Same way they did with a cane pole and can of worms. Technology is about making things easier and improving on past innovations. If you want to use a fiberglass rod with an old Ryobi, be my guest. I'm going to continue to change with the times and try new things. I still catch fish on mono too, but I can't, and won't, dismiss the advantages of fluorocarbon.

The palomar lnot is known to cut itself at times. The thinner the line, the more likely this is. I've always used an improved clinch and it has worked well. I know a lot of people like the uni, trilene, san diego jam, or any number of popular knots.

Depends how much you want to spend.

The price difference doesn't mean much when you don't have to respool fluoro for a few years.

There's more to it than just the claims of invisibility. Even if it and mono look identical under water, fluoro has many other properties that make it superior in most situations. Good fluoro has better sensitivity, less stretch, better abrasion resistance, it sinks faster, it doesn't degrade under uv light, and it lasts much longer. Only downfall is knot strength, but done properly, that's a non-issue.

I would do away with Vanish, the polamar, and use heavier line. Is there a reason you don't just use 12lb fluoro?

No. The fluoro will still have the benefits, but they'll never reach you.

It's actually the opposite. Quality fluoro is the least brittle around cover and rocks.

I think the Curado I is a great quality baitcaster. It is easy to use and will perform well. There's few, if any, better reels for the price.