Berkley Vanish...smh

[Brandon Dozier]

So I was at my local Wal-mart looking for some new flouro.  I had a spool of another flouro that I was using for leaders (I can't seem to think of the name) and it's highly recommended on this forum.  It worked awsome, had very few breaks. Well, all Wal-Mart had was Berkley Vanish.  Now, I read a post the other day saying that it was pretty bad line, but I just didn't believe it.  Turns out, it is.  I went fishing tonight at a pond I frequent.  I fished for about an hour and a half.  The bite was really on.  I fished jigs (learning them) and did quite well until...*bite* "That's a fish!" *hookset* *SNAP*.  Line broke.  One jig down.  Threw on another.  Flipped it out, no bite.  When I reeled it in and picked it up out of the water...*sploosh*.  Leader and jig both fell into the water.  Well, i'm out of jigs, let me try some wacky senkos.  So I did.  Caught one. Caught two. Caught thr....nope, knot broke. Caught th....nope, again the knot snapped. *Scratching my head* "What is going on?".  Tried a different knot, same result.  Tried another, same result.  Now, i've tied a lot of knots and had many break off so I worked on how to make them better.  I found out a few tricks and haven't had break offs in quite a while.  So, I think it is safe to say that Berkley Vanish is junk.  Knots wouldn't tighten correctly, and when they did if I gave it a tug a lot of times it would just break.  Never had this issue before using this stuff.  

 

Anyway, needed to vent.  I'm pretty upset that a potential great night of fishing turned into a nightmare that cost me about $20.00 in an hour and a half.  Be warned.

[JaxBasser]

It makes your fish Vanish.

[lmbfisherman]

Same here, same thing happened to me twice on a big pike, leader broke where the know was and happened another time.  After that I tossed it out, not worth it.  Oh and steer away from Stren too.  Has the same bad rap.  Now I have to go buy a new lighter leader, will be purchasing Seaguar next time around.

[roadwarrior]

van·ish  (vnsh)

intr.v. van·ished, van·ish·ing, van·ish·es

1.

a. To pass out of sight, especially quickly; disappear. See Synonyms at disappear.

b. To pass out of existence.

2. Mathematics To become zero. Used of a function or variable.

[MrSwimJig]

 

van·ish  (vnsh)

intr.v. van·ished, van·ish·ing, van·ish·es

1.

a. To pass out of sight, especially quickly; disappear. See Synonyms at disappear.

b. To pass out of existence.

2. Mathematics To become zero. Used of a function or variable.

 

 

Thats Vanish line to a tee!!lol

[wnybassman]

It's the only flouro I have used for the last 12 years, and most of my rods have flouro on them.   I'm due to get one of those bad spools.

[Brandon Dozier]

I was pretty upset when I made this post, but these responses made me LOL.  Thanks.

[deaknh03]

while its not the best, its not as bad as your experience. you got a bad spool.

[deaknh03]

probably sat on wal marts shelves for a long time.

[slonezp]

Invest in some Tatsu and get a birdsnest. You'll be wishing you still had Vanish on your reel.

[PondBoss]

I used to have a problem with Vanish until I switched knots.  What knot are you tying?

[Felix77]

I switched to Seaguar InvizX from Berkley Vanish and never looked back.  Had a lot of problems with Vanish similar to those described above.  Not as bad but bad enough to warrant a change.

[cbass12]

I use Seaguar red label mostly now, but when I first started buying floro vanish was all I bought. I never had any problems with it, I was tying a palomar knot every time. From all the bad reviews out there about it I'd consider myself lucky I never had an issue.

[bknap]

the vanish line isn't as bad as people say, its all in the knot you tie, you cant tie the same knot as mono, I don't use it anymore but I do have some I keep in the boat for just in case, most people who talk down on it have never used it.... hah but its a good line for the price is it the best no but for the price it would do its job

[lmbfisherman]

I only have 1 reel with straight floro, most of them all are braided line and a couple P Line and Yo Zuri.  I used Vanish as a leader, that was the main problem for me.  My knots to the lure wasn't the issue.  (My favorite knot for lures is the Trilene Knot)  I use the uni to uni knot and that is where I've been seeing my breakage used as a leader.

[OkobojiEagle]

I read a post the other day saying that it was pretty bad line, but I just didn't believe it...  

...cost me about $20.00 in an hour and a half.

hmmmm...

[bass1980]

Vanish is the worse line I've ever used. Stiff as heck and snaps like no other. I'll be honest, the cool blue box sold me. Caught my eyes and the price was cheap. I wouldn't even use again if somebody gave it to me for free.

[PondBoss]

I only have 1 reel with straight floro, most of them all are braided line and a couple P Line and Yo Zuri.  I used Vanish as a leader, that was the main problem for me.  My knots to the lure wasn't the issue.  (My favorite knot for lures is the Trilene Knot)  I use the uni to uni knot and that is where I've been seeing my breakage used as a leader.

Try the alberto knot I've never had an issue, plus the knot is smaller than the uni to uni.

[skeletor6]

Exactly why I don't cheap out on my line. This applies to all lines, but is more noticeable with fluorocarbon. I spend way too much on my rods, reels, and lures to cheap out on something as important as fishing line. I understand there were availability issues with the OP, but having some extra line on hand is never a bad idea. 

[rockchalk06]

I've been testing some 20 pound stuff for about 3 months now as a leader only. I don't use fluoro as a main line but on one setup only because its another review in the making. I hate memory and some fluoros are full of it.

That said, I have had somewhat decent results with it. I only bought it as it was on sale for 5.99, so I couldn't go wrong. It doesn't seem to fray as much as I thought it would. Even the 6' leader I have, has some memory to it. It's very stiff and makes tying my preferred Shaw Grigsby knot a pain. It is 20 pound though.

I've had no break offs with it though. I'm going to finish off the spool and don't plan to buy more. There are plenty of better quality fluoros out there to choose from. That's just my opinion.

[PondBoss]

I've been testing some 20 pound stuff for about 3 months now as a leader only. I don't use fluoro as a main line but on one setup only because its another review in the making. I hate memory and some fluoros are full of it.

That said, I have had somewhat decent results with it. I only bought it as it was on sale for 5.99, so I couldn't go wrong. It doesn't seem to fray as much as I thought it would. Even the 6' leader I have, has some memory to it. It's very stiff and makes tying my preferred Shaw Grigsby knot a pain. It is 20 pound though.

I've had no break offs with it though. I'm going to finish off the spool and don't plan to buy more. There are plenty of better quality fluoros out there to choose from. That's just my opinion.

Dude was up in a tree to get his jig because it wouldn't break. lol  Solid line with the right knot.

[Jolly Green]

I use my Wally World clearance spool of 20# Vanish for leader material only, tied carefully with an Alberto knot, for flukes and other T-rigged plastics. I don't set the hook gently, and sometimes when fishing my local river I get the pleasure of fighting the fish and the current at the same time; I have had no problems with it at all. Pike bite it off like a wet noodle, of course, but whaddya gonna do?

[lmbfisherman]

Try the alberto knot I've never had an issue, plus the knot is smaller than the uni to uni.

I'll have to try it out, but as stated already, all my vanished went into the trash already.  lol

[PABASS]

Stren and Berkeley flouro are junk its not just a knot issue if the line is bent hard(birds nest) or even twisted its brings down the line strength to nothing.  I use stren FC to practice knot tying after so many issues with it and the quality control is lacking I have had loads of breaks by me pulling 10# line with bare hands, not the knot but the line breaking, to some members advice and changing to seagaur invisx 10#, held up all day in some heavy wood and it was beat up but I still couldn't break it using my bare hands..

[Bluebasser86]

I had great luck with it walleye fishing but when I fished it for bass it was terrible. I fished a shakyhead on it at Table Rock during a tournament and it didn't matter what knot I tied it broke on every hookset or while fighting the fish. Tried it on a jig rod during a tournament at Lake of the Ozarks and it did the exact same thing, again it didn't matter what knot I tied or how carefully I tied it or how often I checked my line. Obviously it works well for some people though or they wouldn't still be making it.