Trilene XL no more

[Lmbasshunter]

Not sure what happened to this line. It was never the strongest but was the most manageable mono for spinning reels. I bought a spool of 8lb today for a finesse rod and the line would break just tying knots. I’ve Been using this line on spinning gear for 20 years when not using braid. this was the first spool I’ve purchased in a few  years. Maybe I got a bad spool? Either way trilene XL no more for me

[PBBrandon]

Yeah amen to that. Used to be my go-to mono for the manageability, but I’ve noticed a drop off in that recently. I just bite the bullet and get Seaguar Invizx if I’m not running braid to leader on spinning setups

[Woody B]

Where did you buy it?  I got some from the big company named after the big river last year that was junk.  I've been buying line from a local tackle shop since then and it's all been good.  (including a bunch of XL)

[Hulkster]

I used to be a diehard XL user then big game then Sufix Siege. 

once I discovered Sufix Siege i never looked back on both spinning and casting gear. 

its the best. 

but its a lot more $$ than Big Game. 

[BigAngus752]

Still using Trilene XL bought at Walmart with zero problems.  4lb and 6lb on spinning set ups.  It's the Sufix Siege I threw in the garbage.  I've never in my life seen a mono with so much memory.   Tried KVD line and lure, tried drifting it out repeatedly behind the boat.  Unspooled/respooled. Waste of money.  It stayed a curly phone line full of wind knots no matter what I did.  Funny how each of us has completely opposite experiences with the same product.  Seems like EVERY manufacturer has quality control issues...or nothing is idiot proof.  50/50 chance of either when it comes to me.

[bowhunter63]

Still using Trilene .Still no issues . 

[FishTank]

I used XL and 100% FC off and on for years and so did a few fishing buddies. We all have had issues with both lines.

 

I liked the 100%FC but the last two batches I got from BPS were just bad. My buddy is a diehard XL fan has since switched to Sufix Elite or Stren Original Blue. 

 

Not sure what's going on with their line. 

[waymont]

I use it all the time for leaders. 6,12,14,17. Never had an issue. Ties knots great, and has the right amount of stretch.

[TOXIC]

I used to be a die hard Trilene user for years before I went on Bass Pros pro staff.  The price of their Excel line for me was free so I switched over.  For all I know it still could have been Trilene.?. In my original search for the “perfect” line, I tried XT and XL and like Little miss Muffet, one was too stiff and one was too limp.  I found Trilene Tournament Strength in Photochromic to be the absolute perfect line for me and they promptly discontinued it.  I was able to find it for a while but it got to the point I knew any I found would be getting close to being too old to use. 

[volzfan59]

I use BPS Excel mono on everything with zero issues at all. That said, I've had my spool's for years. Keep them  stored my closet in the house (climate control and dark). When I bought mine, Pure Fishing (parent company of Trilene/ Stren) made all of BPS mono lines. They may still, as I no longer work there I don't know.

[WRB]

Sunline Super Natural 8# / .009D isn’t expensive $9 for 330yd spool and very low memory, good knot strength superior to XL imo.

Tom

[KP Duty]

37 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

I used to be a die hard Trilene user for years before I went on Bass Pros pro staff.  The price of their Excel line for me was free so I switched over.  For all I know it still could have been Trilene.?. In my original search for the “perfect” line, I tried XT and XL and like Little miss Muffet, one was too stiff and one was too limp.  I found Trilene Tournament Strength in Photochromic to be the absolute perfect line for me and they promptly discontinued it.  I was able to find it for a while but it got to the point I knew any I found would be getting close to being too old to use. 

I think the Trilene photochromic line you speak of was Trimax 2.0.  I loved that Trilene Trimax in photochromic back in the day.

[JediAmoeba]

We all know that mono, fluoro and copoly should be stored in cool dark places. Considering shipping, distributorship and places not rotating stock - I have little faith in the way it is kept from the time of manufacture to when it arrives at my door. The only way to check it is to try it when you get it. If it's bad, return it and buy from a different place so you get different batch numbers. 

[TOXIC]

2 hours ago, KP Duty said:

I think the Trilene photochromic line you speak of was Trimax 2.0.  I loved that Trilene Trimax in photochromic back in the day.

It was a neon orange that totally disappeared in the water. It was perfect for weightless Senkos and line watching. 

[Boomstick]

20 hours ago, Hulkster said:

I used to be a diehard XL user then big game then Sufix Siege. 

once I discovered Sufix Siege i never looked back on both spinning and casting gear. 

its the best. 

but its a lot more $$ than Big Game. 

Siege is the best thick strong mono. Maybe not my first choice for spinning gear (as an XL alternative).

 

[Lmbasshunter]

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

It was a neon orange that totally disappeared in the water. It was perfect for weightless Senkos and line watching. 

Wasn’t that line called berkley trilen transoptic? If not they did make a similar line and it was called trilene transoptic.

[gim]

I used trilene XL for years. I did encounter a bad spool once though, so I’m sure it does happen to others infrequently too.

[biggin]

these companies add verbs to sell more product. Flashy abbreviations, etc...... 

 

Berkley Mono and trilene same thing. The designing engineers sit behind a desk pressured by their chief to design something even though what's out there is good enough.

 

Maybe this would be easier

 

[Hulkster]

3 hours ago, Boomstick said:

Siege is the best thick strong mono. Maybe not my first choice for spinning gear (as an XL alternative).

 

yeah I use the 6 and 10 on spinning gear with no issues. it casts great and is strong as hell. 

 

I've also used the 12 and 14 pound on 4000 size spinning reels for salmon and striped bass, and its awesome. 

[Alex from GA]

I used BassPro Excell for many years with good results on both baitcasting and spinning reels.

[newapti5]

6 hours ago, WRB said:

Sunline l 8# / .009D isn’t expensive $9 for 330yd spool and very low memory, good knot strength superior to XL imo.

Tom

 

Yes I'm quite satisfied with the Super Natural. I wonder what the difference is between it and Defier Armilo that justifies the big price jump.

[WRB]

Armilo has the unique properties of high strength, abrasion, low memory and small diameter. Armilo isn’t offered in test below 11 lbs or diameter below .011 or over 25 lbs/.016 diameter.

Trilene  XL 8 lb is .010 Dia, Big Game, XT and Suffix Advance 8 lb is .011 dia, SuperNatural is .009 dia. Armilo 11lb is .011 dia, same as most 8 lb mono.

Tom 

 

[TOXIC]

6 hours ago, Lmbasshunter said:

Wasn’t that line called berkley trilen transoptic? If not they did make a similar line and it was called trilene transoptic.

Nope.  Here is a pic of the line but not in photochromic color. 
 

 

 

[Spankey]

I fish a lot of SunLine mono. Got hooked on it a few years back. But I also spin fish with XL, McCoy and Stren. I don’t run across many line quality issues. 

[Hulkster]

so back in the late 90s Berkeley had a line called Trilene Pro I think that was the orange photochromic color. then they changed the name to Premium Strength (it was the same as far as I could tell). It was awesome, I used to use it on both spinning and casting gear. 

 

then some time later it was discontinued. they did revisit the orange photochromic color with Sensation a few years later if I recall. 

 

I found a pic of the old Premium strength, it was offered in Phantom Green and the Orange Photochromic