KJ,

A PP/FC cocktail is a hangover just waiting to happen. Great lines on their own but together they spell trouble. The biggest problem is that neither, braids or FC, are that easy to get a good secure knot to begin with, even on their own. Put them together and the odds of getting a reliable connection is even further reduced. Beyond that the main reason for attaching mono to braid when plugging or tossing hardware in my mind is for the purpose of a shock tippet. FC is just too stiff and brittle to be used for this purpose. I'm not surprised your knots were failing and your tippet was breaking with this no-stretch combo. Try using a stretchier mono tippet material like UG, Ande or Izor for better knots and overall results with braids. I could give a ratz about viz myself but I do like the mono tippet for shock absorption, abrasion resistance and the ability to tie on terminal tackle repepeatedly more quickly, more easily and more securely than I'm able with braid solo. Hope that helps.