I'm going to wade into this discussion by starting with my conclusions:

1. I am deeply distrustful of fluorocarbon in 8-12lb tests as I don't trust the knots. I have used fluorocarbon ('FC') off and on for several years, and now use 100% mono or copolymer lines for leaders. (For leaders 20lbs and above, I am a big user of FC.)

2. I haven't used FC as a main line very much, but my few days fishing Vanish this past fall was quite satisfactory. I used a Trilene knot to tie the main line to the swivel. I also correspond with some excellent fishermen who swear by Vanish in 14lb as their main line.

3. I find mono to be superior to braided line for general steelhead and salmon fishing mainly due to the overly long amount of time it takes to securely join braid to a mono leader. (The exception is backtrolling plugs and, maybe, float fishing w/ jigs or bait.)

That's the executive summary. Here's the rest.

I use fluorocarbon leaders extensively in salt water for one certain reason -- excellent abrasion resistance -- and couple of hoped-for (claimed but not yet proved to my satisfaction) reasons: proportional strength (i.e., if a mono leader is nicked, the line breaks quite easily vs. if fluorocarbon is cut, say, aalf way through it is said to retain half its strength. Easy enought to check out on the scales). In 30-50lb strengths as a shock leader, fluorocarbon is very hard to beat (though expensive). Another claimed advantage is lower visibility due to fluorocarbon having the same refractive index as water, making it 'blend in' better. "Maybe" is my view.

I have also used fluorocarbon extensively when steelhead and salmon fishing. My experience is that knot strength (wet or dry) is poor: the line breaks at or below its rating. (Note, however, that wet knot strength in FC is the same whereas in mono the dry strength is 20-25% above the wet strength for many brands.) FC is slippery, so a lot of ordinarily good knots like the improved clinch and blood knots tend to slip or pull out. Try using at least a Trilene knot (which seldom slips) or a Palomar.

Of the abovementioned knots, the Trilene is close to 100% while the Palomar and uniknots are 80% and the improved clinch 70-75%. This figures are based on my home tests and largely corroborated by Saltwater Fishing magazine (June, 1999), though the Trilene knot wasn't tested by the magazine.

I have spent countless hours tying and breaking knots that join braided line (which I use exclusively for estuary fishing) to mono and fluorocarbon. My conclusions are as follows:

1. For Spiderwire or any uncoated gelspun polyethylene braid, tie a double uniknot w/ the braid to a single uniknot in the leader

2. For Fireline and similar coated braids, uniknots are a poor second to a more complex but much stronger connection. Start by doubling the Fireline using either a Bimini Twist (actually fun to tie after you get the hang of it) or a Spider Hitch (an easy 90% knot in mono though weaker in braid). Then tie an 'improved' Albright between the doubled braid and the leader. (The 'improving' comes from wrapping AWAY from the end loop 7 times, then stopping and winding another 7 times (on top of the original wraps) back towards the end loop in the leader. Take the tag end out of the loop the same way it came in, and slowly tighten up on all for lines. Tighten very hard, coat the braid in superglue (for luck as much as anything else), trim the two tags short and you have a 100% knot.

Problem: With frozen fingers you can't tie a Bimini so this knot is best used the night before. On the river, you CAN tie a Spider Hitch and improved Albright, but it's much more time consuming than using mono.

I used braid last spring for a couple of days, and ended up switching back to 10lb Maxima Ultragreen as my main line. What I lost in feel, I made up for in increased fishing time. Net, net I think my fish count was about the same but my enjoyment was greater (and I didn't leave a lot of Fireline in the snags).

I wouldn't hesitate to use braid to pull plugs (with a leader, as much for extra stretch and shock absorption as much as to reduce visibility). I may also experiment with using braid to boondog jigs under floats but am leaning against it as braid is murder on the hands if you have to break it in a hurry and aren't wearing gloves.

I know that the above is probably confusing and perhaps controversial. If anyone has any specific questions on knots or lines, send me an email at bawest@pacific.net.sg and I'll get back to you.