NANOFIL HATERS

The single most important aspect of your tackle providing that vital link between yourself and your catch. What's everyone's favorites and why? Come on in and find out!
aquaholik
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by aquaholik » Mon Feb 15, 2016 2:51 am

21 inch Nanofil 14lb to 14lb leader:

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20 inch Nanofil 14lb Nanofil to 14 lb leader:

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20-35 lbs drum all day long on 10lbs Nanofil to 25lbs fluro leader:

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Reds, trouts, blues 10 Lb Nanofil:

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Thumped the flounders all day long with drag set at 4 lbs on 10lbs Nanofil to 20lb leader:

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40 inch Black drum 30+lbs on 10 lbs Nanofil:

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And fishing 10-12 lbs Nanofil with 25lbs leader all day long surrounded by structures. That Cobia was 32 inch fork length and right around 12-13 lbs and runs alot faster and harder than black drum. That drum was not caught with Nanofil but 10lb Spiderwire Stealth.
[youtube]<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SjxK3oa6bJE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/youtube]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjxK3oa6bJE

The truth is, I believe every single story about Nanofil breaking on hookset, and losing fish. It's god awful knot strength is the reason why I can stock up on Ebay for 5 cents/yard. But tie the FG knot to fluro leader and it's a completely different line. It now breaks at ever 150% of it's labeled strength.

Brad in Texas
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by Brad in Texas » Thu Mar 03, 2016 10:17 pm

I wonder if Nanofil's issue with the public, the fishing community that is, is partly because of a bit of marketing "over-reach," that they over-hyped it a bit.

At least several of us here have had no issues with line strength and knot tying with it. It has a place, for sure, with light line applications but the previous post shows it has some heavy-duty application, too.

I can't comment much on its abrasion resistance.

Now, Sufix has come out with a more traditional 8 fiber weave using Dyneema fibers as I recall. It has very small diameters . . . can't recall but similar if not smaller than Nanofil. This product is called Sufix Nanobraid and it is available up to around 10 lbs. test.

I haven't used it yet. Lately, on my drop shot rigs for large mouth bass, I have been using 10 lbs. Sufix 832 braid with an 8 lbs. Seaguar Invizx fluoro leader. This combination works well for more or less vertical drops over the gunwales of a kayak. No need for the long casting benefits of Nanofil or Nanobraids for now.

I wouldn't hesitate to tie either on when I have a need for them.

Brad

P.S. Now, we have the new Gliss product getting some pretty severe testing in real world applications noted by anglers. It appears to have several real issues and seems to do okay on a first time out, then abrasion issues and durability as if it softens up and loses strength after a few wettings. Go figure. br

aquaholik
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by aquaholik » Fri Mar 04, 2016 1:31 am

Gliss is still an open water line for me. I use Gliss 24 lbs and it's true ABS is no where near 24 lbs. With FG knot you get 17-19 lbs depending on the batch. After it wears down(Nanofil also wears down quick), you are looking at around 14-15 lbs, too fragile to put 5lbs of drag on and horse the fish away from structure, but I wouldn't hesitate to do that on a fresh batch or on a just retied leader.

The one benefit that Gliss has over Nanofil is that it is extremely soft and very easy to do line to leader knot on thinner mono/fluro. For example, you can easily knot 12 lbs Gliss to 8 lbs mono using the FG knot to realize the full potential of the line. You can't even knot 10lbs Nanofil to 12 lb mono unless you rough up the nanofil a bit. 6lbs Nanofil to 12 lbs mono is a challenge and forget about 10lbs fluro or under as leader. With Gliss 8lbs, you can easily FG knot that to 8lb mono or 6lbs if you are careful. I've not tested Gliss in 8 and 12 lbs for finesse fishing so I don't know what is its actual knot strength. It may be lower than the labeled strenght like the 24lbs or it might be right at the labeled strength.

With that said, I found a deal for 1500 meters of 24lbs Gliss so I plan to use it more around the beach and grass flats where I rarely need to set drag more than 3 lbs. Gliss is indeed lightweight. 24lbs Gliss weighs less per foot than 10lbs J-Braid which is a pretty thin line already and 24lbs Gliss is very slick and should cast further when I'm trying to reach a drop off 60-80 yds from the shoreline using 1/2 oz jig.

Okiekev
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by Okiekev » Wed Mar 09, 2016 6:35 am

I guess I am just lucky, I have had great results with 10 pound nanofil with 8 pound InvizX. I will say I am meticulous about my knots though. I do an Albright with 20 wraps each way.

Seph
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by Seph » Fri Mar 11, 2016 2:04 pm

aquaholik wrote:You can't even knot 10lbs Nanofil to 12 lb mono unless you rough up the nanofil a bit. 6lbs Nanofil to 12 lbs mono is a challenge and forget about 10lbs fluro or under as leader.
I use 10 lb fluoro tied to 10 lb nanofil pretty regularly. What kind of issues do you have with these sizes? I use about a 20 turn FG and it works really well for me. Knot length is about 5/8".

I have quickly put up a crummy cellphone picture below.

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aquaholik
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by aquaholik » Fri Mar 11, 2016 10:48 pm

That's impressive. Here's 12 to 14 and 14 to 14. It took at least 24 turns and it's about an inch long.
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Issue is on brand new line. It's super slick and I have to pull the mono and nanofil at 45 degrees angle before it grabs. Once it's broken in, it's not a problem.

Brad in Texas
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by Brad in Texas » Sat Mar 12, 2016 12:56 am

Alberto of the "Crazy Alberto" junction knot fame, mentions running all braids, where you tie it up in a junction knot, down a fingernail to sort of strip the wax-like coating off of it. I suppose this might work for Nanofil, too. Sufix 832 braid is slippery, too, but I have had few issues with it.

I have never had any issues with knots on Nanofil.

One junction knot that will hold better than any other for this line or others? An FG knot with is plaitings. But, it takes longer, more difficult to learn than a uni junction knot or any of the Alberto/Albright sorts.

Brad

aquaholik
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by aquaholik » Sat Mar 12, 2016 2:35 am

Normally I can just tie the Sebile/FG knot using only two hands. But when I stepped down to try Nanofil 10 lbs on Trilene XL 10lbs, I had to resort to other method of tying the FG knot, mainly holding the Nanofil tight with my teeth and weave the mono around the braid, instead of just holding the mono on one hand and weaving the Nanofil around it.

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Pain in the teeth to tie but can be done. I can use the Sebile method and control a trolling motor while tying the knot but not using the other method of tying the FG knot. Note the fraying in the Nanofil when it is tighten:

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If you don't fish with it, that fraying will have you worried. But I know it will still test at least 15lbs even with that slight fraying. Knowing full well that the Trilene Xl will break before the FG knot will break, I tied a palomar to the scale and pull. Got 10.5 lbs before the Trilene XL broke at the Palomar knot. You can see the FG knot is still intact.

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aquaholik
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by aquaholik » Sat Mar 12, 2016 3:04 am

To confirm that the uni knot just does not work very well with Nanofil, I did a quick test. Double uni knot where the Nanofil is folded over before tying the uni knot:

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Knot looks good, no fraying.

Tied the Trilene XL 10lbs to the scale using a palomar knot again. Palomar knot held but the Trilene XL broke at the uni knot junction due to the Nanofil cutting it and due to the weaker nature of the uni knot itself. I guess it doesn't prove that the Nanofil is weak with Uni knot but I've tested it on heavier leader and I know Nanofil 10lbs will break around 10lbs with a Uni Knot VS 16-17 lbs with the FG knot.

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Seph
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by Seph » Sat Mar 12, 2016 9:16 am

I guess I kind of 'forgot' that I tie the FG knot in a manner that I have yet to see done in a video. 2 hands and slight tension to the leader material (the weight of a leader skein is enough really). No teeth no Fuss. It involves mounting the braid to your index finger and pinky finger of one hand so that the section you are wrapping is between your two fingers. Also, most tutorials show only tightening at the end of about 20 wraps. I tighten every 8 turns. Eventually (line size dependent) after an 8 turn section the knot will no longer slide up and down the fluoro at which time I finish the knot.


In this video, someone has invented what I would assume is an overpriced single-tasker and I thing the narration is a translation into english. Imagine if the PE sections attached to the top and bottom bobbins were instead your index and pinky fingers and I think you will get the idea. Its easiest if you wear gloves the first few times until you can tie it quickly. BE CAREFUL if you decide to try it because to do it correctly you will at least cut off circulation and turn your fingers purple and at worst cut through your skin. And NO i would not ever tie this on the water or while running a trolling motor and thankfully I've never needed to because I have never had it fail.


Also, aquaholik... from some of your photos I have a suggestion:
When you begin the finishing hitches, I would generally recommend alternating the orientation of the hitches (top, bottom, top, bottom). It looks like you tie the same half-hitch 5 or more times (top, top, top, top) which results in a somewhat bulkier than the rest of the knot helical spiral forming along this section. The video I posted above shows the alternating hitches. If you do decide to instead alternate the hitches they will interlock a little more efficiently and evenly. As you said, and I agree, even an ugly FG will hold if you did the parts that matter correctly - but I am a bit retentive and prefer the thinnest possible knot. -my 2 cents

Also, I'm sorry you couldn't fish today and instead spent your time inside tying knots and posting pictures. :big grin:

aquaholik
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by aquaholik » Mon Mar 14, 2016 5:19 am

So that's the reason for the alternating half hitches. Never could figure why since I know it doesn't affect knot strength.

Good finish half hitches but I think he forgot to glove tighten after the first half hitches. It looks prettier in the video but I don't trust the FG knot in Nanofil unless it's glove tightened.

FG knot shouldn't take more than 2 minutes and much faster with softer braid. I just use the Sebile method which I can start and stop the knot any time and resume. I'm drifting thru three bridges and pilings with the trolling motor on when I have to retie since I can't stop every fish fishing inches from razor sharp bridge pilings. The 25 lbs drum is not the problem. It's the speedy 3-4lbs Pompano that's too quick to stop.

Seph
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by Seph » Mon Mar 14, 2016 1:03 pm

aquaholik wrote:So that's the reason for the alternating half hitches. Never could figure why since I know it doesn't affect knot strength.
Yeah, they're just locking wraps that keep the part that holds the knot from unraveling, so no real effect on strength - BUT where I find they make a difference is when reeling the knot IN through the guides.
As I have stated previously, I fish about a 20' fluoro leader on Nanofil on a spinning reel that doubles as a dropshot, shaky heads, wacky, and moving plastics (flukes) setup. The knot is generally on the reel when I cast and because of the location of the finishing hitches on the backend (reel side) of the knot if they are too bulky I feel like they hang up on the guides when I reel the knot back through the rod. It is most noticeable when you have a sizable fish putting a solid bend in the rod - the time when I least want to have line management issues. Shorter length FGs also help in this case as well. BUT if you don't bring the knot into the rod it doesn't matter...

AND no way I can tie the FG as meticulously as I like in 2 minutes. I even go as far as using a lighter to melt the fluoro and leave the slightest of 'bulbs' on the non lure end to give the nanofil wraps something extra to stack up against. - again not an on the water knot for me.

aquaholik
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by aquaholik » Tue Mar 15, 2016 2:50 am

I'm surprised you don't built a "ramp" to ease the fluro leader back in thru the tip guide. I use 20-25 fluro and with the combination of trimming the mono tag end completely flush and a small "ramp" which is nothing but a series of half hitches or a 4 loop reverse uni on just the Nanofil itself, I can reel it back into the guide without that big sharp angle. You are just thickening the Nanofil with the ramp to ease the mono leader back in.

Here's 10lb J Braid to 25 lb Fluro:
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Prancing Pony
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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by Prancing Pony » Sat Mar 04, 2017 5:46 pm

I've used 6lb Nanofil and what really turned me down was its surface coating and stiffness.
While it doesn't have bumpy ridges like traditional braided lines do, it's surface is like a microscopic sandpaper - you can't really feel it with your fingers but you will feel it when you grind a strand of Nanofil against another. Combined with its insanely thin diameter, the 6lb Nanofil cut into itself like a wire saw while trying to tie an albright or a FG. Maybe heavier lines are free from this issue. Also it's not supple at all; when you pinch it down in your fingers it doesn't bend but rather creates a sharp angle like a strand of dry grass and does not recover. Can't be good for the line.

However the Nanofil worked great with both palomar and double palomar knot which don't create much abrasion or sharp angle on the line. I think the palomars are the only knots you can safely use with low-lb Nanofils. To make the most of this line you really have to know its strengths and weaknesses to find the perfect application which isn't that many. With that being said, I don't think you can find a more perfect mainline for bobber n jig fishing.
Last edited by Prancing Pony on Sun Mar 05, 2017 11:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: NANOFIL HATERS

Post by DirtyD64 » Sat Mar 04, 2017 10:16 pm

I caught a good 4-5lb on 6lb Fireline, 3am crappie fishing. Was on an old Mitchell 50 size reel and an "Acadia" spinning rod with 7lb FC Sniper for leader. Reading forum now to learn how to post pics...

I have ALWAYS found Fireline to work fine with a thicker Fluoro leader and a double uni knot. I always make 5-6 turns on fluoro, and 7-8 for braid/superline. I very carefully cinch down using plenty of spit and haven't had issues yet.

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