Fireline crystal - replaced any fluoro leader?

[Ultralight]

A holler from waaay the accross the pond. (US to be exact..

Anyways, now that Fireline Crystal has been out for a while and I see various posts here on it, one simple question:

Have any of you who used to tie fluoro or other clear leader on your colored fireline now dispense completely with leaders and just use straight up Crystal? And notice any difference in results?

I know that Crystal is not really transparent but really translucent.

Thanks in advance for any comments.
UL

ps: I did pick up a spool of 1100 yds 4 lb Crystal when it first came out. i sent it back because it was actually thinner but was noticeably weaker and less abrasion resistant than the pink 4 lb Fireline that we've used for years. Anyone else notice this?

[kamikazeghost]

It was the typical new fad of fads like always........ new line comes out, a write up to excite the punters, and everyone then dives in for it with some ditching previous lines for it. And then the rave pattern begins. I find it funny.

Is there any reason to ditch or change to the Crystal? No. It's as good a line as normal fireline. Yes, it is less abrasion resistant compared to "normal" fireline, but I will admit that having test driven the 1lb and 2lb stuff, you can use it without any fluorocarbon leader. However, would I rate it above using normal fireline with a leader or using 2lb fluorocarbon straight through? Nup. And I'd use a leader from 4lb up...... I did notice catch rate and hook up rate differences.

The advantage - comes in 1 - 3lb as normal fireline doesn't as you know. If you compare 4lb crystal to 4lb normal fireline: no advantage.

Honestly, there's been no logical sense to rate the line more highly than normal fireline. It's a nice line. But, it's by far no better or advantageous.

[blue-mako]

Like kamikazeghost said. There is no real advantage if you are using 4lb Fireline Crystal or heavier as Fireline Crystal has the exact same diameter as normal Fireline. The only difference in the line is the colour, also Crystal doesn't fade as it hasn't had any colour added to it like normal Fireline has.

Though with Fireline Crystal in 1-3lb is good as normal Fireline doesn't come in these breaking strains.

As for the original question, no I haven't dispatched of Fluorocarbon leaders. Even though Fireline Crystal in 1-3lb is thin, it will never be as invisible as Fluorocarbon leader will be.

Troy