If you use a supple enough line, then no, I would not bother buying line conditioner. It does help a little in retarding line memory, but if you buy line that has very little memory in the first place you will not have to spend the extra money for line conditioner. Again, this goes back to getting what you pay for. Some of the pricier lines out there like Seaguar InvizX, FC Sniper, and P Line Fluoro would most likely never need to be sprayed down with line conditioner. Unless, of course, the line has been sitting on the reel for a year or something.
I've had ok luck with Vanish 2 lb for trout, but any time I've tried Vanish for bass fishing that's exactly what would happen to my bass.....U hook em then they would Vanish!
-b
If you want the best casting distance with ultralight or light gear buy NANOFIL it is the best I have ever used. 30% greater casting distance at a minimun, super sensitive and tough to break off. Be careful with your knots as it is super slippery stuff. I have it in 2# on my ultralight gear and I can throw 1/16 oz or less jigs a mile. It comes in 2 to 12# weight and my ex business partner has changed out all of his spinning rigs to it and will never look back. I tried it and I have been making the switch also on all of my spinning gear. The stuff is amazing.
I used vanish and never had a single problem. I had 2lb or 4lb and held up great. I now switched to izorline xxx which is mono but at 20 bucks for a 1/4lb spool (2500 yds I believe) makes it a lot cheaper to change my line more often.
I always thought seaguar was the bomb, but it let me down. I had a little spool of 2# seaguar fluoro leader line and another spool of 2# izor fluoro. After a year of abuse the seaguar had gotten so weak it broke very easily, but the izor was still good to go. Could have been because of a number of factors. I dunno. I'm using 2# XXX now and not worrying about fluorocarbon.
anybody know the difference between berkley vanish(in a blue box), and berkley trilene 100% flouro(in a gold box)? vanish is also 100% flouro so how are they different?