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Full Version: For those Berkeley Nanofil diehards.....
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Ok, so I started using the original Berkeley Spiderwire when it basically first came out in 1992.  People laughed at me when I paid about $25 for 100 yards of the stuff back then when regular Berkeley XL was about $4.99 for double the amount.  Anyway, 30 years later and I still have that SAME line on my Abu Garcia 3.8:1 reel and the line is just as strong as it was 30 years ago.   The no-stretch was a revolutionizer when it came to deep water jigging at Bear Lake compared to monofilament line.  I never looked back and even use superline on my kokanee rods for trolling (but that is another story for another post). 

Now back 15 years ago Berkeley Nanofil came on the market and I dropped $20 for 150 yards.  The line was said to cast 50% further, have no twists, have no stretch, was 50% or less the diameter of monofilament/copolymer/flourcarbon lines, and not cut into your rod guides like braided superline, and not retain water like braided line (ideal for ice fishing or temps below freezing) etc. so I figured this would be the "ticket" to light line jig-fishing especially for Bonneville whitefish at Bear Lake and ice fishing for everything else that required light line.  I was right!!!  Well, I noticed the last two years it has been getting increasingly difficult to find Berkley Nanofil on the store shelves at Sportsman's, Cabeleas, etc.  so I call Berkeley back in Spirt Lake, Iowa this week where they are supposed to make the line.  I was informed that that Nanofil will be discontinued and the supplies on the shelves and on-line are all that is left.  I placed my order today for hopefully a lifetime of Nanofil.  It doesn't last as long as the original Spiderwire since it will "fray" in the top 1-6' near the leader, but it does last many seasons and can't be beat.  You just gotta learn a new knot or two to tie the stuff to a short monofilament leader since Nanofil is such a slippery line that a standard blood knot just doesn't seem to hold.  I used a modified Albright knot and it works incredibly well. 

So, for those of you who are in the "know" about Nanofil, you better stock-up now before you can't find it.  I know TubeDude used to use a certain monofilament, Bagley's Silverthread, and then they quit making it.  Same with other lures and lines and gear that have been discontinued.  I figured I'd let you know now.  Good luck boys and stock up on the Nanofil while it is still reasonably priced and people aren't hoarding it and re-selling it on Ebay for 2 or 3 times the price.  {Side note:  the reason they are discontinuing it is two-fold, 1) the cost to produce it is more than what most people would be willin to pay, and 2) there has been a limited amount of demand. My opinion is if most people know just how good it is, there would be more demand, but I think Berkeley's marketing for Nanofil sucked!}
(12-10-2022, 05:55 PM)BearLakeFishGuy Wrote: [ -> ]Ok, so I started using the original Berkeley Spiderwire when it basically first came out in 1992.  People laughed at me when I paid about $25 for 100 yards of the stuff back then when regular Berkeley XL was about $4.99 for double the amount.  Anyway, 30 years later and I still have that SAME line on my Abu Garcia 3.8:1 reel and the line is just as strong as it was 30 years ago.   The no-stretch was a revolutionizer when it came to deep water jigging at Bear Lake compared to monofilament line.  I never looked back and even use superline on my kokanee rods for trolling (but that is another story for another post). 

Now back 15 years ago Berkeley Nanofil came on the market and I dropped $20 for 150 yards.  The line was said to cast 50% further, have no twists, have no stretch, was 50% or less the diameter of monofilament/copolymer/flourcarbon lines, and not cut into your rod guides like braided superline, and not retain water like braided line (ideal for ice fishing or temps below freezing) etc. so I figured this would be the "ticket" to light line jig-fishing especially for Bonneville whitefish at Bear Lake and ice fishing for everything else that required light line.  I was right!!!  Well, I noticed the last two years it has been getting increasingly difficult to find Berkley Nanofil on the store shelves at Sportsman's, Cabeleas, etc.  so I call Berkeley back in Spirt Lake, Iowa this week where they are supposed to make the line.  I was informed that that Nanofil will be discontinued and the supplies on the shelves and on-line are all that is left.  I placed my order today for hopefully a lifetime of Nanofil.  It doesn't last as long as the original Spiderwire since it will "fray" in the top 1-6' near the leader, but it does last many seasons and can't be beat.  You just gotta learn a new knot or two to tie the stuff to a short monofilament leader since Nanofil is such a slippery line that a standard blood knot just doesn't seem to hold.  I used a modified Albright knot and it works incredibly well. 

So, for those of you who are in the "know" about Nanofil, you better stock-up now before you can't find it.  I know TubeDude used to use a certain monofilament, Bagley's Silverthread, and then they quit making it.  Same with other lures and lines and gear that have been discontinued.  I figured I'd let you know now.  Good luck boys and stock up on the Nanofil while it is still reasonably priced and people aren't hoarding it and re-selling it on Ebay for 2 or 3 times the price.  {Side note:  the reason they are discontinuing it is two-fold, 1) the cost to produce it is more than what most people would be willin to pay, and 2) there has been a limited amount of demand. My opinion is if most people know just how good it is, there would be more demand, but I think Berkeley's marketing for Nanofil sucked!}
I'm witchoo, Scott.  I know we have had a few mutually reinforcing conversations on Nanofil as we ganged up on the whities together.  Like you said, simply blood knotting a 3-4 foot length of your fave mono, unifilament or fluoro on the end of the Nano will do the job for almost any fishing application. 

I fish mostly light gear...with small size 10 or 20 spinning reels...and almost universally spool them with Nano.  But to save a few $ I do not fill the whole spool with it.  I fill the first part with a good grade of mono and then "topshot" the most used part only with the spendy stuff.  As you have observed, the end 5-6 feet gradually gets some "fur" on it as it is repeatedly cast and retrieved...and encounters underwater structure and handles fighting fish.  So it is a good idea to check that part of the line before each trip and if necessary, cut back a few feet and retie.  But I have never had a fish break off on this stuff.  But when I use the Silver Thread Excalibur leaders I don't lose fish to broken line or failed knots either.  Great abrasion resistance.  And by the way, even though they discontinued the Excalibur, the newer "Super Silver Thread" seems to perform equally well.  Been using that the last year or so...in 6, 8 and 10 pound test.  
Ditto the ditto. I use a uni-uni knot but otherwise agree with all. When Nanofil got hard to find, I switched to a different super line (not near my reels right now to check which one) but I'll use the 8 and 10lb Nano I have on reels until they get down to less than a cast length. By then, they'll have some kind of ubersuper line that costs a dollar a yard but casts right down to the spool knot and cannot be broken by a raging rhino.

Tip: I use a label maker to ID what line/leader is on which reel spool. 3/8" tape is perfect and I put it right on the spool skirt. i.e. 10 Nano/10 Fluoro
Thanks for the heads up, I use the 8 lbs, l like the white or chartruce so I can see it better, I know it with stands 12 lbs eyes and cats, every so often ya got to take 10 ft or so off the end for fray, but its worth it,
I agree with the spider wire quote. I have some that is at least 28 years old and still going strong.