Berkley Nanofil - Real or Hype? 2025

shimanoangler reply :

I fish spinning reels exclusively and am always on the lookout for low memory line to minimize twisting and backlash situations. Berkley has a ton of claims with its new Nanofil line and I am wondering if anyone has tried it and if so, what their take/feedback is after having used it??

jimmyjoe reply :

Howdy. First things first: welcome to the site! I enjoy it and hope you do, too. Secondly: I tried Fireline, Power Pro, Power Pro Super Slick, Sufix 832 and Spiderwire Fluorobraid in addition to Nanofil. The reason I kept searching was the knot performance of Nanofil. It was erratic (at best!). Then I started using the San Diego Jamknot, and this last year I never broke off Nanofil when tied direct. My leader knot is the Crazy Alberto knot, but I rarely use a leader; I use Nanofil exclusively for distance on the cast and control at that distance. For that, I like it. As for twist, I've noticed some. Looking down the line at an angle in the sun lets you see it. It's no worse than another superline, and better than most. But I've not had a wind knot with Nanofil, and I have had with other lines. So over all, it serves me well. I have used 2 lb., 8 lb., and 12 lb. jj

shimanoangler reply :

On 2/2/2017 at 11:39 AM, jimmyjoe said:

Howdy. First things first: welcome to the site! I enjoy it and hope you do, too. Secondly: I tried Fireline, Power Pro, Power Pro Super Slick, Sufix 832 and Spiderwire Fluorobraid in addition to Nanofil. The reason I kept searching was the knot performance of Nanofil. It was erratic (at best!). Then I started using the San Diego Jamknot, and this last year I never broke off Nanofil when tied direct. My leader knot is the Crazy Alberto knot, but I rarely use a leader; I use Nanofil exclusively for distance on the cast and control at that distance. For that, I like it. As for twist, I've noticed some. Looking down the line at an angle in the sun lets you see it. It's no worse than another superline, and better than most. But I've not had a wind knot with Nanofil, and I have had with other lines. So over all, it serves me well. I have used 2 lb., 8 lb., and 12 lb. jj

Thanks JJ, this helps. I am going to buy the low vis 8 lb test. I have traditionally used Trilene XL 8 lb and 10 lb and have had GREAT success, but I was attracted to the distance claims of Nanofil, low member claims and the toughness/durability claims. There is no substitute for real life experience, so I look forward to trying it this spring. I appreciate the insight and feedback on the knot strength. I will be sure to learn those knots when I tie it on.

Do you use leaders often? I guess since I don't fish heavier superlines, there is no need to use a leader....?

Dan_the_fisher reply :

On 2/2/2017 at 11:46 AM, shimanoangler said:

Thanks JJ, this helps. I am going to buy the low vis 8 lb test. I have traditionally used Trilene XL 8 lb and 10 lb and have had GREAT success, but I was attracted to the distance claims of Nanofil, low member claims and the toughness/durability claims. There is no substitute for real life experience, so I look forward to trying it this spring. I appreciate the insight and feedback on the knot strength. I will be sure to learn those knots when I tie it on.

Do you use leaders often? I guess since I don't fish heavier superlines, there is no need to use a leader....?

If you are looking for distance I'd go with power pro super slick in #10 with a leader , I can throw a 3/16 jerkbait a country mile with my spinning gear. Plus 0 memory, it spoils up like a dream every time

QUAKEnSHAKE reply :

Keep nanofil away from rocks and teeth just like is needed with braid. Dont use the knot(double palomar) Berkley recommends its not very good with the line. If not using a leader retie your knot after about 5 fish.

ww2farmer reply :

The small diameters are great for open water panfishing.................for anything else it sucks. It has the abrasion resistance of wet toilet paper.

jimmyjoe reply :

"... Do you use leaders often? I guess since I don't fish heavier superlines, there is no need to use a leader....? ..."

I rarely use a leader because I fish the Mississippi, and leaders aren't necessary in the muddy water. Not only that, but I specifically try to get max sensitivity at max distance with Nanofil .... or any low-stretch line. I love it for twitching spoons, like Acme Steelies and Kastmasters, when I target sandbars or deep pockets. The only time I really need to use leaders is running deep divers around rocks. The "tic-tic-tic" tells me where my lure is and what it's doing. I fish rocks a lot, but most of the time I use mono and shallower cranks, so the Nanofil + leader issue is moot. jj

Bluebasser86 reply :

I like Nanofil for specific techniques, like Ned rig, swimming grubs, and wacky rigs.

However, I've been swept away by Gliss since it came out. It's similar, but it ties better and has better abrasion resistance.

Oklahoma Mike reply :

On 2/2/2017 at 10:56 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

I like Nanofil for specific techniques, like Ned rig, swimming grubs, and wacky rigs.

However, I've been swept away by Gliss since it came out. It's similar, but it ties better and has better abrasion resistance.

You should give this a try: http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/YGK_G-Soul_Upgrade_X-8_Braided_Line/descpage-YGKGUX8.html

I have had a love/hate relationship with Gliss. I appreciate the casting distance, but overall it is just a bit too limp for me and I have had some heartbreaking snap-offs. I recently bought a spool of the Upgrade X-8 and have had it out 4 or 5 trips now, and I think it will become my new go-to line for spinning gear. It is very thin like Gliss with exceptional casting but is more firm, and so far seems to have better abrasion resistance and knot strength. I'll see how it holds up over this season.

kbeeb374 reply :

On 2/2/2017 at 10:56 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

I like Nanofil for specific techniques, like Ned rig, swimming grubs, and wacky rigs.

However, I've been swept away by Gliss since it came out. It's similar, but it ties better and has better abrasion resistance.

Really? what pound test gliss do you use? I have 18 on my drop shot rod and I couldn't even tie an FG knot on the leader.. I ended up tying a double uni and it has been fine but it seemed like just rubbing against the flouro I was using as a leader caused it to fray.

Bluebasser86 reply :

On 2/2/2017 at 11:11 PM, Oklahoma Mike said:

You should give this a try: http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/YGK_G-Soul_Upgrade_X-8_Braided_Line/descpage-YGKGUX8.html

I have had a love/hate relationship with Gliss. I appreciate the casting distance, but overall it is just a bit too limp for me and I have had some heartbreaking snap-offs. I recently bought a spool of the Upgrade X-8 and have had it out 4 or 5 trips now, and I think it will become my new go-to line for spinning gear. It is very thin like Gliss with exceptional casting but is more firm, and so far seems to have better abrasion resistance and knot strength. I'll see how it holds up over this season.

I haven't had any issues with Gliss other than it "poofs" out a bit at the end after lots of use. I just flip it around and it's like a brand new spool. Haven't had any breaks that were unexpected and I'm fishing open water where abrasion resistance isn't super important. The casting distance with the limp line is very important with the light lures I'm using though.

On 2/2/2017 at 11:13 PM, kbeeb374 said:

Really? what pound test gliss do you use? I have 18 on my drop shot rod and I couldn't even tie an FG knot on the leader.. I ended up tying a double uni and it has been fine but it seemed like just rubbing against the flouro I was using as a leader caused it to fray.

I have 24lb on a couple rods and 40 on one, all spinning. I use an Alberto knot with 7 wraps and it has held great.

OCdockskipper reply :

I use 8lb & 10lb Nanofil with 8lb P-line fluorocarbon leaders on all my spinning setups except one. That one is 4lb test of both on an ultralight rig.

I use a crazy Alberto knot for Nanofil to leader, it works better than a double uni for me ( your results may vary).

The lakes I fish have next to no wood or abrasive cover, so I haven't had any issues with it holding up. I did use it on a trip to Missouri & dragged a few average size fish through some standing timber, but I wouldn't think that is what this line is designed for.

blckshirt98 reply :

Nanofil is terrible in my experience with it, I've had the line break on me when casting/hooksetting at random spots along the main line(not at a knot) where it looks like someone just took a pair of scissors to it and cut it clean. I used it one season and it was actually great, but the next season I started to experience all the problems. I have reels with PowerPro that's 3-4 years old without any of the same issues so I stopped using the Nanofil.

Darren. reply :

No experience with nanofil, but I've read enough reviews

that have kept me at bay.

I'm also a spinning angler (mostly) and use 10# regular

Power Pro and 15# Power Pro Super Slick 8. Casting is

great with both.

And for the leader question, I always use one and have

mentioned my reasons in numerous threads. Here's one

not common (i.e., visibility, abrasion resistance, etc.)

Since braid is pricey, and I tend to change out hooks

several times during an outing for various reasons (snag,

bent hook, different size, and so on), a leader allows me

numerous ties before I have to cut in to my braid main

line. Otherwise I'd have cut into my braided mainline a

bunch of times.

For some this may not be a big deal. But I know it helps

me save money - or at least stretch out my money for

a longer period of time.

Learn a good knot like the uni-to-uni or Albright/Alberto

variants (I've got 100% confidence in my knots) and you

will be good to go if you want to take the leader route.

stevec328 reply :

I've had good luck with Nanofil but I always use a leader. No problems and it casts great. My breakoffs with it have come from hanging up. I have used the 10 and 12 lb test, both on spinning reels. I use the alberto knot with a couple of extra wraps. I read somewhere on the internet that one of the Berkley guys said that's how he tied Nanofil. No idea if a Berkley guy actually said that but it seemed to make sense and it's worked for me. Your mileage may vary.

Jagg reply :

I tried it when it first came out and was not impressed. Tried PowerPro and was so frustrated with the wind knots I stayed away from all super lines for a while. Last Spring I bought some more Nanofil and was getting slippage at the knot every time. I have to use a leader because almost all the water I fish is very clear. Also, as said above, using a leader helps keep you from cutting into the main line. I started tying the Alberto knot and have not looked back. I love this line because it gives me excellent casting distance and stealth. Low stretch gives me a good solid hookset even on the end of super long casts. That was a problem with nylon for me. One of the biggest advantages for me is the Nanofil lasts quite a while and there is no memory in my experience. A well behaved line. Not one wind knot yet. I have 2 spools for almost every 1 spinning reel of mine. Most of my spare spools have the Nanofil spooled on and that's the one I tend to grab first now.

shimanoangler reply :

Thanks for the feedback. I have been fishing Trilene XL without really any issues, but I saw an ad for nanofil and the two things that jumped out at me were casting distance/ease and zero memory, with zero memory being the biggest attraction being a spinning reel fisherman. In the end, I guess the old adage applies, if it aint broke, don't fix it, applies. I haven't had any problem with the Trilene, and it I don't have to worry about it fraying, breaking off or being tough to tie knots with, so I guess I will just stick with plain ole boring mono... Having fly fished a ton in my youth, I get the leader concept, but it feels like having to use a leader to make a line work better seems like extra work and an extra break point that you simply don't have when using mono. Unless there are clear advantages for switching lines, I don't see the value in changing lines for all the potential issues that have been outlined above. Thanks again folks, I really appreciate the feedback and the insight based on your experiences with the product.

S Hovanec reply :

Only thing I like Nanofil for is to use as a pull loop when wrapping guides.

.ghoti. reply :

On 2/3/2017 at 9:27 PM, S Hovanec said:

Only thing I like Nanofil for is to use as a pull loop when wrapping guides.

That's my only use for braid.

shimanoangler reply :

On 2/3/2017 at 11:53 PM, .ghoti. said:

That's my only use for braid.

What do you use for line? Seems like braid is the holy grail when it comes to bass fishing line. I feel like I am missing something with using mono???

S Hovanec reply :

On 2/3/2017 at 11:53 PM, .ghoti. said:

That's my only use for braid.

I use TufLine and PowerPro on all of my DS and tube rods.

WRB reply :

You can't get a backlash with a spinning reel!

Nanofil is smooth, flat line with poor knot strength.

Fins WindTamer is a smooth round line with excellent knot strength.

Tom

IndianaFinesse reply :

Can't comment on nanofiliment, all of the bad reviews kept me away from it. But I have used Gliss. I've been using it for over a year now and the casting distance is amazing! It throws lite little Ned rigs easily fourty to fifty feet farther than other braids, and I have had no problems with knot strength or abrasion resistance. The only thing bad about it is that after around six months of heavy use it sort of unravels and gets kind of poofy. For spinning reels this is my favorite line, but I do not recommend it for casting gear (its so thin that it tends to dig in, plus the casting distamce isn't much farther than with regular braid) or you're fishing around pike and heavy cover.

MickD reply :

The only thing Nanofil does better than braids is that it goes through the guides smoothly and quietly. It has inferior knot strength, most knots we know won't work with it, and it tends to fray and fail near the lure much faster than any braid I've used. The white is very visible to fish. My favorites are Suffix Performance Braid, Power Pro, and the new Bushido Braid from American Tackle. Almost all my spinning freshwater fishing is done with 15 pound braid + leaders, my inshore salt 30 pound + leader.

I do not recommend Nanofil.

Yeajray231 reply :

On 2/2/2017 at 11:07 AM, shimanoangler said:

I fish spinning reels exclusively and am always on the lookout for low memory line to minimize twisting and backlash situations. Berkley has a ton of claims with its new Nanofil line and I am wondering if anyone has tried it and if so, what their take/feedback is after having used it??

I didn't even read all the comments. Nor do I have any input on the nanofil ... But I do fish spinning rods regularly. And can say I can't remember the last time I got a backlash... And that's because I use braid. On all of them . Not only does it not backlash but my sensitivity is much higher. And my casting distance as well... Any time I feel like the fish are finicky I'll use a floro leader. Pretty sure this is how I'll fish my spinning rods until I die. No line conditioner , no worry about line twist... No backlashes.

shimanoangler reply :

On 2/5/2017 at 12:42 PM, Yeajray231 said:

I didn't even read all the comments. Nor do I have any input on the nanofil ... But I do fish spinning rods regularly. And can say I can't remember the last time I got a backlash... And that's because I use braid. On all of them . Not only does it not backlash but my sensitivity is much higher. And my casting distance as well... Any time I feel like the fish are finicky I'll use a floro leader. Pretty sure this is how I'll fish my spinning rods until I die. No line conditioner , no worry about line twist... No backlashes.

What braided line do you use and what type of fishing do you do, ie heavy weeds, clear water, etc etc?

Bluebasser86 reply :

FWIW, Nanofil isn't a braided line. I think that's where a lot of the disappointment comes from with this line.

If you're using Nanofil like most use braided lines,

shimanoangler reply :

Here is what I think I have learned from reading the responses to my post. I think that having just one type of line for all fishing conditions and situations is not feasible and its impractical. Where I live in the northeast, we have a lot of crystal clear lakes where you could be fishing at just about any depth, ie 3-5 foot of water or 20 to 30 foot of water. I fish predominantly smallmouth bass, so the various types of fishing methods used perform better with different types of fishing lines. It sounds like each line has its pros and cons, hence the reason there are so many of them. I like this format of collecting feedback, as it is based on experience not advertising dollars. I appreciate the feedback and I find it very informative, so please feel free to keep the comments rolling in.

On 2/5/2017 at 8:33 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

FWIW, Nanofil isn't a braided line. I think that's where a lot of the disappointment comes from with this line.

If you're using Nanofil like most use braided lines,

So how should Nanofil be used? What are those conditions/situations where Nanofil works best??

Bluebasser86 reply :

On 2/5/2017 at 8:36 PM, shimanoangler said:

So how should Nanofil be used? What are those conditions/situations where Nanofil works best??

Where it really shines is open water water, finesse presentations, especially if you need to make long cast.

I used it for grubs, small paddletail swimbaits, Ned rigs, and wacky rigs. It performed very well for me but Gliss is cheaper and holds up a little better. A couple extra wraps when tying the leader knot, (Alberto, not the one they recommend), and you're good to go.

shimanoangler reply :

On 2/5/2017 at 8:40 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Where it really shines is open water water, finesse presentations, especially if you need to make long cast.

I used it for grubs, small paddletail swimbaits, Ned rigs, and wacky rigs. It performed very well for me but Gliss is cheaper and holds up a little better. A couple extra wraps when tying the leader knot, (Alberto, not the one they recommend), and you're good to go.

Do you use a leader or do you tie directly to the lure? Based on a lot of what I have read, the question is what lb test is best. What lb test do you use for the applications you mention? I live in the northeast, and so when you say open water fishing situations I suspect you mean clear deep ponds and lakes without a lot of weed or grass cover? We have tons of deep open lakes and ponds where we fish smallies hanging out around and on rock beds with sandy rocky bottoms. Not tons of vegetation to fish through. Fish can get spooky as the lakes are clear and visibility is really good, so long casts and presentations are needed to get to fish that see tons of fishing pressure.

Bluebasser86 reply :

On 2/5/2017 at 8:45 PM, shimanoangler said:

Do you use a leader or do you tie directly to the lure? Based on a lot of what I have read, the question is what lb test is best. What lb test do you use for the applications you mention? I live in the northeast, and so when you say open water fishing situations I suspect you mean clear deep ponds and lakes without a lot of weed or grass cover? We have tons of deep open lakes and ponds where we fish smallies hanging out around and on rock beds with sandy rocky bottoms. Not tons of vegetation to fish through. Fish can get spooky as the lakes are clear and visibility is really good, so long casts and presentations are needed to get to fish that see tons of fishing pressure.

I always use a leader. It does not have good abrasion resistance, which is why I use it in open water. I used the 10lb test with best results. I mainly used it for smallmouth fishing where there are no weeds to speak off, just rock/mud/clay/sand bottoms. The leader helps with the clear water visibility but even with a very short leader when I'd get lazy, the fish still bit just fine. You can see in this picture that my leader was probably less than 2' long and I was catching fish just fine.

roadwarrior reply :

Nice fish, Great pic!

Yeajray231 reply :

@shimanoangler to be honest spiderwire and powerpro will do you just fine. I've been using the spiderwire for over a decade and never had issues with it. Using it both on spinning and baitcast gear. Power pro is just a little smoother IMO. But I like the camo braid and floro braid (just braid that sinks) that spiderwire has to offer. I tried cabelas brand "Ripcord" and it was the worst I ever used. First time spooling up the line dye came off instantly all over my hand , reel and line guides without even being wet. So I'm good on that. The two I mentioned have landed me hundreds of bass in my life so I'm confident in those.

I fish all types of water... Deep and shallow, muddy and clear, current or calm.. braid works in all of.them.. if it's clear or using treble hooks I will use a leader.

3908

Berkley Nanofil - Real or Hype? 2025

related Fishing Rods Reels Line Knots topic

previous topic

next topic

most viewed Fishing Rods Reels Line Knots topic