I also have lost a bunch of fish on Vanish. It is very suseptable to nicks and breaking on hook sets. No more! I now use only BPS or Viscious Flourocarbon. It is incredible how strong and nick resistant the Viscious line is it is but it is a little on the stiff side when you get you to 17#. 10# isn't as bad. As for the knot I use, the trilene knot is the best for flourocarbon lines from what I have expereinced. But as mentioned before you really need to wet the line and cinch it down tight. I take the extra step of pulling the tag end with my pliers to insure it gets pulled tight.