Hey all, Last year was full of getting ready for our first baby, and so far this year has been full of staying up all night with said baby so I am a little late to the fishing game. But the itch is there and steadily growing. I think it is about time to take some much needed daddy time and hit the rivers. My lines have been all cooped up on their reels for the last 10 months. I know that is far from the preferred method of storage, but we also moved into a new house last fall and life in general got in the way of proper care. So, my question is...what is the best way to get those lines ready for the season? I'd like to try to remove the memory from them if possible, and once they are cleaned and ready to go I am going to loosely wind them around a couple of old bicycle wheels until I finally hit the rivers. Any tips would be much appreciated, wish I could buy a couple of new ones, but it just isn't in the cards right now. Thanks guys!
Wash 'em in a sink with some gentle hand soap, rinse, wipe down, and stretch 'em. I often gently stretch my line right before fishing to take the memory out. Cleaning frequency is dependent upon how much crud is in the water...and a filthy floating flyline will be apparent because it sinks or sits low in the water.
Prep a fly line? The wonder and beauty of modern fly lines is that I can be a total sloth, go downstairs and grab a trout reel, loaded with line that hasn't been touched in a year or three, throw it in my fishing pack, and go fishing. Prepping is fine for those who are anal about equipment care. That wouldn't be me. I just use it. Sg
stretching a line never hurts. but practicing your knots, so you dont waste half a day tying on stream is the best way to prepare. and casting of course, so you dont spend the other half of the day casting into the grass behind you or lining over rising fish. at least youve been getting lots of practice handling fragile creatures
Most fly lines that I have used haven't had any memory. Now your leader will, and that can be straighten with a leader straighetner, see link below http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fishing/Fly-Fishing/Fly-Fishing-Accessories/Tools|/pc/104793480/c/104721480/sc/104339880/i/103893480/Leader-Straightener/709612.uts?destination=/catalog/browse/fishing-fly-fishing-fly-fishing-accessories-tools/_/N-1100459/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_103893480?WTz_l=SBC%3Bcat104793480%3Bcat104721480%3Bcat104339880&gclid=COTYpJ3L3LYCFQef4AodflsAdw&pcrid=12987216258 You can pick these up anywhere, I am not a huge Cabelas fan, just found it easy at their site.
I never stretch my line. A couple of quick casts will help get it all straight. Besides you should invest in good line in the first place. I have some 4wt line I got from Allen fly fishing. Paid 12 bucks for it. Have been using it for three years now no memory yet. Just strip some off and go fish. It works for me and SG I had some of that 555 from Cortland. I had to stretch it every time I used it. Bad line.
Hell, I can see memory effects in my Sharkskin lines (hardly bargain basement stuff)...I like a straight line, probably because anything less is very apparent on a lake....which is where I do the vast majority of my fishing. Even slight curls inhibit cast distance. All my reels are small arbor, and that contributes to memory....but it's somewhat cheaper to stretch a line than switch over to large arbor reels.
I agree. I only own one high end line, but it's the one that seems to have the most memory. I make the sin of leaving my set ups rigged with the line out the tip and fly in the keeper. The line gets a kink where it leaves the tip.
