A Life-Line For Your Fishing Line...

[Big-O]

I figured this out some time back and have utilized these basic steps ever since. Hope it helps some of you to enjoy your Fishing MORE, and possibly save bucks on your fishing line costs

 

Fluoros, mono's and/or standard copolymers get a build up of mineral deposits and scale on the line when fishing and some bodies of water are much worse than others to cause this. The build up forms a crust or coating on the line as it is used, dried and reused throughout a day of fishing. This causes much of the coiling effect or line to reel memory that can often give us problems. If you service the line using the following steps you'll find that the line casts farther, has less line to guide friction, fishes much better and also last much longer than it would otherwise. Line conditioner is great... but by using the following procedures prior to applying the conditioner, it is much better

 

Step 1 - Remove any line twist and clean your line by pulling out 30 to 40 yrds, then retrieving it back onto the spool thru a clean WET rag, Repeat. Make sure to ck for line knicks during this process and adjust the wet rag often to so that a clean wet surface is primarily used while retrieving the line, which avoids excessive line scratching with the residue that is transferred onto the rag.

2) Tie the end of your line off to a solid object and stretch tight, holding stretch for 10 seconds or so... Retrieve loosely back through a wet rag again onto your reel spool.

3) Add a line conditioner to the cleaned and stretched line prior to fishing again, allowing just enough time for the drying process...

 

If you're in a boat, these steps are very simple to accomplish.

 

I'm afraid that it's not the same for braids... When braid first hit the market for Bass fishing, it seemed to last FOREVER, but now MANY of the different brands on the market will actually degrade in strength QUICKLY with use ... I won't mention names because that's not my style Sunlight seems to be the biggest determining factor for the loss of any braids original quality and strength (Same with ALL line types) so storing your line and equipment out of direct sunlight is advised.

 

Hope this Helps, Now GO CATCH SOME FISH

[00 mod]

Thanks for the tips Big-O!

 

Jeff

[Dwight Hottle]

Good advice as always. Thanks.

[roadwarrior]

Great post!

 

 

 

 

[BassCats]

So without bashing the braids that don't last.

 

What is your favorite brand of braid? and do you have any tips for braid use?

[Big-O]

Since I fish braid subsurface in timber and trash alot, I want the smoothest, most quiet, strongest and one that holds its strength the longest or has the best longevity. I've used the standard Suffix since it came out and the also Suffix 832 as well... NOT Sponsored by them. I can say for sure that the standard Suffix last longer and is more dependable than any other braids I've tried. Have also used many other most popular brands but they're either too coarse which causes sawing noise and vibrations when coming through grass and timber or degrade too quickly... or usually both. Suffix loses its color too easily IMO, but I use a green Pilot Marker to camo it up when necessary in clear conditions. Usually dash the line with small 1" or so marks. Not sure if it is better than marking a constant solid line but a few yrs back, a friend and I discussed it and I've been doing it ever since.

 

Palomar knots work great tying directly to hooks, baits and most other hardware... and a Double Uni knot is good for connecting braid to fluoro, where the knot slides through the guides easier.    

[roadwarrior]

Well, good or bad, I would REALLY like to see what you think of Seaguar Kanzen

and Tuf-Line SuperCast. They are both new sponsors and I am using the lines with

either AbrazX or Tatsu leaders. So far so good, but a week of you fishing the line

would be a much better test.

 

-Kent

[0119]

Im glad to see someone bring up the noise that the hydrodynamics of superlines make underwater.  It was mentioned and displayed on a Hunt for Big Fish show years back but never exponded on.   Interesting, superlines degrade quicker now. Planned or engineered life expectancy?...Gotta wonder.   Treating your line just like fly fishermen do, cleaning and stretching.  I wonder if it would catch on. Its one of the things that turns me off of fly fishing.  Dont I recall reading that stretching floro weakens and clouds it causing its invisability to go away?

[Big-O]

Im glad to see someone bring up the noise that the hydrodynamics of superlines make underwater.  It was mentioned and displayed on a Hunt for Big Fish show years back but never exponded on.   Interesting, superlines degrade quicker now. Planned or engineered life expectancy?...Gotta wonder.   Treating your line just like fly fishermen do, cleaning and stretching.  I wonder if it would catch on. Its one of the things that turns me off of fly fishing.  Dont I recall reading that stretching floro weakens and clouds it causing its invisability to go away?

 

Over stretching any line is obviously not a good idea, but a light stretch on clean line is not bad at all. it's actually bringing it back much closer to original condition than otherwise and since there is no hardened scale or mineral build up on it, there is much less chance of causing the micro cracking in the lines surface that causes some of the cloudy effect as well as reduces the original line strength.

 

I've been able to get HYPER mileage out of the fluro I now use compared to what it was before I started servicing the line... When you try it, you'll like it and like I said... from a boat it's a simple and fast procedure that's well worth your time 

[bassh8er]

I figured this out some time back and have utilized these basic steps ever since. Hope it helps some of you to enjoy your Fishing MORE, and possibly save bucks on your fishing line costs

 

Fluoros, mono's and/or standard copolymers get a build up of mineral deposits on the line when fishing and some bodies of water are much worse than others to cause this. The build up forms a crust or coating on the line as it is used, dried and reused throughout a day of fishing. This causes much of the coiling effect or line to reel memory that can often give us problems. If you service the line using the following steps you'll find that the line casts farther, has less line to guide friction, fishes much better and also last much longer than it would otherwise. Line conditioner is great... but by using the following procedures prior to applying the conditioner, it is much better

 

Step 1 - Remove any line twist and clean your line by pulling out 30 to 40 yrds, then retrieving it back onto the spool thru a clean WET rag, Repeat. Make sure to ck for line knicks during this process and adjust the wet rag often to so that a clean wet surface is primarily used while retrieving the line, which avoids excessive line scratching with the residue that is transferred onto the rag.

2) Tie the end of your line off to a solid object and stretch tight, holding stretch for 10 seconds or so... Retrieve loosely back through a wet rag again onto your reel spool.

3) Add a line conditioner to the cleaned and stretched line prior to fishing again, allowing just enough time for the drying process...

 

If you're in a boat, these steps are very simple to accomplish.

 

I'm afraid that it's not the same for braids... When braid first hit the market for Bass fishing, it seemed to last FOREVER, but now MANY of the different brands on the market will actually degrade in strength QUICKLY with use ... I won't mention names because that's not my style Sunlight seems to be the biggest determining factor for the loss of any braids original quality and strength (Same with ALL line types) so storing your line and equipment out of direct sunlight is advised.

 

Hope this Helps, Now GO CATCH SOME FISH

Thank you for the tips.

How often do you recommend doing this with your average mono or flouro lines?

[Big-O]

If I'm on the water 8 hrs using the same line and in heavy mineral or lightly stained water, once mid day and at the end of it. In the boat, it takes about 2 minutes to clean one set up and then add drying time for conditioner... I keep 2 to 3 rods rigged with the same bait set up on the deck at all times... I don't like to take time to rig only one rod when any given problem arises   

[Big-O]

Well, good or bad, I would REALLY like to see what you think of Seaguar Kanzen

and Tuf-Line SuperCast. They are both new sponsors and I am using the lines with

either AbrazX or Tatsu leaders. So far so good, but a week of you fishing the line

would be a much better test.

 

-Kent

 

By referral I ckd out Tuf-line right after last years Classic and it was either 60 or 80lb test... I think it was good in the strength and longevity area but it lost it's color quickly during use and wasn't as smooth going through the guides and sticks as I'd like.  

 

I think Kanzen is the only one of the newer braids that I haven't tried as of yet, but MM referred it to me and I plan on giving it a ck up as well