How often do you change your braid?

[Elkins45]

I have some braid that has spent so much time in the water that it’s lost most of the dye and is a pale mint green color. It still seems OK performance wise but I know it’s a few years old. How often do you replace your braided lines?

[Darth-Baiter]

right or wrong, for me it is a volume/quantity thing.  i change it when the reel spool runs lowish.

 

usually a good epic wind knot sends me to the store for fresh braid.  other than that, i go and go.  

[Mike L]

I got braid on 2 outfits that’s been there for at least 3 yrs now and have no reason to change. 
 

Color fade isn’t a consideration 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Bankc]

Twice every cast.  
 

Nah, I'm just kidding!  With braid, I don't change it.  I use it until it runs out.  Sometimes I'll unspool it and put a backer on so I can keep using it.  That's what I love about braid.  And since the water I fish is so stained, I don't even worry about the color fading.  Besides, our water is red, and the braid is green, so it's never going to blend in with the water anyway.  

[bulldog1935]

I just changed the 3-(hard)-year Duel X-wire, PE#1.2, on my Zillion (Ray's SV spool).  

 

 

I went with Varivas Si-X (PE#1.2), which has 2 coatings, the hard silicone plus FEP teflon.  I also didn't cut off the old line at the arbor knot, but joined them 10' out with double uni.  When I was tying that knot, was really impressed with now much harder, smoother and rounder the Varivas Sea Bass than the essentially new condition Duel X-wire (old line) at the arbor end.  The Varivas Si-X costs 3 times as much, but I don't care for 3+ reliable years (and the chance at another famous photo like the trout above).  

[ElGuapo928]

On my dropshot rods I change yearly - it’s a maintenance ritual.

 

On baitcasters I do once the spool starts getting more than 1/8” from the lip.

 

On my road trip/creek rod, it’s been the same Fireline since I bought it in 2012.

[Big Rick]

Tie it to a tree, unwind it all, spool it back up in reverse and good to go another season or two. 

[Bird]

Only when it runs low.

 

[DaubsNU1]

3 hours ago, Big Rick said:

Tie it to a tree, unwind it all, spool it back up in reverse and good to go another season or two. 

 

That is a darn good idea @Big Rick!!

 

I had some old Fenwick Iron Thread on my casting reels for 10+ years. Worked well. Only changed because of line-fade. 

[padlin]

I replace it every other year, reverse it the other year. IF I didn’t change it out during the year for some reason. This summer I put yellow on a couple reels just to try it out, I’ll go back to green this winter, didn’t care for the yellow, mainly I just have more confidence in the green.

[Team9nine]

Never - unless it gets to the point where a cast starts getting dangerously close to my connecting knot (I always use backing).

[MassYak85]

I use the generic powepro. Generally I can go two years before it starts looking fuzy/frayed. On my most used setup I've done it after one year once or twice, but that was after like 50 or 60 trips that year using that reel every time out.

[MN Fisher]

^ What Brian said....my flipping rig just finished year 4 with the same 50# 832

[Big Hands]

11 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

i change it when the reel spool runs lowish.

 

Yep. That happens long before anything else that would be a problem.

[Happybeerbuzz]

Now that I have settled on my braid preferences, I only loose a few feet a year tying leader knots not counting my frog and punching reels.  It could easily be a decade before they get low enough to need changing, maybe longer.  

[GRiver]

I change when it gets low, because of fraying I cut back to good line. My dock rig line takes a beating from getting wrapped around pilings 

[TnRiver46]

When the backing knot starts getting casted, frequency varies greatly 

[jejenkyns]

Only the braid can can that kind of decision

[the reel ess]

Every decade, whether it needs it or knot (see what I did there?) But seriously, It doesn't really go bad, just looks bad, unless you're around a lot of rocks. I'm not.  Honestly, the looks are not an issue if you're using it for heavy cover, like a frog or jig, or you're using  leader.

 

I spool up the first half on my BC reels with 15 lb. Big Game mono and then finish with braid. Then, when that braid gets old looking I reel it onto another reel. Badaboom! I'm using the new end-new line for free. If you don't want to do that, but on the same reel, I keep a couple old reels laying around just for swapping the ends.

 

So, if you subscribe to the "use it for 3 seasons" idea, you can now stretch it to 6. 

[FishTank]

Maybe never but I do change it when it starts to fray or when I get tired of it and want to try something new. My new favorites have all been from YGK. 

[Gera]

I did it once at the beginning of the season, I had to remove that horrible Maxcuatro out of some reels. 

[galyonj]

I don't change it so much as I just splice more on when the spool gets low.

[txchaser]

Vicious no-fade and fins both seem to last forever, and neither of them fade.