Fishing line longevity . . .

[Jim in VA]

Just thought I'd see what others' experiences have been. It may be that I'm fishing a lot more now than I ever have, but I'm noticing the need to respool line more often. Last few years it seemed like I could make it through the season without losing any line to age (sometimes two!). This season, I've respooled several of my rods/reels already! Mostly, it seems to be the monofilament stuff that I've purchased on sale (Cajun Red line and Eagle Claw low visibility line) that just is going bad (snapping really really easy!). Is this normal or am I running into a batch of older line?



I'm thinking of switching next round to some fluorocarbon. I understand it has some stretch, but not as much as monofilament, and that its more durable to boot. Any thoughts/experiences on the useful life and shelf life of monofilament? Will fluorocarbon work better?



Thanks!

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Jim,

The more you fish the more you respool.....my Cajun stuff gets respooled at least two times a season, and my others more when i am doing the TX thing. I am not sure on the shelf life, but I bet that aries to how you store it. Needs to be in cool dark place to help slow down the deteritoration of the line.



I am pretty partial to the izorline Floro. Good price, good knot strength, good abrasion resistance and pretty low memory. Treats me right.... I have some you can try if you want to.

 

[Steve Rizza]

If you switch to Flurocarbon, stay away from Vanish. I'm a big fan of Berkley's other lines, but their fluro is garbage.





Steve

 

[Jim in VA]

Thanks guys! CIII - I may take you up on that offer. Haven't been on the Potomac much this year, which is a shame because ssullivan1 keeps taking 4 and 5 plus pounders out of the spots I've shown him. And me still trying to hit 3+! How's that for gratitude?! :lol:

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Jim, the big ones are out there...just not on tournament day HAHAHHAHAHAHA Let me know about the line, I can hook ya with some if you want.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

Seems some lines last longer than others, i just get in the habit of testing my lines by tying a loop and tugging on it pretty hard. I have learned to test new line also, as i have had a few bad spools.

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Jim C found out the same thing the hard way one day fishing BMCD.....

 

[Jim in VA]

And let me tell you BMCD, it makes for a LONG day of fishing when you've respooled ALL your rigs from a bad bulk spool! CIII helped by loaning me one of his rigs that day. Now when I'm in the store, I actually open packages and test them right then and there much the same way you do. If its good, I buy the package I opened. Never had a store employee complain yet! Problem is, I'm learning (quickly!) this season that good in the store doesn't mean it will last through the entire season! I've already ditched two bad spools after they worked well for the first few months.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Jim consider this also.....you are fishing a LOT more. Days on the water in the sunshine = death to fishing line. I re-spool every month at least (not braid though). I had some bad line before I went to Michigan and had a pitiful day on the Potomac. Break off after break off and I knew it wasn't me. I never even thought about my line!! When CIII came over the night before we left for Michigan, he asked if I checked my line after I told him the story....hit me like a ton of bricks.....duhhhhhhh.......no. He picked up 12lb test and snapped it like thread. Since I respool so often I rarely run into bad line. Lesson learned.



TOXIC

 

[Bruce Freeman]

I have found bad sections of line once I have spooled it. I retie pretty offten, any time I feel a nick in the line after catching a fish, bridge, tree well you get the idea. I have times where I had to strip off 8 to 10 ft of line to get a good knot.



Just food for thought.



BF

 

[william Clark]

I have been through that with some stren and berkley. I have also had bad luck with vanish.

My favorite line is sufix for mono.

Clark

 

[Sean Sullivan]

Hey Jim...



You keep going down to Lake Anna every weekend and missing out on my good Potomac trips. I am not quite ready to call the lake the "Dead Sea" as others do, but as I've gotten some more experience with the river, I am starting to understand how it works. Gene Meuller's article a couple of weeks ago was right on the money - tidal bass are almost a completely different species from reservoir bass.



Back to the line -- I've been using the new Trilene Maxx a lot, and I haven't experienced much in the way of breakage issues. My problems have come from line stretch on my plastics rods. If I leave a spool on for more than a month or so, I've noticed a considerable decline in my hook-setting power (I like to try to rip the fish directly into the boat).

 

[Jim in VA]

I like to try to rip the fish directly into the boat

Hey Sean - yea, I recall having to duck a few times when you thought you had a whopper on, only to have your lure fly over the boat and right at me!



Don't worry, got you and CIII marked for some Potomac trips. Just waiting for your dad to clear out of Dodge so there's room in the boat to duck!! :lol::lol:

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Plenty of room in my ride there jim!!! Come on down!!!