Disintegrating Line

[ohiofly]

Has this ever happened to you? I have a very old line 8+ years, 5wt, unknown manf. After loading it, I made several casts and it started to chunk apart, separating. Leader went forward, line went down. Amazing !

[brhoff]

NO but is sure sounds like heat/light damage...probably stored, temps/humidity cycling season after season.

[Eight Thumbs]

Hi Ohiofly,

I've never had a line come apart on me but I did have a funny experience with a friend of mine while we were fishing for stripers and hybrids. My friend brought out an old rod and reel he hadn't used for a long time (apparently a very long time) and the line was so tacky that he could barely cast at all and couldn't shoot an inch of additional line. He's an excellent fly fisherman and has a mean double haul but he couldn't move any extra line out the guides. His frustration was pretty funny. I don't know the brand of line he was using but he typically buys top of the line equipment. 8T

[fishbum]

I usually take that as a clue to replace the line. Usually happens about Septamber when I am trying to nurse the darned thing until winter. If I wern't so cheap, I would just put on a new line in the spring and be done with it.

fishbum

[ridgeliner]

I have a line that is falling apart. I don't know the mfg. I do know that it is close to 40 years old and still on the same automatic reel I put it on way back then. I guess I don't really have a legitimate complaint. It was on a fiberglass 6 wt.

[Panfisha]

Perhaps the first fly line ever made? LOL
I heard freezing your fly line when you plan on not using it for a long time can preserve it.

[ohiofly]

Well lets say 8yrs.+ faded od green color, It doen't feel like the lines of date. Kinda fiberous, the tape tag on it say's 5wt. Maybe it was made by Mosses Manufacturing