Fly line cracking

[RS1]

Do you do any lawn or road casting?
I had some Cortland crack years ago, went back to the shop I bought it from and they replaced it. Other than that, my Rio, SA and TT have held up great. I agree with one of the other posters. It could have been one from a defective lot.

[Host Ray]

The chances that these cracks are caused by a defect are near impossible. What do you think the odds are of 2 lines from 2 different companies cracking at the same time?? You have a better chance of winning powerball. It's obviously something that you did. Insect repellent, sunscreen or any other possible chemicals that may have come into contact with the line?? Extreme heat or cold?? Stored in direct sunlight?? Whatever it is, it's not a manufactures defect, but even so they will most likely replace it for you.

[RGAR]

Insect repellent containing DEET is probably the worst thing you can get on a flyline, according to the late Leon Chandler, and I tend to agree. Sunlight is probably #2. If you store your line in the sunshine, you are gonna be disappointed with its life span.

[Clay]

I'm very much aware of the insect repellant issue and fly line coating. If I use repellant, and I don't often, I apply it at the house and wash my hands before I go fishing.

On the two lines cracking, they did not happen at the same time. I also practice cast on the water and hardly ever lawn cast. Here is a shot of the Teeny line winder, now discontinued by the way, but it makes line maintenance easy. I also don't store any of my rods or reels in a hot car.

Again this is the nymph line which has a subdued color for the first 30 feet and then the remainder of the line is brighter colored. Notice how the cracking is around the circumference of the line and is not cracked vertically.

I also took a close up of the line.

[Ronnie Z]

Maybe the line was old when you first received it.When it comes to flyline you dont know how long its been sitting around.

[clarkman23]

that's funny, I just threw away an H&H line (about 5 years old) due to cracking.

but hey, nothing lasts forever

[Jeremy]

To add to a prior post, I should also admit to casting a lot in the back yard (lawn) .. like 4 or so evenings per week, minimum when it's not freezing out.

I needed to overcome some issues (self taught) that were troubling. That and with a handful of bamboos, I like to play around. And I typically use bamboo's as opposed to a handfull of Sages, mainly used for warmwater.

Jeremy.

[Shakeyfly]

I started to have one of my SA lines begin to crack on me. It was 5 seasons old. I picked up the SA Line cleaner stuff and now my lines are back to feeling and looking brand new. I store em on the reel but out of the sunlight and in the house.

[Clay]

To add to a prior post, I should also admit to casting a lot in the back yard (lawn) .. like 4 or so evenings per week, minimum when it's not freezing out.

I needed to overcome some issues (self taught) that were troubling. That and with a handful of bamboos, I like to play around. And I typically use bamboo's as opposed to a handfull of Sages, mainly used for warmwater.

Jeremy.

When you do lawn the cast the crap out of the line, does it look like the picture that I posted of my line or are the damages different? Just out of curiosity.

I was looking at the line again today and the area that is cracked is about the distance that I cast to often. The tip of the line doesn't look like this. I am wondering if it happens when the line is bent at the tip of the rod? All good ideas so far from many others on possible reasons. Still haven't called SA. Need to do that soon.

[fcch]

Hmmm, ... I changed a SA Steelhead line in 2006 with the same cracks as in your photo Clay, ... 'cept the line was more than 2 seasons old. I can't remember how old it was, but it was several so it had +90 days of fishing.

See what SA has to say.