In the picture below, I use an Angler’s Image Line Winder & ZipCast on my lines. I have shortened the line length in the picture to best illustrate my method. If you look closely, you can see that after I have spooled my line on the winder, I “loop” the line OUTSIDE one of the winder’s “arms” to essentially lock the line in place & apply the ZipCast with 2x2 cotton gun cleaning patches to a taught line. After treating that section of line (usually 2-3 feet), I reel to within a couple inches, “unloop” the line, pull 2-3 more feet out, “loop” it on the arm to lock it again, & treat that section, repeating until the entire line is treated. No repititious washing, drying, treating, etc, etc…it is all “one step easy”! It’s pretty darn fast too.
Any questions, just ask. BTW, when 1 side of the patch gets too soiled, just flip it over. I sometimes can treat 2 lines with one patch.
Mikey
I just wind the line from the reel to the wooden spool while holding the ZC saturated patch around the line, flip the patch over and wind the line back on the reel. Easily done in under a minute. It takes longer to fill the sink with soapy water!
You’re right about the soapy water…never mind the tangled line, drying the line, then treating it. It just doesn’t get any easier (or better) than the winder of choice & ZipCast.
Mikey
JC,
It was YOUR FAOL review on that line winder that convinced me to order it. When you combine it’s functionality with it’s price, durability, & portability, I don’t know of a better one that is available.
Thank you for reviewing it.
Mikey
I’m with Heritage Angler on this one. I like to have both hands free. Of course I am too cheap to by a fancy one, so I just build my own from the scrap pile in the shop. Works like a charm.
I take my reel attach it to a workbench edge with a spring clamp then wind line on a spare fly line spool attached to my cordless drill. One hand on the drill trigger the other holds the applicator and I vary the speed of the drill to match the required speed to keep everything from tangling. It takes longer to wind the line back on the reel than anything else!
I can easily clean about four or five lines in less than half an hour!
Of course the cleaner is zipcast, wouldn’t use anything else!
I bought some ZipCast earlier this year, and I know that NOW is the time to clean my lines and get them ready for next year. Now…if I can just FIND that ZC in my “Mystical Garage” (things disappear and show up again mysteriously…even things I didn’t know I had :rolleyes: ), I can get started.
Thanks for the reminder!
Ohiotuber’s post means yet another sharp rise in my fly fishing learning curve.
The only time I ever cleaned ONE of my fly lines was when I fished in a farm pond whose surface was coated with a super-thick layer of nasty scum. I used ordinary dishwasher detergent to do the job. Which I’ve since read is not good for your line, as detergent breaks down important polymer layers (or something like that).
If they were put under a microscope, I suspect all my fly lines (and rod guides, too) are grubby as can be. And this may explain why my casting ease (and distance) seems to have suffered in recent months. Even if dirty line isn’t responsible, it’s a technical-sounding excuse that makes me feel better.
Jeez, what can I say? I’m from Kansas and grew up a spin fisherman and baitcast reel fisherman. We don’t clean our line here, we leave it dirty and hope the next place we go fishing has clearer water so the line cleans itself while we’re retrieving.
Time for an agonizing reappraisal. Zip-cast, huh? Okay…
I know you are supposed to clean your line after each use but, for me it’s about every third use unless the pond is real dirty. I can tell when it’s time re-apply zipcast, the line tends to stick to the guides when wet. After applying zip cast, it’s like new again.
One thing I’ve noticed is that zipcast can turn a cheap line into a real winner. If you’ve ever purchased one of those Wally world specials for just a few bucks and it casts only so so, use zipcast on it! You’ll be amazed!
This is one of the very few products for fly fishing that works as good as it claims!
Glad to see someone else does this too. The performance of that combo is truely shocking. Best cold weather line I’ve ever cast as well. If SA would put their AST coating on that line, I’d buy nothing else - I’d gladly pay double the price for it. At $10.64 per line, that isn’t saying too much though.
I’m a firm believer in ZipCast that’s for sure. Order a bottle a few months ago and applied to a cheapy line I was using for practice, lawn casting, and the line was pretty beat up and ruff. So I thought I apply the zipcast to the line, cleaned up the line, apply zipcast and took it out and used it for a couple of days at a local pond I fish … and what a difference it made. The line casted like it was brand new, very smooth, quite and no dragging when coming through the guides and could really tell the difference when stripping. I applied to my other lines right away and won’t use anything else.
Ya’ll all have great ways to clean and treat your lines. Marty I really like that system you use as an on the water treatment. I think it would be especially functional for using in saltwater where long casts are required with lots of line to treat and often due to the salt. Same for pond use too.
This past April Mike demonstated his method at the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival with many interested on-lookers. As long as ya’ll are taking care of your lines you will get longevity and better performance from your lines. That is good for you and good for me.
Keep up the good work. and thanks for your comments regarding ZipCast.
I have several lines to do, but the supply is short sometimes. Maybe “Santa-Tuber” will bring me some and leave it in my Creel :rolleyes: I’ve been real good this year. Maybe his supply is better than the the other place?
Dave
Maybe “Santa-Tuber” will bring me some and leave it in my Creel :rolleyes: I’ve been real good this year. Maybe his supply is better than the the other place?