I like to leave a rod and reel in my car for those quick lunch break outings. Should I be concerned about the fly line in the hot car during those warm summer days? Has anyone had any problems with that? Could it melt? I just want to make sure since I have pretty good line on my reel right now. Thanks
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Yep, the heat can get to a fly line.
What I did when I lived in Atlanta, was buy a cheap, but decent outfit and put the CHEAPEST line possible on it.
The line lasted a couple of years, then it was a cheap thing to replace.
Ken
I fish, therefore, I am… I am confused!!
if the fishing gear is left in the trunk, as opposed to the seating area, would the relatively lower temperature of that area have the same effect, I wonder? Funny I never considered this before as I have done the same thing ever since I bought my first car.
The heat is bad for graphite rods too, as well as monofilament. A lot of people like to keep gear in the car for those occasion, but it’s important to remember that you don’t want to leave your nice stuff in the car.
Reels are small enough to carry in a pocket, briefcase or lunch container, take it with you. Rods are a little more difficult to deal with, being a cane rod fisherman, co-workers are used to seeing me walk-in with rod tubes.
Pete
While I understand fly line and mono being damaged by heat I can’t imagine a graphite rod getting hot enough to hurt. i guess the glue on the rod tip could soften
[This message has been edited by okflyfisher (edited 03 May 2006).]
The resins that bind the graphite fibers together soften. In a way the whole rod is made graphite fiber cloth and “glue” that helps it hold it shape. It’s usually not enough heat to ruin the rod but it does affect how the rod performs to a certain degree and probably reduce the life span of the rod.
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[This message has been edited by Bill Blake (edited 03 May 2006).]
Somebody needs to start selling insulated rod tubes…
If you leave your line on the reel in your hot vehicle it will retain the shape of the reel when you strip it off. This may not cause any problems if it’s warm outside because it will eventually relax. But it’ll tangle easier when the air is cool.
As for your rod, I doubt you’ll notice any degradation in the structural integrity of the fibers until you’ve got a trophy on. (At least that would be my luck…) 
There’s almost nothin’ wrong with the first lie, it’s the weight of all the others holdin’ it up that gets ya’! - Tim
I’ve heard it generally slows the action a bit. Since the only rods I’d keep in a car are of the “you can get it at walmart” variety, it’s not a big deal for me.
The resin in fly rods is thermo-setting, not thermo-plastic. That means they don’t get soft when heated. When the blank is made, it is cooked in an oven at several hundred degerees to turn the cloth pre-preg that is wrapped around the mandrel into the hard blank. Yes you can burn up a blank, but the temperatures required are much greater that ever would be found in a car on the hottest day. The tip-top adhesive (which is thermo-plastic) could soften as mentioned above, but sets solid as soon as it comes to normal temperature. The problem likely with fly lines at high temperatures is that the plasticizers (what keeps the line supple and soft) tend to be evaporated and driven off. The same thing happens to the vinyl seat covers and dashboards in your car. Over time they get old and crack for the same reason; or the 8-year old spare tire that you never got around to rotating with the rest, doesn’t wear nearly as long when you get around to using it as the rest of the set–for the same reason.
Mike