I just watched a video by Simon Gawesworth on cleaning and dressing floating fly lines.
The final process was dressing the line with “Rio’s Agent X Line Dressing.”
I’ve been using “AmorAll” for over 30 years and have been told it destroys the finish?
I still have these useable fly lines with no signs of deterioration.
Does anyone have another substitute for Rio’s Agent X Line Dressing?
p.s. I also use “Minwax Polycrylic Water Based Satin Finish” for head cement which seems to be identical to “Loon’s Water Based Head Cement”.
The above substitutes are a fraction of the cost of Rio’s and Loon’s product and all work quite admirably.
I also use the Rio Wonder Cloth for cleaning lines. A friend from F-C flyshop recommended them to me when while we were on a fishing trip.
I will admit that the cloth does a great job on cleaning up my fly lines. I use hot water and soap to clean them with the cloth.
Then I apply the Agent X dressing.
With the cost of modern fly lines and the small cost of the dressings recommended and sold by those who manufacture fly lines I see no reason to take chances with stuff found in the garage or under kitchen counter. Besides, that I’m told ArmorAll is water soluable which seems counter to where fly lines are usually used.
The stuff I use like Glide, Agent X and the Scientific Anglers dressing lasts a long time in use and besides, a little goes a long, long way.
In fact, I’ll do you one better and use NO dressing on the modern lines that have the slickness built in all the way to the core. A swipe with a micro-abrasive pad brings a brand new finish to the top that is a dry finish which does not attract dirt.
I note you use the micromesh pad-presumably the on that comes in the Scientific Angler kit. Was wondering just how you use it. Do you just wipe the line throuh it dry or do you use any soap and/or water with it?
Then do you just put a dap of the bottled dressing on a cloth and run the line through it?
I clean my fly lines the night before I go out fishing. A good soak in very warm water, then a rub down with a damp face cloth until there are no more dirt lines. I let that dry a bit then I apply Loon Outdoors Line Speed to a corner of another cloth and rub it into the length of the line 2 or 3 times. The Line Speed is best applied the night or day before to allow it to dry totally. Out on the water after half a day of fishing I use Loon Outdoors Stream Line. It is designed to be used out on the water and does a great job of keeping the line clean and floating well.
Last summer I was fishing with a friend of mine and I asked him how often he cleaned his line. Virtually never was his answer. I watched him a while and noticed that his line didn’t float very well and he didn’t have a whole lot of distance in his cast. At lunch I offered to treat his line with the Loon Stream Line and when we started fishing again he was very surprised. His line cast far easier and it stayed afloat very well.
I buy a bottle of each about once a year. For the cost of a few cups of good coffee I have very clean fly lines that float great.
Dave, I admit to giving the line more importance to having a good working rig than the rod and reel combined. Because of this obsession with lines I take care in taking care of them and can honestly say that I’ve never had a line crack or go bad on me except for instances where a hot cigarette butt on the ground met the running line or the line got between my boot and a rock or the kids cat learned how to make many lines out of one.
If the line is especially dirty from grass, parking lot casting or from algae that sticks to the line at certain times of the year I simply run it through a wet cloth lathered with Ivory bar soap. I then do it again using clean water to rinse and then use either the 3M pad or a line treatment if need be. Sometimes, especially away from home I just swipe the line with the gray side of the 3M/SA pad to get it slick again. I know people who use the sponge side for dressing but I never have. I just use a small piece of paper towel to apply the dressing.
While albie fishing last fall the salt build up was really affecting my cast. I had some 3M line lube in my bag and wiped that on. What a world of difference that made.
After getting lines tangled once too many times I stopped using the sink for washing my lines. Instead I walk around the house dispensing line off the reel onto the floor as I walk and then follow it around where it lays using the soapy cloth, 3M/SA pad or whatever it is I’m treating the line with. I never had a tangle since doing that and get a good chance to inspect every inch of the line that way. The biggest problem I’ve run across doing that has to do with cats and sharp teeth!
Here’s a dumb question; how do you manage the lines when cleaning/dressing? Do you take them off with a line winder, or leave them on the reel and pool it on the floor, or stretch them out across the back yard, or…? I have to admit I;ve been one of those seldom/never guys, but I would like to do better.
When at home and I am doing this I soak the line in the bathroom sink then take it over to the top of the stairway and make big loops down to the bottom floor (split entry house). However, I am often in motel rooms when I clean and treat my lines so it is a combination of soaking in the sink, then slowly walking around the room scrubbing down the line with the towel, and yes, the line ends up on the floor. When I get ready to treat the line I hook the line around the door handle (many motels have the handle rather than the round knob) and I walk back as far as I can with the line doubled from the handle to me. Then I walk the length of the line from the door to the rod and treat the line, keeping it up off the floor. If I need to treat more than the room will allow I start farther back in the line then reel it in up to the ending point of the first treatment, then finish the job.
When it comes to giving my line a good stretch in the morning before heading out, I often go out into the hallway, put the line around the door handle in the hallway and walk backwards with both the tip of the line and the rod/reel. After I have enough line out I give it three long slow pulls, no snaps, and that takes the coil memory out. Usually I am doing this really early in the morning so no one else is coming out of their rooms, but be ready to give them a quick heads up.
“After getting lines tangled once too many times I stopped using the sink for washing my lines. Instead I walk around the house dispensing line off the reel onto the floor as I walk and then follow it around where it lays using the soapy cloth, 3M/SA pad or whatever it is I’m treating the line with.”
I use Airflo line lube, it comes in a bottle with the cap designed to close over the line, you just wind the line in with the bottle attached and it cleans and lubes at the same time. I apply it before a days fishing and about half way through the day when I remember to take it with me!
I have used armour all in the past and never had a problem with it and I still apply a little to a piece of cloth to wipe down all the eyes on my rod. This can make a huge difference to how well your line shoots.
All the best.
Mike
I agree with Mike, and I am not afraid to use ArmorAll for my lines, I’ve never had a problem with deterioration. He touches on a point I think most overlook and that being the rod and guides. Along with cleaning the line I make it a point to polish my rod with ArmorAll to lessen the effect of line slap (and I know all about “Pledge Furniture Polish” do I have to buy another chemical?). As far as the line goes I pay particular attention to the back of the line, the part of the line we shoot. That’s the part that needs to slide. To float a line, I dress the first few feet of the line and butt of the leader with albolene if needed.
My feelings are, I don’t like a sticky line or rod and I like the business end to float YMMV.
Thank-you for all of your valuable input and tips.
“Sometimes one cannot see the the forest for the trees.” (another senior’s moment)
I’m going to try one of the manufacturer’s line dressing, come the opening season.
I have read elsewhere that some manufacturer’s (Orvis?) line dressing is actually 303 Protectant repackaged. I have not tried it myself. I use either Orvis or SA line dressing.
I’m surprised that ZipCast hasn’t been mentioned as I thought I first heard about it here. I’ve used it for several years and really like it. The best part is that it cleans and dresses all in one step without drying or buffing. The ease of application means that I do it often. In fact, I strip off the first 20-30’ of line before each outing and run it through a piece of cloth with a couple drops of ZipCast.
I still have some Glide and during the off season I will wash my line in soapy water and then treat it with Glide per instructions (including drying and buffing). But I really like the ease of applying ZipCast and the immediate results.
