How often do you clean your fly lines?

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grayfox
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How often do you clean your fly lines?

#1

Post by grayfox »

I spent part of the last two days using a line winder (stripper) to take line from various size Lamson and Scientific Angler reels and spare spools, clean them, and rewinding everything to get ready for when the hard water softens (Ontario). The line winder was purchased in Scotland during a trip there and this makes the task much easier and faster.

Now it got me wondering if I am just too old fashioned (age 76 in May) and one of the rare people who still do this of if almost everyone cleans their lines. Some of my lines are a few years old and others are decades old. They all seem to benefit from this annual activity.

How many fisherman still clean fly lines?

Ken.

tcorfey
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#2

Post by tcorfey »

Good idea to clean your lines in my opinion. I do mine twice a year on average once in March/April and once in August/September. Sometimes more frequent depending on the water I have been fishing. I do not have a line winder, instead I have a cup hook attached to my back fence and one on my back porch (about 50' apart), I use a mono leader loop to put the fly line on one cup hook hook and run the line out to the second hook then dangle my reel to add tension. Then take a rag with soapy water and run it up and down the line, then use a clean rag to dry it, then a rag with Glide line dressing, and finally a clean rag to buff it out.

Then I reel up the line under tension and do the next reel. It goes pretty quickly.

Regards, Tim C.

flyrod buddy
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#3

Post by flyrod buddy »

I do it after 2 or 3 trips

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grayfox
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#4

Post by grayfox »

My once per year cleanup covers everything but in addition some waters are suffering from algae or other items that need cleaning every time the line is used and that happens at the end of the day. :pipe

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jhuskey
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#5

Post by jhuskey »

When I notice the tip starting to sink, or fish a muddy stream.

aged_sage
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#6

Post by aged_sage »

I clean mine at least twice a year, and more often if I fish a lot of muddy, or algae (suspended), laden water. I typically go by "feel" of the line being retrieved over my "stripping" finger. lf a line begins to feel like "very fine" sandpaper as it passes over my finger, it gets cleaned.

bassman
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#7

Post by bassman »

Thanks for the push guys. I haven't been taking good enough care of my lines and will have to improve on that and do some cleaning and treating. I don't do silk because of maintenance but still should take care of plastic at today's prices.

Bacchus_2
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#8

Post by Bacchus_2 »

jhuskey wrote:When I notice the tip starting to sink, or fish a muddy stream.
+1

I learned the hard way after fishing during higher water events. After just a couple of days, my tip tops were scored enough to resemble serrated knives... Now, I travel with line cleaner and dressing and clean the working line (how much depends on the casting lengths during the trip) often, probably more often than necessary.

Don
There are times, I think, when a trout angler must prize what he catches with his eyes as much as what he firmly hooks. - H. Middleton

tabrods406
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#9

Post by tabrods406 »

It' always a good idea to clean you lines more often than you would think. The tip starts to sink or the line doesn't float as well is a sure sign. I tell people to use line cleaners made specifically for the task because with the coatings the new lines use today you never really know how a soap or say Armorall will react the them.

Tom

Ixoye
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#10

Post by Ixoye »

I clean and polish my lines after 3 trips.

DUCKMANNM
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#11

Post by DUCKMANNM »

Every time before I go fly fishing whether they need it or not!

PYochim
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#12

Post by PYochim »

I have found that if you keep them clean they will last a long time. I still have a Cortland line that I purchased in the 80's that is just fine.

An exception is Cortland Sylk. It picks up a lot of dirt and does not float well. It does not clean up well either.

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BrownBear
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#13

Post by BrownBear »

grayfox wrote:
How many fisherman still clean fly lines?
It varies with the time of year and water. Good example is Florida bass fishing. In winter I clean my lines once or twice in a few months. Come hot weather I clean them 2 or 3 TIMES PER DAY. Same water, same fish, but with summer's algae and who-knows-what-else growing in the water, you'll notice line drag through the guides in an hour or two. Home in Alaska I clean them once midsummer. The rivers are pretty pristine until a bazzilion pink salmon decide to spawn and die in a short time span. Get through that die off and clean my line about the end of August.

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ibookje
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#14

Post by ibookje »

After every day fishing. Not the whole line but the first 40-60 ft

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agbullet27
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#15

Post by agbullet27 »

The line will tell you when it needs cleaning, I only clean about 50 feet.

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5wtaddict
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#16

Post by 5wtaddict »

Agree with other posts; not often enough. To be honest, once a year if fishing cleaner rivers, but due to poplar fuzz this time of year I find myself
"wiping" the first 50' often during the days fishing.

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thegubster
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#17

Post by thegubster »

ibookje wrote:
05/11/19 03:14
After every day fishing. Not the whole line but the first 40-60 ft
I'm with Jay!! Each time out, the first 40 or so ft

The fly line to the fisherman is like the arrow to the Indian... the most important imho. Try it, you'll like it! :hat

Jeremy.

Capt. Frank
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#18

Post by Capt. Frank »

I put an old worn leader on the line, tie it to my fence, stretch the entire line out tight, wrap the backing around the other side of my fence, then clean it with Cortland's cline cleaning kit, use line dressing, let it dry and the line stretched for at least an hour, then polish the line with a clean cloth, and put it back on the reel. It is cleaned and well stretched at the same time.

kingstu
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#19

Post by kingstu »

I just developed a fly line treatment called Ultra Slick Line USL. It is non toxic and biodegradable. Also, increase distance >25 ft.
Stu
thesilvertrout.com

billems
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Re: How often do you clean your fly lines?

#20

Post by billems »

Capt. Frank wrote:
11/15/20 10:17
I put an old worn leader on the line, tie it to my fence, stretch the entire line out tight, wrap the backing around the other side of my fence, then clean it with Cortland's cline cleaning kit, use line dressing, let it dry and the line stretched for at least an hour, then polish the line with a clean cloth, and put it back on the reel. It is cleaned and well stretched at the same time.
I like that way of going about it.

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