Fly Lines

[Garshark572]

How long do your fly lines last? My line cracked badly in less than a year. A little frustrating when you spend 100 bucks on a line for this to happen. I noticed while fishing the letort yesterday.

 

[Millsertime]

What fly line was that? How far down from the loop did the crack happen?

I've had some lines last less than a year and some more but if I average 50 outings a year, I likely won't get more than 2 years out of a name brand fly line but this is my experience. I think how you take care of your reel after fishing, sun exposure, etc...also make an impact.

Rio Gold has treated me poor lately. I'm fishing Orvis Hydros currently and so far so good. I have Sharkskin 8 wt line that is close to 10 years old and still as good as new but I only use it in salt water which is 1-2 times per year.

 

[troutbert]

Try Cortland 44 double taper lines. When one end wears out, you turn the line around and use the other. So it's basically two lines for the price of one.

 

[Garshark572]

What fly line was that? How far down from the loop did the crack happen?

I've had some lines last less than a year and some more but if I average 50 outings a year, I likely won't get more than 2 years out of a name brand fly line but this is my experience. I think how you take care of your reel after fishing, sun exposure, etc...also make an impact.

Rio Gold has treated me poor lately. I'm fishing Orvis Hydros currently and so far so good. I have Sharkskin 8 wt line that is close to 10 years old and still as good as new but I only use it in salt water which is 1-2 times per year.

It was whatever rio line the shop recommended for my bvk. It’s probably 20 ft from the loop. Most likely fished this line about 40 days

 

[dryflyguy]

The picture isn't very clear.
But that appears to be a large break in the line, which is unusual from normal wear
Something like that would seem more likely caused by an accident - getting cut or stepped on.

I usually get like 2 to 5 years out of a line.
They get small cracks in the last foot or two above the loop

 

[Bamboozle]

I have 20 year old fly lines...

...seriously.

I do take care of them by cleaning with nothing except Ivory soap and water and dressing with nothing except what the manufacturer recommends which is all I have ever done.

Are the whitish lines less white?... Yes!​

​

Do they have micro cracks in the coating? Positively... !!​

​

Do I care?... Nope!!!​

​

Do they float?... Like a cork!!!!​

FWIW - The lines I am talking about are the long discontinued Rio Classic Lumilux DT, the discontinued Rio Classic DT and some Sci Angler DT's that were called the Mastery Trout when I bough them versus Mastery DT like they are called now.

 

[troutbert]

The picture isn't very clear.
But that appears to be a large break in the line, which is unusual from normal wear
Something like that would seem more likely caused by an accident - getting cut or stepped on.

I usually get like 2 to 5 years out of a line.
They get small cracks in the last foot or two above the loop

Agreed. I use double taper lines, and usually get 2 years out of each end, so 4 years for the line total. By the end of the second year there are a lot of small cracks near the end. But not any big breaks like that. But if you step on a line with spikes or cleats, that can do a lot of damage. I once stepped on my fly line with spikes and it cut the line the whole way through.

 

[lestrout]

I have Cortland and old SA lines that I got in the '70s. Among my silks are some that may be pushing 100 YO (but those I got from other owners). Instead of seasons or years, I track the actual hours of use. The least durable are the Masterlines that I treasure - some of those got less than 200 hours before retirement. For decades I considered the Cortland 444 peachy lines the most durable, going over 400 hours per side. I haven't put enough hours on my assorted newer lines to get a fix on their service lives, but the urethane Airflos seem to just keep on going. I get the impression that the new generations of Orvis/SA lines will go as long or longer than the peachy 444s.

 

[krayfish2]

All it takes is a small nick in the coating caused by a careless step or when the line gets around a rock and you yank it free. That's the beginning of the end for that line. Sometimes you can get another 2 seasons out of it and other times, big chunks of the coating are falling off a month later.

+1 on suggestions for DT to help double line life.

Personal experience has been using Cortland for 15 years or so and kept having line quality issues so I changed to Rio and was very pleased. Used their lines for another 12-15 years and had line quality issues again. For the last 10 years or so, I have used a mix of Airflo and Scientific Anglers lines and have been extremely happy. You always have the risk of getting a lemon since the stuff is mass produced. Just last year, I loaded a new line on a reel and as I was pulling line out to cast / testing drag setting and....snap. Line tore in half. First thing I did is think that it got cut on the real or something else happened. I looked at the line didn't see any defect just a clean cut like somebody hit it with a cleaver.

 

[Bamboozle]

...I once stepped on my fly line with spikes and it cut the line the whole way through.

Yup, me too.

 

[hooker-of-men]

Agreed. I use double taper lines, and usually get 2 years out of each end, so 4 years for the line total. By the end of the second year there are a lot of small cracks near the end. But not any big breaks like that. But if you step on a line with spikes or cleats, that can do a lot of damage. I once stepped on my fly line with spikes and it cut the line the whole way through.

This was also my thought. That's a helluva lot of damage. If it's not something like cutting cut by a cleat, that's a clear defect. Not sure you have much recourse with Rio at this point, though...

 

[dryflyguy]

This was also my thought. That's a helluva lot of damage. If it's not something like cutting cut by a cleat, that's a clear defect. Not sure you have much recourse with Rio at this point, though...

Guess a defect is possible
Don't recall seeing anything like that from poor construction, though
Interesting to know what happens if the OP does contact Rio....

I had something similar happen to one of my fly lines a few years back.
While cleaning it, I found a small nick in the line about 20 feet up from the end.
Small gouge on one side down to the core - about 1/16 inch wide
Figured I probably stepped on it in the water without knowing.

Thought it was worth trying to fix.
And I put a dab of super glue on it.

It held for another year or so.
Then one day, I snagged my fly in a tree on the opposite side.
And while trying to pull free, it snapped.

Just glad it didn't happen with a fish on...........

 

[Facemelted]

That's unfortunate, not surprising though in all honesty. I've had RIO lines disintegrate in my hand the day I bought them. Had that happen twice in a year, actually.

RIO's lines are not great, I wouldn't recommend them due to poor quality of raw materials they use. I know this for a fact.

I only fish Airflo lines, never once had any issues with them. I know a couple of the guys who work at the Wales office and they do not settle for subpar quality raw materials for their lines.

 

[dryflyguy]

Airflo are the longest lasting lines I've ever used.
Got 5 years or more out them easily
They're made out of polyurethane in stead of PVC

 

[Garshark572]

Thanks I got a new airflo line to try out

 

[Bamboozle]

Be aware if it matters to you that most Airflo lines are a tad heavier than the AFTMA suggested median weight and the DT's are not the same color or taper on each end.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

What fly line was that? How far down from the loop did the crack happen?

I've had some lines last less than a year and some more but if I average 50 outings a year, I likely won't get more than 2 years out of a name brand fly line but this is my experience. I think how you take care of your reel after fishing, sun exposure, etc...also make an impact.

Rio Gold has treated me poor lately. I'm fishing Orvis Hydros currently and so far so good. I have Sharkskin 8 wt line that is close to 10 years old and still as good as new but I only use it in salt water which is 1-2 times per year.

I have the Orvis Hydros lines (the nymph versions) in both 6 and 7wt models. I like them. I bought the 7wt back in April of 2021 and it is still going strong. Bought the 6wt line last year around the same time. Caught steel on the 7wt line last year and I'll be going for steelhead tomorrow with the 6wt line (if the flows are down).

 

[Silent Ocelot]

All my fly line wear times are subject to how much I fish each one. I may swap out my main trout line each year as I want it be absolutely perfect.

Overall I have quite a few rods so if I take a combo out for only a few days a year I may not swap out the line for a LONG time. I will admit that I seldom clean or treat my lines (I know I should do this and even have the proper supplies) I am just too lazy or don't have the time.

I have found over the years that I like SA. The lines are good quality and seem to stay supple. One particular line I have just recently fell in love with is the Infinity, probably my new favorite line. The lime green color looks great on my H3F's gray blank. I like RIO Tech Trout (smooth) on my Hardy as well as the Orvis Hydros models and even the Clearwater. I think good longevity of fly line can be enhanced with proper cleaning and maintenance.

Studs/spikes are fly line destroyers, hence my apprehension to use these particular items.

 

[pcray1231]

For me, I'm not sure I've ever had a line "go bad" to the point it's full junk before I damaged it somehow.

Sure, over time micro-cracks sometimes decrease the floatability a little over a few years, but rarely has that led me to replace line.

Most common "end of the end" is a tangle of tippet around the fly line. Trying to free it it tightens like a noose and cuts the covering. This has happened a half dozen times or so over the years. I've also stepped on it with cleats and other various things. But bottom line, I "deal" with the micro cracks and loss of floatability. But a line ends it's life with me being stupid and doing real damage like the picture shows. That can happen after 1 outing or 5 years, depending when I decide to be stupid. And damage like that is pretty much the end, casting that damage sucks, I've done it.

 

[Joe_P]

Try Cortland 44 double taper lines. When one end wears out, you turn the line around and use the other. So it's basically two lines for the price of one.

I have heard people on the bamboo forums have these lines for decades. I never understood how that was possible even with the switching of lines. Too bad H and H stopped selling their lines, that was the best bang for your buck line wise that i have ever seen. They were great lines.