Questions about Old Line and Leaders

[RCFetter]

I'm about to pick up my fly rod(s) again after a 5 year layoff (I was somewhat active on the old forum).

I have some quality 4, 5 and 6 wt lines that are 7 yrs old and 10 yrs old. I always took good care of them. What's the conventional wisdom on lines that have been in a reel for 5 years?

I also have some unused good leaders of the same age. Should I just replace them?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[NorthBranch]

If the fly lines were cleaned up and stored correctly they should be fine. Have a look at them. If you don't see any cracks, and they still feel supple, I would try them. However, you'll probably have to pull the line off and give it several good stretches to get the kinks out.

The leaders might be a different story. If they were stored where light couldn't get to them, they might be OK. However, I would probably just replace them.

 

[Tiltaxp]

I'd replace them. Check out hook and hackle for their brand to save a few bucks. 3 lines and 5 leaders will run about 100 bucks and you're starting back fresh. Good luck.

 

[outsider]

NorthBranch wrote:
If the fly lines were cleaned up and stored correctly they should be fine. Have a look at them. If you don't see any cracks, and they still feel supple, I would try them. However, you'll probably have to pull the line off and give it several good stretches to get the kinks out.

The leaders might be a different story. If they were stored where light couldn't get to them, they might be OK. However, I would probably just replace them.

Agree. I had to take a hiatus from fly fishing due to back and shoulder surgery. My lines were well cared for, and they performed well. Do they float and cast OK? Any coiling?

I also agree if the leaders were stored properly, they might be OK. Do a little testing on the tippet sections.

 

[csoult]

If the line is holding the memory from being on the reel try to stretch it out until the coils come out. Other than that if it floats it's fine.

 

[RCFetter]

Thanks for the advice. At least two of the 5 yr old lines were never used so I'll give them a try. Guess it's best to replace the leaders.

Thanks again for your help.

Bob

 

[outsider]

I found a leader today that didn't quite pre-date horse hair, but came close. It's an Orvis 7 1/2' 3X "one knot" leader. Probably had it since the 70's. So I gave it a strength test, and tied it on to a 6 weight line.

Fished it today for an hour and caught 3 bows, the largest pushing 18", with broad shoulders. I thought I was snagged in a riff, so I moved the tip of the rod around to free it. Then it started moving. The prettiest holdover rainbow I ever caught.

 

[lestrout]

One advantage of ffishing tippets in the 8X range is that the strength of the rest of the line/leader is not a problem. In fact, when I pick up mono from the trees and parking lots (originally to declutter things and help the birds/bats - I've seen too many critters, dead from getting entangled in discarded mono), I usually repurpose the stuff and build the salvage into my leaders.

Some of the lines I use still are going on 40YO - I use Abolene or silicone paste on lines anyway to float them, and as long as I stretch the kinks out, they are almost as good as my brand new hi-tech GenXXXX lines.

tl
les