Time for a Change
It’s the day before the tournament and you see most all the fisherman frantically changing there line. So you change your’s too right! Is there a reason? Or do we just do it because everyone else is? The pros do it and it seems to just follow down the line, doesn’t it? Do we really need to change it every day, week or month?
Let’s look at the manufacturing process so we can make our own educated decision. First of all I am not a scientist I’m a fisherman so we won’t get to exacting chemical make ups or be too specific. Fishing line is made of nylon; co polymer is more than one type of nylon mixed together to provide a better product than only one type of plastic alone. Today’s fishing lines are made from specific formulas engineered to meet specific needs. Simply the manufacturing process of Fishing Line starts with plastic or nylon pellets that are melted down to an exact temperature. Then the plastic is forced (extruded) through a hole of an exact size much larger than the finished diameter. These machines that extrude and process the fishing line are almost 100 yards long and very expensive. After extrusion the line is sent to and through several big rollers which stretch the line to an exact diameter. Specifications for the diameter vary widely among manufactures the higher the quality line the more exact the tolerances. While the line is being stretched it is also being hydrated which is very important for the finished product, line absorbs water and if it’s too dry it will be brittle. Picture a machine 100 yards long with 6 or so rollers a few feet thick with fishing line woven thought them. After going through this extrusion, stretching and hydrating process it is tested and rolled on big rolls, like 5kg spools. These rolls are stored in a special room for a predetermined period of time. Note a lower quality line may have shorter wait time from storage to consumer. After the storage time is complete the line is tested to insure tensile strength, diameter and durability. If the line fails it is tossed away were not talking a few hundred yards here it’s more like 50,000 yards or so; however, much line was extruded in that batch. This inferior line can be resold to another manufacture, re-branded to another line company or who knows. Ever wonder why items end up in the bargain bin? A few years back I acquired this knowledge first hand from the general manger of a Fishing Line Company. He went over the complete process start to finish. They had a special proprietary process to hydrate the line during the stretching phase. There tolerances are very stringent test them for yourself, grab a micrometer and check it, the diameter is very consistent start to finish. Fishing line is wound on the rolls stored and retested, if the line fails any of their tests it is discarded or sold to another manufacture, not reused or re-melted by them, as told by their general manager.
Fishing line is hydroscopic which means it absorbs water and also water can evaporate from it. When the line looses it moisture is becomes weak, brittle and can break much less than the rated strength. When your line has been out in the sun for a while it dries out and you will need to replace it. The next reason for change would be stretch; once line is stretched it looses its strength. Say you had a snag a pulled the line to where it almost broke, (or did break) that section of line that is stretched is no longer useable and needs to be replaced. Another reason is twist; you know that tangled mess on your spinning rod after you used it all day. Line also gets nicked and scraped which could be a bad deal with a five pounder on one end and $1000 big fish purse on the other. That has to be one of the worst feelings to break off on a fish. “Can you feel that empty feeling in your stomach and your knees go weak”?
Fishing line can last many years if stored in a cool dry location.
So when do you change your line? For me on average I change it every three to six months for all of my rods. Certain condition call for more frequent changes liked if you fish in the desert during the summer your line will become brittle and need to be changed more often than if you reside in Oregon. Fluorocarbon line resists chemicals better and will not absorb as much water as monofilament causing it to last much longer. I will leave fluorocarbon on my reels for six or more months only peeling off a little at the end, plus it’s expensive. However, when I’m fishing a tournament I will insure all of the rods I’m using have fresh line on them, no sense taking a chance. If during the day a get a snag I peel off the amount of line that was stretched to prevent a lost fish. In addition, I will feel for nicks and then grab the lure and pull hard to insure the knot is secure.
You will start to notice things like poor casting, backlashes, knot strength, the line breaking easier on a snag and discoloration (light or chalky color), these are a signs you need to replace your line.
