Take care of it and it will take care of your casting
The Casting Connection
Scott Swartz founded the Atlanta Fly Fishing School, which began in 1999. It is the largest such operation in the Southeast and the only Trout Unlimited “Gold Endorsed” school in the United States. His Florida Fly Fishing Schools started in 2008, helping anglers learn to successfully fly fish in saltwater
August 2025
By Capt. Scott Swartz
Q. How do I know if I need a new line? I have not fished in years, and I left my line on the reel.
A. It depends on how you stored it.
You will want to inspect your line closely. First stretch your line to get rid of the memory coils and closely examine the PVC coating for cracks. Use good lighting and a magnifier if needed. Small cracks can allow water intrusion and affect a line’s ability to float. Pay close attention to the line-to-leader connection as this “hinge” point is an area of stress. This junction can be cut back and retied if it is the only area needing attention. If the line is not showing obvious cracking I would give it a good cleaning, reapply a top coat of line dressing, and go fishing.
Many of us forget to maintain our lines even though there isn’t much attention needed. Fly lines are expensive so it makes sense to take care of them.
Here are some tips to help you get the longest life from your line, and four things that will affect longevity.
(1) Storage of line: Fly lines are supple because they have plasticizers in their PVC coatings. Over the life of the line, these rise to the surface and are lost, leaving the line stiff and susceptible to cracking. Ultraviolet light and heat accelerate the rate of plasticizer migration to the surface shortening the life. Storing gear in a hot vehicle in the summer, or storing off-season in a furnace room, or in direct sunlight can bake your line. Cool dark places are the best place to store line, and for virtually unlimited shelf life, store your line in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
(2) Keep the line clean: The line slickness, or coefficient of friction, and flotation are most affected by the condition of the surface of the line. Dirty lines do not cast as well, do not float as well, and wear out faster. There are many commercial cleaners on the market, or you can simply use soap and water to clean the line. Use mild soap as detergents can leach out internal lubricants and plasticizers built into the top coating. For internally lubricated lines cleaning is all that is needed, but applying a top dressing, after cleaning and drying, makes lines cast like a dream.
(3) Avoid contaminants: The second fastest way to ruin a line is with solvents. A boat propeller is the first – don’t ask! Solvents are found in insect repellants, sunscreens, and gasoline. If you fish from a boat, watch out for line contact with tanks, and don’t handle fuel, sunscreen or insect repellants without washing your hands. Biodegradable soap is helpful. No soap? Just rub sand from the stream bottom on your palms before touching your fly or casting line. These products are not only bad for your line, but fish do not like the smell. Reason enough.
(4) Amount of use: Manufactures suggest that a fly line’s average life is from three to five years. Many guides replace lines each year, while occasional anglers may have a line last 10 or 20 years with good care and proper storage.
I hope your rods don’t see extended storage, but if they do you can leave line on your reel since storing line in small coils does not damage it.
Send your casting questions to: Scott@AtlantaFlyFishingSchool.com
