[trout80]

I was wondering, what do you guys use to clean your lines?And do I need to change backing after awhile?Do you think it gives off a smell to fish if not changed?Thanks

 

[Fish Finder]

A simple combo of paper towel and luke warm water does the trick for lines. Especially on sink tip or full sink lines.

Finder

 

[Junebug]

Fenwick Fly Dressing

 

[stone]

For filthy lines, I fill the kitchen sink with warm water and some mild detergent and soak the whole line in there for a couple of hours. Rinse off and wipe through a dry paper towel a couple of times and it's good to go.

 

[professori]

I was wondering, what do you guys use to clean your lines?And do I need to change backing after awhile?Do you think it gives off a smell to fish if not changed?Thanks

Unless the fish manage to wrap themselves in your line and backing (or if you store your reel in the same bag you carry your catch), I can't see how the backing or line would pick up the smell of fish. As to cleaning, aside from a wipe down with a soft, damp cloth, most fly lines don't need much in the way of cleaning and dressing. At the end of the season like to do as Stone suggests, a warm soapy soak and then hang the line in wide, loose coils for the rest of the winter. Be sure to label each of your lines before you leave them for an off season. Doesn't seem to matter to me how much I believe I will remember which is which, if I don't label them, I will come 'round in spring and can't tell which is my 5 wt and which is a 7 :wallbash: :wallbash: When cleaning the lines it is a good time to carefully inspect the line for any knicks, scrapes, etc. These can hang up in your guides or, in the case of floating lines especially, allow water to seep into the core and cause your line to sink.

 

[trout80]

Thanks,everyone.I app. the advice.

 

[stone]

Professori:

You could always buy a line wt scale to measure the first 30' of your flyline if you ever forget what line weight it is. That's what we used to do at M&Y for lines that come in unlabeled to find out what they are...just compare your measured weight in grains against the AFTMA standard for line weights.

 

[dereke]

unscented dish soap and warm water works excellent

 

[mcallagan]

I generally run my lines both ways through a patch of felt when cleaning/drying them.
They seem to pick up the nics by the strands of the felt pulling out of the patch on them.
Works alright by me as my hands and fingers are callused and not too soft.
:2cents: