When do you replace your lines?

[4000]

What do you think is the life expectancy of your leadcore lines, mono lines, fluoro lines . . . etc. . .

When do you typically replace them? Once a season? Once every 2 months?

[pirate36]

Good question. I replace the mono after each season, not sure if that is too often or not often enough? Will be interested in seeing the replies.

[mtcfish]

With braid I reverse it to another reel after 1 season and dump it the next. This is with 60-80 trips per season.

[alantani]

for reels that hold less than 300 yards of mono, i replace the line every fishing trip. line is cheap, fishing trips are not.

[4000]

I usually change my mono once a year . . . maybe twice a year if I fish more than usual.

My powerpro lines have been on my reels for 3 years.

I have leadcore lines that I put on my trolling reels last year and used them perhaps 3 times . . . wondering if I should keep them for a month or two for the beginning of this season.

OK, I'm not that cheap. . . I tie on a new leader everytime I go out . . .

[bunkerhead]

For bottom fishing I have left the power pro on for a couple of years. For mono on my light reels, I will go 6 months to a year depending on how much I use them. For mono on my tuna reels, I usually don't use it more than twice.

[The Fishin Place]

I have been changing line every 2 months or so during the season. We have a long season here (April to October), so the line gets changed 3 times a year. Like alantani said, line is very cheap compared to the trips and the heartache of losing a big fish. Get the 2 pound spool and it will fill 9 Shimano Speedmasters. Cost about $50. Just my 2 cents...

[dingbat]

I change mine line when needed which can vary from one trip to a full season depending on what and how I'm fishing. Nine times out of ten ts abrasion damage to tje line and that is easily resolved by cutting off the damaged portion and re-tying. Using a good high quality line suitable for the intended application will go a long way in eliminating any wear related line failures.

Why such a short "long" season in Ga.? We fish 10 months a year I figured you guys's wouldn't even put the boats away.

[The Fishin Place]

dingbat - 5/19/2005 12:09 PM

Why such a short "long" season in Ga.? We fish 10 months a year I figured you guys's wouldn't even put the boats away.

I guess I should have qualified that statement. I normally troll fish offshore for Kings, Dolphin, Wahoo, AmberJack, and Barracuda. They are around from about April to October. That was the "season" I was talking about. During the "Off Season" so to speak, I fish the intercoastal and the ajoining creeks for trout and red fish. They run from sometime in September thru around April. No, I don't put the boat away. It sits in the driveway year round, but offshore fishing is more fun and that is the season I was referring to. The little inshore fish are great eating, but there is nothing like a 60 lb. wahoo taking almost all the line and working you to death for an hour or so. Sorry for the confusion....

[clinecs]

I fish here in Florida and typically fish pretty much year around offshore. I change our Mono line twice per year...every 6months. On our bottom rods, I fish w/ braid and typically leave it on for 12-16months at a time.

[reefhunter2]

Generally speaking: I run 20# Maxima Chameleon on my Penn 112H's, which I replace every two months, depending upon usage. 50# Dacron on the Everol 6.0's, which I replace at the end of the season.

[cafe55]

I change mine after every season.

[ubettcha13]

I use braid w/topshot The braid on all my reels is 3 years old and still breaks at the same poundage as when I put it on. The standup stuff topshot every trip it's only 100-300 yards the rest of the rods any tournament and every spring

[HullSlap]

alantani - 5/18/2005 10:04 PM

for reels that hold less than 300 yards of mono, i replace the line every fishing trip. line is cheap, fishing trips are not.

Alan,
Normally I like your input and I've really learned a lot from you about reels, but..........

Your recommendation that line should be replaced after each trip has to be the award winner for the most outrageous case of "THT Overkill" I think I've ever seen. Seems like a tremendous waste of money not to mention a horrible waste of perfectly good line and time. If I replaced all my line after every trip I would burn through about $1100 per year . Please tell me you're pulling our legs.

[treedog482vs]

Depend on how you treat your line.

For Mono if you let it stay in the boat overnight during a frost you better replace it immediately or prepared to be dissapointed when it breaks, usually down in the spool of all places.

Also if you leave your reels exposed to the sun for long period of time (days) stored outside the UV rays will break down the line. Keeping it inside and above freezing, and cut off and retie when frayed by fish, or on structure and you shouldn't have to replace line more than every 6 months.

[dingbat]

treedog482vs - 5/19/2005 8:30 PM

Depend on how you treat your line.

For Mono if you let it stay in the boat overnight during a frost you better replace it immediately or prepared to be dissapointed when it breaks, usually down in the spool of all places.

This is a new one. Why have I never seen this even though I store and fish my equipment in sub-freezing tempertures on a regular basis?

[TB Hawks]

For smaller reels I agree with Alan, I fish most of the time in the backcountry and nearshore. I am takling about Stradic 2000's and 4000's holding 185 yds on the 2000's and 250 on the 4000's, when fighting 30-40 lb Bull Redfish the line gets a good work out, I may change out the leaders two or three times during a trip.

My live bait rods (Calcutta's) once again depending on the fish, Tarpon, Cobia, Bull Reds and Large Snook every trip. I will use Mono for two to three months when targeting Spotted Sea Trout and smaller reds on the flats.

When I go to the Keys, all fresh line for Permit and Tarpon... When trolling while there the size of the fish will determine if I need to change out the line each day.

You may think over-kill, I call it preventative maintenance....all trolling rigs have new Bimini's tied each night for the next days trip and new leaders.

[strikerthree]

I use yo-zuri hybrid on all my conventional and stren super braid on my spinners all with a mono backing, regardless I change my line every season I could probably go 2 seasons with the yo-zuri hybrid as it is a better line than straight monofilament, but I don't wanna lose the "big one" due to fragile line

[Notus23]

Twice a year unless I had a big fish then the line gets replaced....

[Tireless]

4/0, 6/0 and 9/0 reels maybe twice a year - I use a lot of braid. On the king rods the line changes around 3 times in a season. I rarely experience line breaks.