When fishing, many anglers are curious about how long the fishing line will last and whether he or she will need to spend more on maintenance. Similar to the question I often encounter, how long does fly fishing line last? To find out more, scroll down to find the answer.

What is the shelf life of fly lines?

The shelf life of a fly line is the limited period during which the fly line exists. This period is calculated in years and depends on various factors, for example, how often the fishing line is used or under what circumstances it is used. However, there are still some cases where if we do not preserve the fly lines well, they will not last for at least one year. But if you are careful and keep your fishing line in the best possible way, this number can be up to 20 years.

Does fly line have a shelf life?

Of course, it does, but there won’t be an exact number to measure. Because of this, manufacturers will often only label the expiration date by which they will be responsible for repairing damage to your fly line. So that they can calculate how many times you should use per fishing line. If not abused and adequately maintained, usage will last from 100 and up to 250 days.

How long does fly fishing line last?

Usage frequency

Fly lines are usually recommended for 100 to 250 uses. However, I will do the following simple calculation to convert by year.

For those who fish more than 50 days a year, this fly line will only last a maximum of half a year, and worse, only 3 months if it is one of the leading fishing lines on the rod. This only happens when you really love fishing, and it is necessary for you to invest and replace good quality fly lines.

Fly anglers with a low fishing frequency only go fishing for 10 to 20 days each year, but their fly line lasts more than 10 years. I assume this fly line has a shelf life of 250 times in use.

External factors

In addition to discussing usage times, we also need to consider other external factors. If you limit the external factors that will negatively impact your fly lines, your fly lines should be able to last more than 10 years.

For instance, a saltwater fly line will wear out more quickly than freshwater. One of the reasons is that the salt in seawater is highly bleaching, so it will destroy some of the structures that make up the fishing line.

Additionally, suppose your fly line is exposed to sunlight or extreme temperatures. In that case, it will also cause your fly line to deteriorate faster because the temperature will also quickly destroy the properties of the fly line.

Furthermore, if you do not clean and sanitize your fly line after use, this will increase the rate of wear and tear on the fly line. Imagine that if you have a productive day at work, then when you take a shower, you will have more energy. So remember this with your fly line.

See also: Best fishing line for trout

Is 20 year old fishing line good?

Using the fishing line that is 20 years old is okay, but I’m not sure it will be very effective for you. Imagine that when you don’t use it or use it very little, your fishing line has had a long time of environmental exposure, right? So even if it’s 20 years old, your fly line has been affected by external factors and will undoubtedly have some wear and tear.

It is recommended that the monofilament fishing line be replaced after 3 years of use. With the braided line, after 5 years, you need to replace it. And 10 years is the time of using the fluorocarbon. You can use the older fishing line, but there is no guarantee.

How do you store fly lines?

One of the signs that you need to replace your fly line is cracks, scratches, or fraying. These are signs that your fishing line has worn out over time.

So, what should we do to store the fly lines? Here are some tips for you to warranty your line correctly.

Avoiding your fishing line out of the sun

As I mentioned above, sunlight can shorten the lifespan of your fly line. However, this does not mean you should not go fishing during the day and keep your fly fishing line out of the sun.

Typically, you should not use fly lines by fishing them and leaving them exposed to the sun for long periods because this will cause your fly lines to absorb a significant amount of heat and wear out more quickly.

Remember to clean your fly fishing line

As you know, fly lines are expensive, so it’s great that you must preserve them to avoid spending money on buying a new one. Cleaning them neatly after use will help you save much money when replacing fishing lines. I’ll give you the basic steps in cleaning your fly fishing line.

• You need a little hand soap, a bucket to hold warm water, and a soft cloth to clean the fishing line. The soap here must be liquid, the number of buckets filled with warm water is two, and the soft cloth is two.
• Once you have enough essential ingredients, you choose a water bucket and add soap to it, then stir to create bubbles. Then, pull out the fishing lines and place them in the bucket with soap bubbles. This is the first step for exposing your fishing line to the cleaning agent.
• Then, stretch one of the soft cloth from the end of the fishing line to the end of the fishing line. This step helps clean your fishing line with soap.
• Next, move your fishing line into a basin of clean water without soap. Use the remaining soft fabric and stretch it from one end to the other. This step ensures your fishing line is cleaned again in warm water, free of soap.
• Finally, take the line out of the buckets and re-spool the fishing line onto the reel.

Dressing the fly fishing line

There are several aids you can buy to help you treat your fly fishing line. I do not recommend making your own dress for your fly fishing line. Stay away from those whose main ingredient is silicone because they can quickly melt when exposed to hot environments.

Conclusion

So, fly fishing lines can last more than 10 years if used carefully. But when used with high frequency, maintenance of the fishing line is necessary. There are many ways to maintain, but cleaning after use is the most important. If you find it useful, please continue to support us by sharing, and we look forward to seeing other articles in the future.