How long does line last?

[bckskin2]

I have some line Stren & Gorilla Braid that has been stored for years. It's never been on a reel. Is it any good?

[LunaticFringeInc]

If it hasnt been exposed to the sun and weather its might have some servicable life left in it.

[omegahunter]

Braid is good to go for a long time.  I have had Gorilla Braid and Spyder Wire for better than 12 years and it still pulls in logs that I get hung on.
 
Monofilament is another story entirely.  I replace it every year on ultralights and every other on catfish rigs.

[bulletstuffer]

+1 on omegahunter!  I bought spyder wire when it first came out and it is still on the bait casting reels working like a charm.  That was a long time ago!  The mono line gets changed every year once in a while every other year if I get lazy or want the aggravation of coiling line.


I have a friend that doesn't change his line very often and he his always fighting with the line on his reels.


Good luck,


Bulletstuffer


PS  And yes that braided line does pull in logs!!!

[twoshooter]

Best way to tell is just test it. I have found that if I hang a  light bucket on some and gradually pour in water until I get failure I get an accurate picture of what I am dealing with. I average 3 trys and if it is up to what I need, I will use it another year with braid. Mono, it is not expensive, I will swap it pretty frequently, annually at the longest, if stored well.

[btmidwest]

I usually can find failures when retying lures before going out.  The knots tend to go out first and on the 12 lb I use it's easy to test and pickup on.

[Savage]

Back when I fished 100+ days a year, I'd replace mono when I'd broken off/cut off & retied enough line to where it affected casting. (Lots of rocks and timber) Modern mono is a lot less effected by light and time than most line manufacturers would have you believe.  Braided line seems to live almost forever. I've still got a few miles of it on bulk spools, including some of the old Lynch Braid, which is over 20yrs old. When you hook a log or rock with that stuff, you drag it out or the hook straightens. I believe you could tow my bass boat with that stuff! If you fish a LOT and your rods lay out on the deck exposed to the elements, then once a year or so I'd change the mono.  I should mention that I use a backing on my larger capacity reels. Less line to replace, saves some bucks.
Savage

[Ranger99]

depends on where you fish also.


when we fish inshore in the salt marsh,
most of what hard bottom there is
is shell. fishing in that , we change
every trip. you can feel the nicks in
the line easily. barring that, we'll run
the line off of one reel onto another
so the line at the center of the spool
of the first reel is now the fresh line
on the outside of the second.

[Savage]

 we'll run
the line off of one reel onto another
so the line at the center of the spool
of the first reel is now the fresh line
on the outside of the second.

Also a good tip!
Savage