Line Treatments

[ogilvie]

This has been a very good topic to discuss...after a few moments to consider all the comments on this site and another it only stands to reason to understand this thing. Floating lines with AgentX,Ridge Technology and air bubbles...riding on the waters film,just below and so on. If the floating line is dirty,line stick is more of an issue, presentation is poorer and so on. The same can be said for Sinking lines of course...equal but opposite to a degree. Thinking back to fishing the Hardy Mach 1 Clear Intermediate Spey lines it was soon very apparent that the line needed to be cleaned or else it floated too high in the water column...causeing more resistence and difficult casting situations . The intermediate belly is fairly large in diameter compared to their other Intermediate line...so when fished beside each other that would explain why my fishing partner was getting down further;1 being a new line and 2 mine needing degreaseing.

Nice to understand this stuff...

C

[toolman]

I would add that the same degreasing is often neccessary for mono/fluro, leaders/tippets as well. I usually just use a clean wet rag and give them a wipe. For cleaning Airflow floating lines, which are made from PolyUrethane and not PVC, which is used by most other line manufacturers, I've read that Airflow recommends using "El Slicko", STP "son of gun". I have been using a clean wet rag and then an application of line dressing for all of my floating lines.

I try and keep my floating lines clean at all times to get the highest floatation possible and to improve shoot-ability. Some lines float higher than others, but when buying a new line, it's always a trade off between line belly/taper profiles, floatation, durability, castability, shooting qualtities, mending abilities, turnover etc. And don't forget to clean your running lines, used with your shooting heads as well.

[maxwell]

great issue too bring up dude..i cleaned a few of my lines a few nights back after having them for less than a month, granted a dozen days on the water...and man were they dirty...i find that most speylines dont float as high in the surface film mainly because i think they were more designed too be fished on the swing so i figure i will be cleaning all of my floating scandi heads a little more often when nymph fishing...didnt realy think about shootability in the running lines tho being slicker and cleaner....good on ya for mentioning that...im with teh wetrag then scientific anglers line dresser for treatment...

[Harps]

I like the SA line dressing... I don't clean my lines near often enough, but it makes a big difference when I do.

 

For leaders and tippets, its a degreaser... liquid soap, glycerine, and fullers earth (fine clay, often used in cheap catlitter). Sinks the leader, or at least lets it cut through the surface tension.