How often do you change your mainline?

ICHTHYDEMON · 02-10-2004, 08:12 PM

My brother and I were talking over the weekend about how often we change the line on our reels. I usually change line about every 8-10 trips. He hasn't changed line on his rods in 8 months. How about you?

husker · 02-10-2004, 08:16 PM

PP, tur line, and spider wire guys i know have had on 3 years....

mono change it at least once a year.....

and if u get a big fray change it now

blacktail519 · 02-10-2004, 08:16 PM

8 to 10 trips? Are you talking drift fishing for steelhead... trollin out of a boat.... What type of fishing.... This would make a difference. But every 8 to 10 trips sounds a little to often to me. I will change my mainline once a year, unless it starts lookin shaggy.

Mark Vickers · 02-10-2004, 08:18 PM

Once every 3 months or so I'll do a total refill on my river reel.

Also, if I've really thrashed on the line I'll replace it (or cut off a big section of it). I mostly do that with my larger ocean reels where I've got a bazillion yards of line still on the reel even after I cut some off.

Moley Molson · 02-10-2004, 08:25 PM

I usually change out my mainline on my drift rod about 2-3 times a year (mono). Plug rod has braid and doesn't get changed all that often...maybe once a year, maybe.

I used to change line on my trout rods every 5-6 trips, just because the line would get all twisted and basically a mess....but i've become lazy and now I just soak the spool overnight in hot water, and it's almost like new again.

Ty · 02-10-2004, 08:45 PM

About every 5 or six trips and if I get hung up more often then chage more often.

Of course I have 5 two pound spools of maxima mono too and a professional grade Berkely line winder just like u see at GI Joe's.

Kinda spoiled I guess......

Wood N' Fish · 02-10-2004, 08:49 PM

Husker------- :grin: :grin: Nuff Said----

Lwagg2 · 02-10-2004, 09:22 PM

i change mine once a year although on my big reels for sturgeon fishing i may peel off 50 - 75 yards 2 times a year but they hold 400 yds so if it gets nicks it gone.

Space · 02-10-2004, 10:19 PM

I use 80# tuff on my reels. I usually change the used section of line to the new section about every 2 years or so. I always get about 4 years use out of a spool of tuff line. The only thing I worry about are the sturge. They will fray about the first five feet of line just about every other trip. I just have to cut the bad area out. So after awhile the spool will start to get a little slim. I tend to fish quite a bit so it's well worth the extra cash for the tuff line. I should add that I could get by just fine with a lighter test tuff line. I like the 80# because it's easier to work with when tying knots and such.

On my mono set ups I go by feel. Frays in the line and twist generally let me know it's time. There really isn't a set amount of trips. Alot has to do with how many rock bits I get. If I had to go with a number though I would say about 10 trips.

SPACE

Fast Water · 02-10-2004, 10:20 PM

As a bank fisher, I peel off about 10 feet of line and re-tie before I start fishing. This will keep the line fairly fresh. I watch the line level in the spool and let it get down to the "your crazy" level before respooling.

:smile:

rola76 · 02-11-2004, 07:10 AM

Some of you guys are brave!! Considering spool size on most of my low-pros (Calais/Curados), I change my line out every 5-6 trips.

If you're talking an ABU for salmon spooled up with 50# braided, I'll swap twice a year depending on hang-ups and amount of use.

To me, it's not worth a few bucks to lose what might be the fish of a lifetime!!

rola76 · 02-11-2004, 07:11 AM

Some of you guys are brave!! Considering spool size on most of my low-pros (Calais/Curados), I change my line out every 5-6 trips.

If you're talking an ABU for salmon spooled up with 50# braided, I'll swap twice a year depending on hang-ups and amount of use.

To me, it's not worth a few bucks to lose what might be the fish of a lifetime!!

rola76 · 02-11-2004, 07:13 AM

Some of you guys are brave!! Considering spool size on most of my low-pros (Calais/Curados), I change my line out every 5-6 trips.

If you're talking an ABU for salmon spooled up with 50# braided, I'll swap twice a year depending on hang-ups and amount of use.

To me, it's not worth a few bucks to lose what might be the fish of a lifetime!!

Vandal · 02-11-2004, 07:51 AM

WOW...a triple post now I have something to strive for... :grin:

Corkie Monster · 02-11-2004, 08:32 AM

I replace my main line on my drift rod quite often Especially on the rod I use for spiners/spoons(line Twist). If I knotice my spool is getting low on line I will take half the line off that reel and respool fresh on top. I buy a 3,000 yd spool about every 1.5 years. I guess you can say I'm paranoid about my line.

CM

parker · 02-11-2004, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rola76:
Some of you guys are brave!! Considering spool size on most of my low-pros (Calais/Curados), I change my line out every 5-6 trips.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Come on now, I've yet to hook *any* freshwater salmonind that has yet come close to "spooling" one of my smaller Curados/Chronarchs.

I've seen maybe one or two fish pull an honest 100 yards off a reel, but it's a very rare sight. 100 yards in a river is a long, long, long, long, way. Usually, around the bend kinda long way. That still gives you 150 yards left on your spool.

Heck, I can stop just about any chinook dead in it's tracks with a straight 12/12 line combo.

Ok, not using something silly like 6lb main, who can honestly say they have been spooled (250+ yards) by a any salmonid in a fresh water stream? I dont know of anyone personally.

Even hooking 30 pound springers on a 1141s with 10 main and 8 leaders wasn't enough to spool us. Yeah, it sucks, and takes all freekin' morning to bring the fish in, but never comes close to spooling us.

With that in mind, I usually replace the mono on my reels twice a year. Once in the summer and once in the winter. Really, the only reason for the replacement is that after so man break-offs, it becomes harder to cast with less line. The only line I'd replace every 2-3 trips would be that crappy Izorline. Once that stuff sees daylight, it rapidly deteriorates to garbage.

[ 02-11-2004, 09:45 AM: Message edited by: parker ]

Salmon Hot Shot · 02-11-2004, 10:25 AM

Im with you PARKER. I love my curado and citica. Were I fish if you let them get out 100 yards there gone anyway.

IFISH4U · 02-11-2004, 08:14 PM

12 and 12, ya maybe in the right area. Im very spendy about line I change it often.

BentMetal · 02-11-2004, 08:52 PM

Every couple of trips in the holes I fish in the summer as I am casting a long ways usually, not so often on the much smaller winter rivers I run into.

I've followed Bill Herzogs' writings on that . . . fill up your spool with fly line backing, and just change out 50 to 75 yards of mono on the top. A big spool of Maxima will last a long time this way, and you can change it more often without breaking the bank.