Fly Line Tune Up

Winter is still gripping most of North America but Spring is in sight. This is the perfect time to go over gear to make sure you're ready for fast and furious fishing this season. One of the most important things to check is your fly line. A new fly line will float better, mend better, cast farther, and come off the water easier, and with less splash, so you don't scare fish.

I like to get out all of my fly lines this time of year and evaluate them. Some of them may just need a good cleaning, while others just need to be tossed and replaced.

To check your lines, run your fingers down them feeling for cracks, rough spots, and places with inconsistencies. Also, look closely at your lines for dirt and other things that will worsen the line's performance. If I find just a little dirt, I'll clean the line, either with a soft cloth and water or with a fly line cleaning kit. If there are visible cracks, roughness, smashed sections, or missing line coating, then I will replace the line.

You don't realize how much a new fly line really helps your fishing until you try one. The smooth zip of the line as you cast and the overall better performance of the line on the water and in the air is a great way to bring in a new fly fishing season this Spring.