How To Change Fishing Line

Water, sunlight and stress all factor into the deterioration of fishing line as they will wear and break down the line over time. If fishing line absorbs water, this will cause it to stretch and weaken. Some lines may be resistant to water and are not affected by it. The ultraviolet rays from the sun can also cause the line to lose strength as well. These factors will negatively affect the fishing line gradually and affects may not be noticeable until it is too late.

Stress on the line will greatly wear it down. Whether fighting against a ten pound fish or hooking a jagged rock, any time the fishing line is taut, it is being stretched. Fishing lines are generally meant to be stretched in order to control the catch.  They can take a lot of stretching, but this will still contribute to the weakening. Any object taking on stress will weaken over time. This means that your fishing line needs to be changed occasionally. The older the line, the more likely it will snap in the middle of a fight with a hungry fish. Be sure to change the fishing line often enough to ensure that your catches will not be lost due to poor maintenance.

Changing your fishing line is an easy process. What kind of line you choose will depend on what kind of fishing you will be doing. Before choosing a fishing line, consider that the cheaper the cost, the more likely it is to coil up or cause knots.

To start, take the end of your fishing line and thread it down through the eyelets of the fishing pole, starting from the tip. Once the fishing line has been strung throughout all the eyelets, it should be tied to the reel. If you are using a closed reel, insert a pencil through the center of the spool and have someone hold the spool in order to keep tension on the line as you reel it in. If using an open reel, just set it on the ground, letting the reel keep the tension. It is important to keep tension on the line as you feed it onto the spool. This will keep it straightened and stop the line from getting twisted or knotted as it wraps around. Don't put too much tension on the line though, otherwise it will stretch out and weaken.

Once the line is attached, wind it onto the reel by twenty cranks, then check to see if it is twisting at all. If it does happen to be twisting, try to fix this by turning the spool of line over. If the line is not twisting, continue to wind it until it has filled up to 1/8 of an inch away from the edge of the spool on the reel.

Fishing line can be damaged easily without being noticed. If you want to be sure your line will not snap, change it at least once a year. Different hazards like rocks and sticks can damage the fishing line from contact, so occasionally check to make sure it is clear of any nicks or knots. If you find a weak spot like this higher up on the line, simply cut it off and throw it away, but replace it if it is too far down the line. If your line is too short, it can lead to casting problems. You won’t get the desired distance or depth since the line won't come off the reel as well. Also, when replacing fishing line, be considerate of nature by cutting up the old line and properly disposing of it. Many fishermen will leave an old line out where animals can get tangled in it and die.




How to Replace Your Fishing Line. 2006. Red Raven Press, LLC. 20 November 2006. http://www.activeangler.com/articles/how-to/articl es/chadd_bryant/replace_line.asp

How to Put a New Line on a Fishing Rod. 2006. eHow, Inc. 20 November 2006. http://www.ehow.com/how_2215_new-line-fishing.html