Yes, it’s true. Let me explain.
[dropcap]Y[/dropcap]our flyline gets exposed to a lot dirty water, salt or fresh, and over time it collects gunk and then doesn’t slide through the guides as well or float as good as it did when new. A dirty flyline produces friction in the rod guides and you lose distance and if a floating line – floatability. To remedy that takes about five minutes – start to finish. Most flyline producers have line cleaner pads or bottled cleaning chemicals: RIO, Scientific Anglers, Airflo, ORVIS, Cortland, for example.Soap and water?
Most producers of flylines advise cleaning with soap and water. A labored event that I avoid like the plague. RIO even has a two part YouTube video on cleaning fly lines. A little over the top, but then again, that’s their business and it’s better that they want you to perform better and have your flyline last a longer then to have them hope your flyline self-destructs.
Plastisol
A while back, I was using ArmorAll and it wasn’t long before it ATE my flylines. An expensive lesson. It’s too chemically harsh on the plastisol coating on flylines. Mucilin is another product, in its various compositions, that some folks use as a flyline cleaner. It has some controversy attached to it and SA rejects it for use on their products. Anything that is delivered via an aerosol spay, according to my chemical engineer friend, is also off-limits because the carrying agent in aerosol sprays tend to be harmful to plastisol.
Cleaning pads
The “cleaning pads” that are available from the top producers of flylines will allow you to clean your flylines adequately and quickly. While there’s no rule telling you WHEN to clean your flylines, a good rule of thumb would be to just feel the line after an outing. If it feels like it has gunk on it, clean it.
Dimpled type flylines
If you’re using dimpled type flylines, like Sharkwave, you’ll be wise to clean them after each outing. I clean mine pretty much after each outing because it takes so little time to pull off the line and give it a wind back-up using the pad. Too, I fish in the subtropics in both fresh and saltwater, which are harsher and dirtier than a Pennsylvania trout stream.
Reuse
Once used, I keep the pad in a ZipLok bag and in the frige. I get more than one cleaning out of each pad. Another benefit of the cleaning pad ritual is that you get to inspect your flylines – noticing cracks or flaws that spell replacement time.
Fair warning
Do not use any cleaning agent on your flyline while it’s wet. Make sure it’s dry before attempting to clean.
Wonder Cloth is a micro-abrasive cloth that strips out deep-lying dirt without roughing the line.
Apply a thin coat of AgentX line dressing after use for maximum benefit.
4 pads per pack.
ORVIS Fyline Cleaning Pads – three disposable fly line cleaning pads in a small plastic, flip-top container. Ideal fly-fishing accessory for storing in your fly vest or pack to help give your fly line “like new” performance.
