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A Recession-Busting Tip for
Repairing Fly-Fishing Lines
by John Reece
New lines are so expensive at roughly $70 for a new one
it makes sense to try and repair the line first. Many
people are feeling the need to tighten their belts.
How many times have you planned a fantastic day of
fishing only to find that somehow the fly line got
caught and then damaged as you tried to free it. Maybe
it got wrapped around a sharp rock or all tangled in a
nearby tree. Perhaps it even got snagged on your
fishing-reel spool and the frame?
A problem like this can easily curtail your fishing
trip. But it doesn't have to if you follow some of my
tips on repairing fly lines that have had their coatings
shredded slightly or nicked at some point.
So What's The Problem When Your Line Gets Damaged?
There are two main problems with having a damaged core.
The first one problem is when your line has lost its
integrity it can take on water, which can make the line
behave oddly usually making it sink. Secondly, the
distraction and annoyance you feel when your fingers run
over the damaged section when you cast
If you are using a PVC fly line, the process is a little
more complicated and difficult, because of the need to
use a heat-shrink tube to cover the damaged section.
This is kind of sleeve is the sort of tubing you often
get you to attach a braided loop the end of the fly
line. It's also the kind of thing that you could pick up
in a hardware or electrical store.
All you need to do is apply a piece of tubing that just
larger than your line. When you're doing this repair the
most serious thing that can go wrong is applying heat
carelessly and damaging intact portions of your fly
line.
Cut a section of tube that is about an inch longer than
the damaged portion of line that needs repairing.
Carefully slide the tube over the damaged area then
whole league section to be repaired over a normal
tungsten light bulb.
The gentle heat from the bulb is just enough to heat the
sleeve but not melt your existing coating - or burn your
fingers.
This process causes the sleeve to shrink fit over the
damaged part and you can very carefully trim off any
excess with a small sharp craft knife. Smooth off the
join using a tiny soft pieces along the edges.
TIP: If you're not sure how this process is going to
turn out you can always use a test portion taken from
the very end of your line and practice with that rather
than trying to do the fix right in the middle.
A simple and straightforward solution for non-PVC lines
is to use an adhesive to rejoin the damaged ends of the
core and the coating back together again.
Although the fixing may eventually buckle and crack
because of the flexing of the fly line over time, this
temporary fix can be enough to salvage your line for a
few more fishing trips.
Gel type super glues and compound adhesive create the
best results. Make sure that the adhesive you apply
covers all the damaged area completely Keep the coating
relatively thin. A toothpick, with its fine slightly
flexible tip is an excellent tool for applying the
adhesive. Any excess can be wiped away with a moistened
finger. Once the adhesive has been applied push the two
ends together and hold the surfaces together to give the
glue time to bond effectively. Once you've made good the
repair you must let the line dry completely before using
it again otherwise your hard work will have been in
vain.
So now you have enough information to minimize the
damage and keep your fly line in operation for a bit
longer. Just try not to concentrate too much with your
fingertips as inevitably you will still feel the repair.
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