Fishing Line Expiration Date

[Guest]

I have several bulk spools of McCoy fishing line that are 3-4 years old that still have tons of line on them. I've stored them in a box that's in a cabinet in my garage. Would this line still be good and can it be trusted as main line, or would a better use be as backing?

Thanks....Joe

[flipthatjig]

i dont really know to much about that...but when i leave my rods in my boat outside during the summertime....the heat does something to the line and it becomes weak...if u have it stored in ur garage for a few years then im not sure.. me personal i wouldnt use it i would trust something new.

never hurts to try it out...unless u have a 10 pounder on

good luck

[DAKINE198]

I still have some Stren Supertough that I use off a bulk spools I bought several years ago. As long as its stored in a cabinet and in a stable enviroment i've never had a problem.

[Larry Hemphill]

Line stored in a cabinet in a garage should be fine for several years. Heavy pound test can develop some memory however, especially if on a small diameter spool

[Scott D.]

I don't know about your garage, but mine gets hotter than 110 on the hot summer days, and colder than a witches...well you know...in the winter. Those kind of extremes, no matter if the line is stored in a cabinet there or not, will KILL line. I store my line spools in a closet inside the house. Dark, and a fairly constant moderate temperature is what you want.

[Mitch]

Depending on the type of line, most will become weak from heat when stored in the garage. The newer lines such as Floracarbon, and the co-polamyrs are the most succeptable. ( the old Mono lines will withstand the elements better) Next to heat is exposier to light. It's adviseable to store ALL kinds of line, even braid, out of the light and in a consistent temp. Between 65 and 80 degrees is about the best. What you have now, I would use as backing or for fun fishing only. Good luck and good fishing

[Fish Chris]

Critical with ALL monofilament lines....... While braid has a virtually unlimited shelf life.

Peace,
Fish

[luvmystratos]

If I were you I would use it only to fish for fun and not in any kind of competitive fishing. My Dingbat Brother-in-Law was fishing with me in a Tournament on the Delta and he laid into two Bass that had to go easily over 8lbs and he lost them both because the line broke. When I asked him how long he had the line on his reel he claimed at least 3 years and the Rod/Reel was stored in his Garage all that time. He was just too cheap to buy some new line. Needless to say, buy some new line for the Tournaments and use the old stuff for the other!!!

[mark poulson]

*NM*

[Fishin' Dave]

I would not trust line older than 1 year old. I'm with Fish Chris on this. Like milk, you want to look for the expiration date or in the case of fishing line, the born on date (like Budweiser.) Cooch and other Floro "experts" say that floro does no break down lke mono. I know quite a few pros who change their line every night!

[Fish Chris]

all day long, I was totally waiting for somebody to tell me, "Yea ! Braid never breaks down ! ....in the lake either ! But since nobody said this, let me beat them to the punch.....

Braid left in the lake is admittedly "even worse news than mono.... and mono left in the lake already sucks" !

I have one very simple answer for this; Always use a high quality fluorocarbon or regular monofilament leader. I use a 6 lb fluoro leader with 10 lb microbraid. 20 lb fluoro with 30 lb braid. And 25 or 30 lb mono with 50 lb braid. Needless to say, but even when I do snag and have to break off, I never leave more than a few feet of mono leader, and more often than not, I break the palomar at the hook or lure, instead of the bloodknot between my leader and braided main line, leaving no line in the water at all.

PLEASE don't leave ANY line in the lake if you can possibly help it.

Peace,
Fish

[Guest]

Looks like I'll be careful with the stuff! Use it mostly for backing, it would be a shame letting it go to waste.

Thanks again....Joe