Hi All

I bought some DT4 line from John Norris about a month ago.

Noticed it was sinking, took a look and saw that in several places the outer coating had cracked or peeled.

Now I'm assuming that this is good line and that I've damaged it (rather than it being a manufacturing fault).

But how have I done this and what can I do about it?

All the damage is in the first 10ft or so, increasing in frequency and severity towards the tip.

My guesses as to the cause(s) of the damage: stepping on the line; hitting the line against a bridge I was casting under; too much backing on the line / too small a reel = line pushed up against the reel cage, bunching and generally getting squashed.

Now for the cure. Would a few dabs of superglue judiciously applied over the broken "outer" re-seal the braided core and restore it to its former floating glory?

What say ye? I'm new to all this so any suggestion, no matter how obvious, would be welcome.

Finally, when using the "keeper" on the rod, should the fly line NOT be through the final eye (which results in it being doubled over at quite a sharp angle and under some strain)? In which case only the leader and/or loop should be doing that fold. I wonder if that has been a/the cause of the damage.

Thanks

Rev,

If the line was sub-standard when you purchased it - send it back for a replacement. If you have caused the damage by standing on it or casting it against a bridge, throw it away.

If you were to try and effect a repair and subsequently hooked a fish of a lifetime, which escaped through line failure, you would never forgive yourself. Besides any repair(s) may impact on the smooth running qualities of the line.

In relation to use of the keeper ring - don't use it, instead, attach your point fly to one of the rod rings approx half way down the rod and then wrap the loop formed around the reel.

if it is cracking (i.e. no discernable pattern to the cracks, usually smaller cracks spaced out in the tip area) then I would question the integrity of the line. A line shouldn't be cracking after a month.

However, what you're describing sounds more like cuts. If your reel is really full and you wind the line into it and catch a sharp edge, it will make a cut along the length of the tip and will be more pronounced in the last 10' of the line or so. That sounds like what has happened here. Check your reel and see if there are any sharp edges, especially where the spool meets the cage. My Reddington AL has a sharp edge because of the design and I have to be careful about winding the line on in a messy way.

If you have cleated wading boots then you might have cuts on the line from stepping on it, but more likely you'd have cut through it.

As for the line through the eye part. I always leave the fly line through the eye so that the leader cannot catch when you pull it out. I'll hook the fly on one of the middle guides, bring the leader around the reel foot, and then back to the tip. That normally works for leaders up to 12' or so. I don't reel the line tight though, just enough to keep it from slipping off the back of the reel.

Thanks,
Rick

Thanks.

Being a DT line I'm told I can reverse it and use the previously far end for the leader loop - basically swap backing for leader!

I won't try and fix it - I'll just swap it over and see how I get on taking a bit more care of the line.

Forgot to mention. You can use aquaseal to repair the line if the core is in good shape. The core is what takes the strain of a fish, so if it isn't cut you're fine. Use some aquaseal or uv cure in a light coating on the areas that are exposed. Let it cure and give it a go.

Thanks,
Rick

---------- Post added at 10:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:21 AM ----------

yes, a DT you can swawp around. Just check that the line core is unharmed For a trout rod, you might want to cut 20' off the damaged end. That will solve your capacity issue too.

Do you wind the leader onto the reel when you finish fishing? There's a chance that fine diameter mono has cut into the line.

__________________
A forum post should be like a skirt. Long enough to cover the subject matter, but short enough to remain interesting.

Firstly, I'd recomend trying the dealer explaining on the phone your problem and see what satisfaction he can offer.If this fails you could try a repair.

Aside from the annoyance of feeling the damaged core on every cast, you run the risk of the core absorbing water, which will make the line sink and perform oddly. The best method for repairing a fly-line coating depends on the severity of the injury.

In The Orvis Guide to Tackle Care and Repair, it recommends using adhesive to bond the exposed ends of the coating together and to the (undamaged) core. This is ultimately a temporary fix because the adhesive will eventually buckle, crack, or fail because of the constant bending and stretching that a fly line undergoes. However, if you only have to perform this operation a few times a year, it might be worth it.
Repairing Fly Line Coating
One simple way to repair a nicked fly line is to bend the line and apply Aquaseal® or a cyanoacrylate (CA) glue to the crack.

Aquaseal®, gel-type superglue, and flexible CA glues such as Loctite® 414 and Flex-Zap have been used with good results. The key is to ensure that you apply the adhesively evenly and completely.

Finally, it sounds as if you have a few probable causes of damage. Cracking of the line tends to occur when the oils in the plastic have dried out. It almost always occurs on the front 10-20 foot of the most hard working part of the line. The application of strong detergent cleaners can cause this sort of damage. I'm not in a position to comment further about how your treatment of the line may have contributed to its damage.

BK