As the winter approaches (yes I know it's still September but winter draws on) how should I store my fly lines? The two reels I use for the Trout are Leeda Profils and have quite small spools, should I take off the line for the winter months and spool it onto something with a larger diameter? I've got some carpet inner tubes which are quite large and I'm sure with a bit of bodging I could come up with some sort of line storage device with an even greater diameter.

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I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't.

Some on here will tell you not to bother Gizmo, but I always remove mine, and wind them onto large plastic spools.
Can't see any sense in leaving a good line tightly coiled onto a reel for 6 months.
I use the corrugated plastic drainpipes that are used for sewerage systems, approx circumference is 1 metre.
Just cut them up, they make ideal spool storers, and cost nothing.
It takes minutes, and when you respool, they have NO memory whatsoever.
I use quality lines, that should avoid coiling, but I still do it.
A happy nerd.
S.

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"A glint of sun has warmed the air,The flies will soon hatch out, To lure and tempt from their deep lair, The bonnie speckled trout." SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.

That's what I was thinking, both my main lines are Cortlands and I didn't fancy leaving them tightly coiled for the winter

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I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't.

Hi g1smo

First rate advice off Stephen. Put your lines away in the attic where its cool if you can.

BK

Thanks for that but as I live in a ground floor flat I think the guy upstairs would be a bit surprised when I open the hatch in his floor
I have decided to coil them in large loops and put them away safe for the winter

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I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't.

I leave mine on the reels.

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

Get a large cardboard box from your local supermarket, put a layer of newspaper on the bottom and strip your line in loose coils onto it. If you want to store all your lines, simply put another layer of paper on top and strip reel #2 on to it. Repeat as required and store somewhere dark and cool (but not damp, like a garden shed). Remember to number your reels so that when you come to rewind in the springtime, you'll know which is which

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Game fish are too valuable to be caught only once - Lee Wulff

Nice one

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I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't.

I've got too many reels to store without line on them. Some have been unused for several years. If I've ever not used a line for a while I check it before I take it out and if it doesn't come off the reel pretty straight first time, I put the loose line in a bowl of very hot water and stretch it slightly as I take it out (still hot). I don't know if this is really a bad idea, but IIRC fly ones are made from thermo-plastic plastics (as opposed to thermo-setting plastics) so I think it's probably ok. It's certainly not caused me problems so far.

get yourself down the scrap yard / recycling centre and pick up a bicycle wheel. a good clean before taking them off the spools and then hang them in large coils on the wheel.

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If a man speaks in the woods and no woman is there to hear him............is he still wrong????