Save Money by Repairing Your Fly Fishing Line

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?

And because new lines are so expensive at roughly $70 for a new one it makes sense to try and repair the line first.

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.


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 minimise 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.

Happy fishing,

John