Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Fishing => Fishing Line, Knots, Splices and Rigging => Topic started by: jgp12000 on January 22, 2026, 01:06:22 PM

Title: What line is this?
Post by: jgp12000 on January 22, 2026, 01:06:22 PM
I got a DQ 285 that came with this line & was about to replace. It was spliced to mono near the center of the spool. It seems high quality & very strong,brownish tint?

I saved it.
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: oldmanjoe on January 22, 2026, 01:58:09 PM
Take another picture , your background is killing it .   But it does look like brown mono .
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: jgp12000 on January 22, 2026, 02:55:36 PM
Joe I already put it away but I am gonna use it
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: Midway Tommy on January 22, 2026, 03:18:09 PM
There are lots of brownish monos out there, Trilene Big Game, Maxima, Izor, T-line, the old Royal Bonyl, etc. Do a webby search and match it up.
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: alantani on January 22, 2026, 06:05:40 PM
if it's an unknown age, you might consider tossing it.   :-\
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: foakes on January 22, 2026, 11:16:25 PM
I generally spool new line on my user reels every 2 years.

Cheapest insurance.

If you're just fishing your own pond —- no big deal, try out the line.

But if you have a chance to catch a really large fish away from home —-
like Alan sez —- consider new line.

For my mono, I use Trilene XT in 4-6-8 lb. test —- for fish in my area on the Western & Eastern sides of the Sierras.  I buy it in large bulk supply spools.

Also, I burn my take off line from clients reels, and my reels a couple of times a year.  That way, they don't find their way into the landfill where birds can get caught and die.

Best, Fred
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: JasonGotaProblem on January 23, 2026, 01:26:25 AM
I'm a bit confused. Light mono is so cheap it's basically disposable. Why bother saving it unless it's of some historical interest?
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: oldmanjoe on January 23, 2026, 03:25:29 AM
It could be some lead line also .   Does it have some weight to it ?
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: oc1 on January 23, 2026, 05:13:22 AM
A line that can stand up on its own coils like that is too old and stiff to be useful for anything.
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: Donnyboat on January 23, 2026, 09:50:38 PM
Any hooks I throu out I grind the end of till I am past the barb. cheers Don.
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: quang tran on January 24, 2026, 05:41:39 AM
Not very clear picture ,it may be Fire line . My favorite for lighter line
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: Midway Tommy on January 24, 2026, 06:59:50 AM
Quote from: oc1 on January 23, 2026, 05:13:22 AMA line that can stand up on its own coils like that is too old and stiff to be useful for anything.

I agree with Steve. From the photo it almost looks like rusty old 18ga annealed wire.  :o   
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: mhc on January 24, 2026, 11:58:20 AM
Copper wire trolling line?

Mike
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: jgp12000 on January 24, 2026, 04:09:00 PM
I stuck a lighter to it burned like large mono,seemed unbreakable,but it's in file 13 now.

I use to like black fireline until I took a friend to one of my honey holes,this pond is unreal,every cast you either get a strike or a fish. You could literally catch 100 bass in one day easily ,which I wouldn't do to the owner or the pond. I keep 10-20 at most.

Anywho,he was catching 3:1 more than me.He was using green big game trilene.I switched to his line
Was catching same amount as him.I know some ponds fish are line shy this pond isn't clear or muddy
But the line made the difference with the same identical plastic worm.
Title: Re: What line is this?
Post by: Jim Fujitani on January 25, 2026, 08:10:54 PM
I'd guess it was Royal Bonnyl, at least 20-25 years old if not older.  I had one spool of it.  In my opinion it was very good mono, for its time, and a little expensive.