Line Shelf Life

[swill88]

Any opinions here on the shelf life of single strand nylon, fluoro, copolymer and monofilament type line and leader on the spool or in the package unused and indoors?

I think I know what the manufacturers might say.

steve

[STRIPER LOU]

Steve, I'm still using bulk mono on some of my reels that is at least 20 yrs old. From 15 to 80lb test. It is stored in a cool, dark, area of the basement.

I have bulk spools of Ande plus a few other brands and it works fine. Probably not the best thing in the world and not the latest and greatest, but OK.

Where its stored is vey important. UV is killer. If its mono and seems to have any stickiness coming off the spool, trash it!

.............Regard's,  ..  Lou

[RowdyW]

There is a lot to consider on where it is stored. Temperature, humidity, sunny or dark room or container, etc. Less problems with braid. My line is in an AC & heat controled room along with newelly spooled reels. One of the worst places is in a hot garage or in sunlight.       Rudy

[wfjord]

I have partial and full spools of Ande mono that date back to the early '80s and it's still strong and tough.  But memory can become a problem with older stored mono and I'll stretch the top hundred feet or so after winding it onto a reel. I always keep spools of line stored in boxes indoors in an air conditioned house --and do the same with my reels.

[Midway Tommy]

I am still using 20+ year old bulk Cabela's Dacron as backing and Trilene XL clear as my main lines. I also have some old braided nylon that I store the same way. I keep them sealed in a plastic bag inside a cardboard box in my reel room, which is year round climate controlled at 70+- 2 degrees & 55% humidity. Keeping new unused line out of the sun, air and heat/cold are the main factors in longevity ans strength. My 20 year old line is as good as it was when new. All of my user rod and reels are stored with the reels covered to help keep air & light away from the spooled line. Works well for me.     

[swill88]

Great information everybody...  wiki knowledge AT style.

I've got a lot of old spools stored in the house and now I feel better putting them to use.

steve

[whalebreath]

Part of the issue of course is the age of the line when purchased.

I just ditched  two little used  mooching reels full of #25 Maxima that were filled 12 years ago when working in a tackle store you'd think it would have been OK stored in a mostly dark unheated room-but the wholesalers we used were never the best and when the same knot broke twice 'just like that' I knew the stuff was finished.

[oc1]

Funny how it can last for decades when properly stored but become junk in just a few days if left out in the sun.
-steve