old fishing line

Question
I have a lot of old unused monofilament fishing line on store bought spools, some years old. Does stored fishing line loose it's quality over time? How long does stored line last? How often should I replace the line on my reels? What are rules for braided line? Thanks

Answer
Hello, and thank you for the question. Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Yes, indeed line will definitely lose its strength and quality over time. Monofilament line being made out of nylon will dry rot. Also another problem you run into with old line being on your reel for some time is line memory. So when you cast with old line, you run the risk of throwing a really bad "birds nest" or tangle. Depending how often you fish, especially if you're fishing in saltwater,you should replace monofilament anytime the line shows nicks, or weakness. What I do, I replace my line twice a season. Take your old line off at the end of the season, then put fresh line on at the beginning of the season. Of course you may have to replace monofilament more often if you're fishing heavy cover, etc.....braided line I replace once a season. Braid is a tough customer to say the least. As the line starts to wear a bit, just cut off about 4 feet of it and you'll be good to go. If braid ever starts to fade and lose its color, take a permanent marker, and Mark up 3 to 4 feet of your line to restore it's color. Handy trick, and it works great. Keeps your line the right color, and doesn't spook the fish. Hey I hope this helps, if you need any more questions answered, please feel free to drop me a line. Until then, Good fishin'