The Pikers Pit

Hello,

I bought end of July a Rio Intouch pike musky fly line. I started fishing with this line beginning of October and I would say that I have fished 40-50 hours with this line.
This weekend however I noticed that my fly line was damaged in the last part before the running line. The whole last section (+/- 3,5m) shows cracks over the whole length. All the other fly line is OK.
Is it normal for a fly line to detoriate that quickly or did I do something wrong which could have caused this damage? Has anybody repaired a fly line like this? If yes, whats the best way to do this?

Kind regards

Blimey, I've had fly lines go like that, but only after years of use.

I'd contact whoever you bought if from, supplying that pic, and see what they say. They really ought to replace it. It's not repairable.

It looks like some unusual damage, what can be seen of it and "cracks over the whole length" sounds very odd.

Did the line get any maintenance at all, between sessions? Wondering how many'ish sessions you got in for 40 - 50hrs of use.

Contact your supplier, as Steve says.

Sessions were usually 2-3 hours. In the beginning I practiced with the line on a grass field. The fishing was always done wading with or without a stripping basket.
I haven't done any maintencance. Should I have done anything?

It's good practice to wind your line back on the reel at the end of the session through a soft foam pad with a line cleaning agent or just water. It just clears off any algae or surface crap. Sounds to me like you've been supplied with a damaged line. As Steve has mentioned, they are not for repairing.

I had a couple of Courtland floating lines go like this when I first started pike fly fishing. First check your tip ring...might be cracked. Second don’t cast over grass with a decent line, it can pick up minute bits of dirt that can damage the line. All is not lost however with your damaged Rio line....chop the damaged forward end off & splice it onto a shooting line & you’re back in business. If you pick a decent line you’ll have a shooting head that’ll last for years

If you have the box contact Rio with the bar code number and tell them whats happened and ask them for the year of manufacture.
If its an old line, and I would suspect it is, contact the seller and ask for a refund because they sold you old stock.

This is what I did with a 'new' line and Cortland told me it was 11years old, I explained everything to the seller and they replaced it with a new line.

Try the solution above first and if that fails comeback and I can guide you through the rewelding process.


FYI I always strip off the used section and leave it on the lounge carpet overnight, I only clean once, at the seasons end.

As mentioned by Seb and Mike (above) your flyline IS repairable - do not chuck it. I have done it myself for many years.

Plenty of YouTube vids on rewelding or rejoining a damaged line

HTH ....... Tony

Rings of my rod are all OK. I don't have the box anymore, so I can't check if it's an old line.
I have already looked up some video's on youtube how to repair fly lines. However it's the whole 3,5m of handling section that shows these cracks. There are also some small cracks visible (can't feel them) on the running line, but not over the complete length (I can't cast all the line out).

thueske wrote: ↑Tue Nov 26 2019 19:39 -

Rings of my rod are all OK. I don't have the box anymore, so I can't check if it's an old line.
I have already looked up some video's on youtube how to repair fly lines. However it's the whole 3,5m of handling section that shows these cracks. There are also some small cracks visible (can't feel them) on the running line, but not over the complete length (I can't cast all the line out).

If you have the spool the bar code is on there.

Personally I would never buy a specialist line for pike, anything that floats with a 30lb core will do, eg; half of a DT and 3-5ft of T17 on the end will get anything out there.

No I dont do subtle, except when Im upstreaming.

By an Airflo sniper, far better and probably cheaper.

Morning Thuseke,

Regarding your fly line, you mentioned that you checked you "eyes" on your rod? I was in conversation with a group of anglers who were just about to go out fishing at Rutland earlier in the year, whilst talking to them I noticed that one anglers rod had the "Butt"ring lining missing, the chap mentioned that it was always been like that.
I compared it to his boat partners rod to which was intact, he then said one of his mates in another boat had the same rod, I checked it out and found that to was missing!.
I showed the angler the same rod on display in the tackle shop so he could see the fault.
I have witnessed other anglers "Butt" lining inserts missing a few times over the years, and always amazed that the rod owner was not aware, if this is so, your line will deteriorate very, very, quickly, with it running over bare metal.

Captain Ahab wrote: ↑Thu Nov 28 2019 20:48 -

By an Airflo sniper, far better and probably cheaper.

+1 for the Sniper, a nice line.

I don't have the spool, so I have no chance to check the age of the line.
I have double checked all the guides and rings and they are fine.
Could stripping of the line against the frame of the reel cause damage like this, see picture?

Stripping in the manner you illustrate is not advisable.
Just ask yourself - if it was why isn't the reel frame fitted with some sort of wear protection?

Please do not take offence but is your reel set up to recover the line correctly?
Just asking because a salmon angler I met this summer was using a right-handed reel as a left-hander.

Yes, my reel is set up correctly.
I went to the shop today and they will send the line back to Rio. Hopefully I will get a new one.
I also bought a Airflo sniper line so that I can continue fishing. This line looks good and was much cheaper than the Rio line.

It's a rio line that's why its cracked the quality doesn't match the price tag I'm afraid. I had an outbound short for a season, don't get me wrong it was a great casting line but after 6mths or so it was well and truly cracked. Best advice is to buy an airflo sniper cold saltwater line, they're indestructible unless you do what my my Mrs did and went over a leader with a vac, emptied a full spool of line and melted it around the brush oc the vac

The guideline pike f/h/I is an amazing line and now going for £45 in Glasgow angling. I’ve used sniper lines and have one at the moment great lines but for an intermediate/sink tip Id choose this over the sniper any day of the week if that’s the density your looking for. I use this for 90% of my fishing. The s1/s3 I don’t get on with as well.

Why is the Rio stuff so expensive? Not just the fly lines, but taperd leaders(all varieties), tippet material. Tippet Rings are nearly I think eight quid for ten. The magic fly line cloth etc. Is it to fund that well spoken guys fishing trips on YouTube who plugs there tackle?

It’s the fly fishing tax to keep the riff raff away

Slug wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05 2019 12:01 -

It’s the fly fishing tax to keep the riff raff away

Seems to be a damn fine reason to stock up then.

Slug wrote: ↑Thu Dec 05 2019 10:44 -

The guideline pike f/h/I is an amazing line and now going for £45 in Glasgow angling. I’ve used sniper lines and have one at the moment great lines but for an intermediate/sink tip Id choose this over the sniper any day of the week if that’s the density your looking for. I use this for 90% of my fishing. The s1/s3 I don’t get on with as well.

I agree it's a shame there's no slow or standard intermediate, the fast inter I'd class more as a Sinking line. The vision slomo isn't a bad line I've also got a couple of wychwood predator lines I got asked to trial that they never released but they're pretty dam good one inter and one floating line

If you want cheap fly lines look no further than here.

https://www.leichichina.com/product/fly-line.html

Same names, colours, tapers, identical (except for the prices) to the branded items sold in the high end stores you might almost think they could be the same?

Their rods aren't bad either.

How do you order? Is there a min order quantity? How much cheaper is it after shipping and 4% PayPal fees?

Hi, search for Maxcatch website (sign up for offers, like discount codes) or Maxcatch on Aliexpress.
Its where they sell there stuff. Rather than bulk orders or samples.


Bob

ps or eBay.

spittlebug wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06 2019 15:24 -

Hi, search for Maxcatch website (sign up for offers, like discount codes) or Maxcatch on Aliexpress.
Its where they sell there stuff. Rather than bulk orders or samples.


Bob

ps or eBay.

I hadn't orderd from Aliexpress until last week. I've been looking about a various fibre glass rods in a 4#.But most were around £300.00.Someone mentioned at having a look at the Aventick glass rods. I came across an American fly forum for glass rods and they seemed well thought of. So I orderd one, coming in at around £70.00 If I don't like it, it's not going to break the bank. Only downside is the delivery is 20-40 working days.

Hi, Maxcatch do sell Fiberglass rods, few have bought them on www.flyfishing.co.uk
Look in Tackle Talk section, big thread on Maxcatch stuff, including info on leichi as well.
Do a 'Search' of forum as well, for a item etc.

https://www.maxcatchfishing.com/Fibergl ... _rod_.html

Another source of Fiberglass rods, blanks etc.

https://swiftflyfishing.com/


Lee Wulff Triangular Taper (a mate used them) used to crack up quicker on the thin running line.
Long front taper as well, made this easier to cast, easier to hold the head up, in the air.
Better to improve your casting thou.
Rio Outbound appears to be same in some ways. Different head design for heavy or wind resistant flies thou
As well as Pike Line (Martin), Trout line is the same (a lad i know had one), so don't last well compared to thicker running line.

Saltwater lines normally made for Hot conditions, so line as harder coating.
I had one for Trout, Scientific Anglers Orbit Taper (got cheap Fly Fishing Show), didn't last as long in UK cold conditions, plus a bit springy, plus shortish head (prob good Bonefish Line), not that i like long distance/ long belly lines (in most cases not needed, need to be a good caster, & even then more effort to cast, for little reward in most situations) .
Try to cast them on back taper (a thicker bit), rather than thin running line.


Bob

ps Maxcatch sell Lines that might be good for Pike Flies (Ordered one).

pps now ordered loads off Aliexpress.

UL Rods, Reels, lots of other things, sometimes very quick, week or two, sometimes slower, sometimes lots slower.
You have options for shipping, try to pick a free or low cost airmail shipping.

spittlebug wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06 2019 23:55 -

Hi, Maxcatch do sell Fiberglass rods, few have bought them on www.flyfishing.co.uk
Look in Tackle Talk section, big thread on Maxcatch stuff, including info on leichi as well.
Do a 'Search' of forum as well, for a item etc.

https://www.maxcatchfishing.com/Fibergl ... _rod_.html

Another source of Fiberglass rods, blanks etc.

https://swiftflyfishing.com/


Lee Wulff Triangular Taper (a mate used them) used to crack up quicker on the thin running line.
Long front taper as well, made this easier to cast, easier to hold the head up, in the air.
Better to improve your casting thou.
Rio Outbound appears to be same in some ways. Different head design for heavy or wind resistant flies thou
As well as Pike Line (Martin), Trout line is the same (a lad i know had one), so don't last well compared to thicker running line.

Saltwater lines normally made for Hot conditions, so line as harder coating.
I had one for Trout, Scientific Anglers Orbit Taper (got cheap Fly Fishinhg Show), didn't last as long in UK cold conditions, plus a bit springy.
Try to cast them on back taper (a thicker bit), rather than thin running line.


Bob

ps Maxcatch sell Lines that might be good for Pike Flies (Ordered one).

Bob,

I did look at the fly forum, but the arguments about mono/Fluro/Newzealand Method/Dry Fly etc put me off. No offence, but f**k me.

Hi, bit like on here then
Same on most forums.

Some on there who know there stuff, use your own filters.

Info is Info, on any forum.

I look at info off forums were they will know about it, if fishing tackle, or other stuff, were there will be thousands have bought/ used the same stuff.
Make a judgement of peeps knowledge or experience, who seem to know there stuff, not that you have to do exactly the same.

Bob

Monts wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06 2019 16:12 -

spittlebug wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06 2019 15:24 -

Hi, search for Maxcatch website (sign up for offers, like discount codes) or Maxcatch on Aliexpress.
Its where they sell there stuff. Rather than bulk orders or samples.


Bob

ps or eBay.

I hadn't orderd from Aliexpress until last week. I've been looking about a various fibre glass rods in a 4#.But most were around £300.00.Someone mentioned at having a look at the Aventick glass rods. I came across an American fly forum for glass rods and they seemed well thought of. So I orderd one, coming in at around £70.00 If I don't like it, it's not going to break the bank. Only downside is the delivery is 20-40 working days.

Not a bad little rod that 4wt, the 5wt is decent too bit more of a classic glass action rather then the more modern s-glass slightly faster action.
The maxcatch 7' #3 is a good little rod too but the #6 is god dam awful so far out of balance that it's just not enjoyable. I've a few glass rods I've built myself as well, recently built a haldin 88 which is a great light pike outfit.

Back on topic re lines I got myself a maxcatch outbound short copy last year as a bass line should I ever get around to going, haven't used it that much but it flies out the rings. Think it was around £12 from Aliexpress but it only comes as a floating line