braided line maintenance

[Pratheep]

fellow anglers, my last saltwater angling was in December 2020. Almost last six months no angling due to Covid-19.
Pools are resting with braided lines. One of my angling partner told that the braided line will break when using after six or more months.
please let me know how to maintain a braided line when not in use for a long time.

[travelmember]

   Pratheep.
As long as it was decent braid in good condition, then your braid should be fine after 6 months. If you are concerned then take it off and reverse it back on to the spool.


If you are popping for the tuna then I would change it - especially if you have pulled some fish on it. Whilst it doesn't lose structural integrity like mono, it is sensitive to abrasion so when it is pulled through the water by a freight train, it can pick up microscopic abrasions that can weaken it.

[Echo7]

I guess its time to change my 40lb Powerpro bought in 2010 

[Pratheep]

The problem is don't know when I'm going to use it again.!! covid sucks....

[Nooduck]

I have CHEAP “Ebay” braid that will be 8 years old in September.
The line has faded and is now pale blue colour but it’s still good.
Used it in December again and my son was fortunate enough to land a decent Poensie from the boat.
Last few years I only get down to the coast once a year only, after each trip I place the reel spools in a bucket with salt away and water mixture.
I let them soak for 2-3 days, maybe that’s why my cheap braid lasted that long.
 

[bowsalekta]

My 2C is that there is more chance that corrosion will form on the spools if the braid is left for a long time. I learnt the hard way after 1 fishing trip with a new Shimano Sustain reel. I left the braid on and even after a thorough rinse the salt sweats through the line while wet and causes corrosion on spool. 6 months later on the next trip the spool was corroded and un-usable as the corrosion around the lip of spool would cause abrasion on the line. All my reels with braid are now un-spooled after use. An electric screw driver and some creativity with an old spool takes a few minutes to take the line off.

[REEFMAN]

Many, or most of my reels have braid on for longer than 10 years. They are all quality braids - Sufix, Whiplash, Fireline, Gosen etc
Have never had an issue with braid rotting or breaking. After use, I rinse in fresh water and let dry before storing.My multiplier reels have Whiplash and Sufix backing that has been on for 15 years with no problem...
I always test cast my reels before a trip, just to make sure there are no issues.
As Travelmember said, if you have doubts, reverse the braid on the spool - saves big time in the long run.

[Marthin]

Cheap real cheap freshwater intended braid will rot on a spool, i had that happen once.

Any of the better braids with a form of coating will last for years and years even if it's faded.

[Lurkzilla]

Resurrecting a slightly older thread, but thought it relevant as the information is based on scientific testing. Hope it is helpful:


The specific material braid is made from is known by many different names. Spectra, Dyneema, high molecular Polyethelyne. its all the same thing, with very minor tweaks depending on the implementation. For example, it is coated with PTFE for fishing application. In the mountaineering/climbing industry, all soft goods, even those made of 100% Spectra/dyneema is guaranteed to hold a specific work load, and have a specific breaking load (usually 22kN). These products are guaranteed to be safe at these loads by the manufacturers for a period of 5 years, barring excessive wear and UV exposure. This is the max the manufacturers recommend before the item needs to be retired, but many mountaineers use  their equipment well after this period FOR CRITICAL LIFE SAVING APPLICATIONS as they know the age and amounts of wear the item has seen. I've been an avid climber for over 20 years and  have researched the topic quite extensively as I often have to train young climbers as  part of a climbing club.


So yeah, I'm pretty sure your line will be fine for at least 5 years, though it will get weaker over time, with UV exposure, chemical exposure (anything on either side of pH neutral is bad) and specifically with wear. Heat/abrasion is particularly bad for Dyneema compared to nylon fibers.