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Category: Insider Tips & How To

When to Clean or Even Replace a Fly Line

It’s time for spring-cleaning. Days are getting longer. Rainbow trout will soon be spawning. If you haven’t done it lately, it’s time to take inventory of your fly fishing gear. This time of year, that often means replacing old fly lines.

How do you know when a fly line needs to be replaced or just cleaned? In our experience, many anglers put up with poor fly line performance much longer than they should. A new line or a clean line will float higher on the water, allowing for better presentations and longer drag-free drifts.

Whether you fish fly lines from Rio or Scientific Anglers, we have two new videos to help with your spring fly line cleaning.

First, take it from our friend Doug Garvey from Scientific Anglers. Here are a few tips on replacing and cleaning your SA fly lines:

Click here to take a look at our Scientific Anglers fly line cleaners.

Cleaning an SA Fly Line

Here are two things to remember: first, if your fly line is especially dirty, give it a soak using the Scientific Anglers Fly Line Cleaner. Otherwise, cleaning a line is as simple as running it through a Cleaning Pad.

Second, if using a Mastery Series line from Scientific Anglers, we’d recommend using the Fly Line Dressing. However, the dressing is not recommended on Scientific Anglers Amplitude lines, especially the textured lines. These lines are designed with AST Plus technology, which allows the lines to re-lubricate as they are run through the cleaning pad.


Next, take a look at our video with Davis as he covers a few great tips on cleaning your Rio Fly Lines:

Click here to see our Rio line cleaning products.

Cleaning a Rio Fly Line

When it comes to cleaning your Rio fly line, here are a few things to remember: first, carry a few Fly Line Cleaning Towelettes in your bag or vest. These are perfect for quickly improving a dirty line when you’re on the water.

For at-home cleaning, do a full soak using a bucket of soapy water and a bucket of clean water. Then, use a Rio Wondercloth to finish removing any dirt and grime. Finally, revive your line using the Rio Agent X Fly Line Dressing. But remember that your fly line should dry for 24 hours after application.


Replacing A Fly Line

As both Doug and Davis mentioned in these videos, if your line shows visible cracks, it’s time to replace it. You may be surprised at the difference in performance a new line can make.

Click here to shop our complete “Linebrary”. We carry every line in every taper from both Scientific Anglers and Rio. If you need help selecting the correct line for your fly rod or style of fishing, visit us at the fly shop in Littleton or give us a call at 303-794-1104.


As March approaches, it’s time to prep your gear for some great days on the water!