SPRING CLEANING
Easy hacks to get your gear in top working order—before it’s too late
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Photo: RIO Products#1 Fly Lines
If you don’t do any other pre-season maintenance, at least clean your fly lines. Even if you only fish the most pristine creeks, your line still picks up gunk such as pollen and suspended particles. Washing a line only takes 20 minutes, and you’ll be astonished at the difference it makes. Not only does a clean line float better, it also runs through the guides more smoothly, making long casts easier.
The best cleaning method I’ve ever found is the so-called two-bucket method, demonstrated by fly angler and filmmaker Tim Flagler in a popular online video. All you need is a little warm water, dish soap, a towel and, naturally, two buckets. Avoid automotive- or vinyl-cleaning products—those were okay in the 1980s, but they actually harm the coatings on modern fly lines.
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For an extra edge, treat your line after washing with whatever conditioning product the manufacturer recommends. Just don’t follow the example of one hapless angler I know and put flotant on a sinking line.