9 proven ways to make sure you stay a mediocre fly angler

#7  Ignore fly-line maintenance

When was the last time you washed your fly line? And would you like to instantly add five or 10 feet to your casts? Well, that’s the effect of a clean fly line. Over time, dirt, algae and fine debris accumulate on the line, along with household dust. Practice casting on grass also builds up grime on lines. At a minimum, you should wash lines every season, and more often if you fish gunky water. Not many fly anglers seem to know this, and even fewer do anything about it.

Assuming you have access to a bucket, dish soap and water, washing a line takes 15 minutes, and costs nothing (see www.outdoorcanada.ca/cleanflyline). The effects are dramatic. A clean line moves much more smoothly through the rod guides, for longer, more accurate casts. Clean lines also float better, last longer and are less prone to tangling and coiling.

On a related note, I generally eschew high-end fly gear, except for lines. Premium lines really do perform significantly better than bargain ones, so they’re always worth it—especially if you take care of them.