Today's fly lines are more trouble-free than any lines in history, but one thing manufacturers haven’t been able to make much progress on is memory.

ALL FLY LINES have memory — they “remember” the shape they are stored in, usually coils on a reel or on a storage spool. The reason is simple: most lines are made with nylon cores and PVC coatings, and both materials tend to hold and retain their shape. But memory in these materials is also temperature dependent, and the colder the line, the stiffer it will be, and the memory more tenacious.

As fly fishers, we know that to achieve maximum casting performance and to minimize tangling, lines should be as straight as possible. Lines made for fishing in cooler climates and waters, like trout specific lines, are made with softer coatings and cores to minimize memory in lower temperatures. Lines designed for use in tropical heat are usually made with harder, stiffer coatings and cores. Cool weather lines used in tropical heat will be very soft, shoot poorly and tangle badly. Tropical lines fished in cool weather will be quite stiff and will be difficult to straighten and will require repeated stretching if the line is returned to the reel for even a short period of storage. So, what is the best plan for optimizing line performance?

First, get the right line for your application. If you expect your steelhead line to work equally well for bonefish, you will be disappointed. If you take your tarpon line salmon fishing, you will spend more time fighting your line than fish.

Although softer lines made for use in temperate climates do have some memory, in many cases, unless the weather is unusually cold, the memory can be “fished” out of the line in the first few casts. If you don’t want to wait, or the weather is cooler than normal, give the line a quick stretch. And in lines made for the tropics, it's just about impossible to cast the memory out of the line.

CLICK HERE for article in Midcurrent
by Bruce Richards