A floating line is designed to float, slide through the guides and lift cleanly off the water. All of that depends on something that’s easy to forget: a clean surface. When a line is designed, decisions are made about how much each section weighs, how dense the coating is at the tip and which additives help it shoot. Much of that work is lost if the line is covered in mud, algae or sunscreen.

The good news is that cleaning it is simple, cheap and quick. Here’s what happens when you don’t, and how to do it properly.

Why a dirty line fishes worse

The tip starts to sink. A floating line doesn’t float just because it’s light. Its coating contains hollow microspheres that lower its density, but it also needs a surface that repels water. As the line gets dirty, that surface stops shedding water and starts holding it. At the tip, where there’s very little coating around the core, that difference is enough to make it sink.

You notice a sinking tip straight away. Lifting the line off the water takes more effort, the next cast lands with more disturbance and the dry fly starts to drag or go under. If you fish a dry-dropper, the sinking tip pulls on the whole rig and throws it off.

It shoots less. Many lines have lubricants built into the coating that gradually work their way to the surface. Dirt covers them and increases friction against the guides. The line doesn’t shoot as well, is noisier through the guides and feels rough in your fingers when you retrieve it.

It wears out sooner. Silt, fine sand and dust stuck to the line act as an abrasive. Every time the line passes through the guides or your fingers, those particles scratch the coating. Over time, fine cracks appear and, once they reach the core, water gets in. At that point no amount of cleaning will bring the line back.

A dirty line isn’t a worse line, but it fishes like one. Before replacing a line, it’s often worth trying a good clean first.

How to tell your line needs cleaning

There’s no need to wait until it’s obvious. These are the most common signs:

  • The tip sinks when it used to float.
  • Running the line through a damp cloth leaves grey or green marks on the cloth.
  • The line feels sticky, rough or dull.
  • It’s noisier through the guides or when you retrieve it.
  • It doesn’t shoot as well or tangles more easily.

How to clean it, step by step

You don’t need much:

  • A basin or the sink, with lukewarm water. Avoid hot water.
  • A few drops of mild soap, such as a gentle washing-up liquid without bleach or additives.
  • A soft or microfibre cloth. A non-abrasive sponge works too.
  • Clean water for rinsing.
  • Optional: the cleaner or line dressing recommended by your line’s manufacturer.

1. Strip the line off the reel. Let it fall loosely into the basin of lukewarm, slightly soapy water. There’s no need to strip the backing. The fly line is enough, or at least the first 25–30 metres, which do most of the work.

2. Let it soak for a few minutes. Five to ten minutes helps loosen the dirt.

3. Run it through the cloth. Hold the cloth in one hand, pinching the line lightly, and pull it through with the other. Repeat until the cloth comes out clean. Pay particular attention to the head and tip.

4. Rinse with clean water. Soap left on the surface attracts dirt too.

5. Dry it. Run it through a dry cloth and let it finish drying in the air, in loose coils and out of the sun.

6. If your line allows it, you can use a dedicated line dressing. Put a small amount on a cloth, run the line through it and wipe off the excess with a clean cloth. Some lines have surface treatments that need no product or only accept a specific one. If the manufacturer says nothing, a thorough clean is enough.

7. Wind it back onto the reel without too much tension.

The whole process takes about fifteen minutes.

What not to use

  • Solvents, alcohol, petrol, acetone or general-purpose lubricants. They can damage the coating or strip out the additives that help the line shoot.
  • Harsh detergents, bleach, or soaps with fragrances or moisturisers. They leave residue or dry out the surface.
  • Scourers or abrasive sponges. They scratch the coating.
  • Products not designed for fly lines, even if you’ve read that they work for someone.

Be careful with what you touch on the river, too. Insect repellents containing DEET can damage the coating of many lines, and some sunscreens call for care as well. If you’ve put them on, wash or dry your hands well before handling the line.

On the river: a quick clean

You don’t have to wait until you get home. If the tip starts sinking during the day, wet a cloth or handkerchief in the river and run the last few metres of line through it several times. It’s no substitute for a full clean, but it’s usually enough to get you through the day.

If you’ve been fishing in muddy water or among algae, give the line a rinse in clean fresh water when you get home, even if you leave the full clean for another day.

How often to clean it

It depends on the water and how much you fish. As a guide:

  • In clear rivers: every few outings, or whenever you notice any of the signs above.
  • In murky water, among algae, in reservoirs or with a lot of pollen on the surface: after every outing.
  • Always before putting it away at the end of the season.

Cleaning it more often than needed won’t harm it, as long as you use lukewarm water and mild soap.

How to store it

Away from heat and sunlight. The dashboard or boot of a car in summer is probably the worst place for a fly line. Heat and ultraviolet light speed up the ageing of the coating.

Dry, backing included. If the reel has got wet, leave it open in the shade until it’s completely dry before putting it back in its case.

Without tension for long periods. If you won’t be fishing for a while, you can take the line off the reel and store it in loose coils, or wind it loosely onto a large-arbor reel. It will come back with less memory.

If it comes out with memory, stretch it gently by hand, section by section, before you start fishing. It doesn’t take much force. Pulling too hard can deform the coating.

When it can’t be saved

Cleaning restores flotation and slickness when the problem is dirt. It won’t fix a damaged coating. If you see fine cracks along the tip or head, if the line keeps sinking straight after a clean, or if the coating has peeled and the core shows through, the line has most likely reached the end of its life.

A well-cared-for line usually lasts several seasons. How long it lasts depends as much on how it’s looked after as on its quality.

In short

  1. Dirt sinks the tip, reduces slickness and wears the coating. Many lines that seem worn out are just dirty.

  2. Clean it with lukewarm water, a few drops of mild soap and a soft cloth. Rinse well and let it dry in the shade.

  3. No solvents, alcohol or scourers. And be careful with insect repellents containing DEET.

  4. Clean it every few outings, after fishing in dirty water and before putting it away at the end of the season.

  5. Store it dry, in the shade and without tension. A hot car ages a line more than many days of fishing.

Why we’re telling you this

In designing our first line we’ve spent a lot of time on tip flotation and on keeping the line slick as it’s used. But no coating is immune to dirt, and how a line is looked after matters as much to how it fishes as the decisions we make in designing it.

For more on what to look for when choosing a line, read our guide to choosing a fly line. And if you’d like to receive our updates and hear when our first line is available, you can sign up here.