All this tinkering sounds exhausting to me. 
Iām still fishing the original #3.5 orange level line I bought 3 years ago. Iād guess there are probably better options out there, but optimization has never been my goal. I found something that seems to work so I have no desire to fool with it.
I have found as a few years have gone by now, there are three lines that I use the most and can get me through an entire day and a majority of conditions. Two level line sizes 3.5 and 4 and a hybrid line from TRC. Iāve tried other line especially the furled lines (which I still have) when I was a beginner. My most commonly used level line length is 12 feet. I can get a full year to year and half out of a line before, I think, it starts to lose some of its color. One of those twenty meter spools can last me a few years if I donāt get āline crazy.ā
Rob and Mike,
I am curious if my illustration is accurate of your level lines. How straight can you get yours ironed out?
This is about nuances that I feel that I am missing in level line.
I am not try to make not a commentary on anglerās personal choices.
I actually had one of my best outing of this season with the wobbly level line, but it also got me reflecting on characteristics of that level line and what seemed missingā¦
A seven fish day is a good day for me. I do believe any line will do, but at the same time also am interested in feeling the strikes that I am missing. Strikes that as I note I would expect to feel, and that are validated with my last outing.
I too still own all the lines I have ever purchased. Different material, different weights, differnent lengths, and different colors. They all have utlilityā¦it is fun to experiment. No different than with rods or flies. I own a good number of rodsā¦so they all end up in the rotation.
Furled lines are great beginner lines, but they also have utility beyond beginners. There are days where that extra weight comes into play. I like heavier lines when its windy. Furled seem to anchor better in water because they have more surface area. Heavy flies turn over easier with a heavier line. They are also much more visible. I fish greylight a lot and sometimes those thin level lines are just impossible to see. I have seen footage of some seasoned japanese tenkara anglers using what looked like furled line. Seems like furled lines have a beginner status attached to them. Thats fine with me, I am not hung up on it.
My tinkering might seem unnecessary, but I am just trying to solve a problem that I am experiencing. It is not as if I have been given a good solution from anyone.
Like you Rob. I fish one line during an outings unless there is some condition that requires an adjustment. I do have some favorites to fish. I really like the nylon and flourocarbon level lines for a lot of presentation . They are far more delicate. And its enjoyable to tune my presentation skill with those lines. If it wasnāt for the memory waves in the line and the sensitivity lost, I would probably just consider sticking with different weights of LL.
Excuse the awful photo but this is how the first couple of feet of line look simply pulled off the spool and stretched. Pretty straight by my books. Nothing on the end of it, just the line itself.
I can get them pretty straight using the stretch method. Not ruler straight but straight enough for me. There is one of my lines for some reason, that wonāt straighten out entirely at the end knot where I tie on the tippet. It always has a very slight curve in it. Doesnāt affect the way it fishes though.
Thanks Duncan.
Hmmmm. That is definitely not what i am getting.
I must be doing something dumb.
I will try some fresh lines and use your methods. Peder may be right. I might be winding too tight or something.
Thanks everyone for helping. I will try to narrow down where i took the wrong turn.
My experience is the same as Robāsā¦fairly straight when stretched, except for the knot end, which always has a little curl. After a handful of casts on a given day, I know longer notice coils or curls in the main part of the line.
For the record, I fish dry flies probably 75% of the time, so strike detection is a total non-issue for me. When I do nymph or use wets/kebari, I would say that visual strike detection results in more fish than me feeling the fish on the line.
Not sure whereabouts in the USA you live but as you appear to Tenkara fish in the colder part of the year I wonder if temperature has anything to do with the āstiffnessā of your level line?
Looking at @duncanp photo of his line straight from the spool, he lives in the UK where it is considerably milder than your Winter climate even though at the moment we are in a cold spell, However that photo is taken indoors which will be warm.
Just a thought.
Thanks david. It may have something to do with it. Most of my winter has been below 0 celcius but have been targeting mornings that are just above freezing.
I am starting to think peder hit the nail on the head with coiling the line too tight in storage. I have been using the smaller cards and as i reflect on how i wind themā¦there is more tension than necessary.
Rob was kind enought to throw me a bone and suggested using a heat gun over replacing the lines. I just did that to a couple of my lines with a low temp setting and it really ironed them out. Great tip Rob!!! I owe you big time.
Now time will tell if i can just prevent the memory from getting as bad as it was.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiments with us @Gressak.
Except for 1 spool that had some Yamatoyo line that I bought 5 years ago, @duncanpās photo pretty much shows what my line looks like as well, after stretching and without a lot of tension at that. The spool I reference, I feel itās pretty much stretched to itās limits. When checking all my lines a couple of weeks ago, I noticed some abrasion and a nick on it and disposed of it.
Seriously!? That was just a theory! I hadnāt got around to trying it but it seemed to make sense. Glad it worked.
Yeah rhe stubborn coils ironed out.
Heat gun on low with one of those wrap around reflector nozzles.
There was one line that was beyond help but did improve. I did all 7 of my level lines. 6 i find acceptable now. We will see what happens next time i take them out.
I will have to be gentle with them from now onā¦hahaha.
I hope this works out as single strand lines are far better in winter as they hold no water and cannot freeze.
I am glad you mentioned that, because thatās exactly what I do. I try to get it on the spool as tight as I can. I guess from now on I will keep it a little lighter. I also have a TUSA keeper and will try it with that. Thanks for the idea
