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Why Does My Fishing Line Keep Unraveling? The Ultimate Answer.

As many parents know, taking kids “fishing” really means giving them a front row seat in, “Daddy shows everyone how to untangle fishing line.” Kids are better at getting their fishing line to tangle than they are at finding puddles to jump in. One of the worst ways line can tangle on a spinning reel is what is known as a birds nest. If your child looks up at you and asks, “Why does my fishing line keep unraveling?” you know you’re in for a challenge.

There are many reasons that your fishing line keeps unraveling. The most common are that you incorrectly spooled the wrong type of line or too much line on your reel, that you never treated the line with a line conditioner (so it formed memory and coiled), or that you fished it the wrong way and your line started to twist. Any of these are enough to cause your line to first get loose on the reel, then coil up precariously, and eventually form the worst tangle the world has ever seen. While all fishing line can do this, braid is the least likely to unravel and twist on its own while fluorocarbon is the most likely to cause you headaches.

Loose line on a reel creates some of the absolute worst birds nest tangles you can imagine. If your fishing line unravels and you don’t notice it, your fishing line will often tangle underneath the reel to the point where you might need to disassemble the reel to free your line. More than likely, loose line unraveling on your reel will force you to once again add fishing line to your spinning reel. I sure hope you enjoy spooling your own line!

Why Does Your Fishing Line Unravel?

Why does my fishing line unravel, you ask? There’s five main reasons that we’ll get into in some detail: you put too much or too heavy of line on your spool, the fishing line formed memory and coiled up, there was too much slack in your fishing line, you closed the bail with your reel instead of manually, or your lure started to spin. All of these will create a situation where the line won’t lay flat on the spool and you’ll instead have a situation where your fishing line is loose on the spool and eventually falls off the spool altogether.

1. You Put Too Much or Too Heavy of Line on Your Spool

The biggest culprit for why your fishing line unravels and falls off the spool is there simply isn’t enough space for it in the first place. Unless you are using a reel designed for saltwater, most spinning reels aren’t able to handle as much or as heavy of fishing line as baitcasters. The heaviest line that I ever put on a spinning reel is 30lb braid, and even that is pushing it. 30lb braid has the diameter of 8lb mono. Most freshwater spinning reels are going to recommend a line size between 4 – 10lb test monofilament, unless they’re truly oversized.

If you overfill your spool, your fishing line won’t stay as tight and will unravel on its own. You should always try to leave about a 1/8″ gap between your fishing line and the edge of the spool. Believe me, if you miss this, your reel will let you know soon enough. Sometimes I get a little overzealous with my winding and put on a bit more than I should. Within casts, I have a pocket full of balled up fishing line I had to cut from my spool.

2. The Fishing Line Formed Memory

Fluorocarbon and monofilament fishing line are renowned for having “memory.” This means that they tend to “set” and coil up. Anyone who has gone a few weeks without fishing and left their line on the spool knows what I mean. Put some slack in it after you cast a lure out. See that spiral? Spiral is synonymous with “twist.” Do what you can to avoid memory. Change out your old fishing line before it goes bad or expires. Use a line conditioner if you have one. Go fishing enough that the line doesn’t have a chance to set too terribly.

3. There Was Slack in Your Fishing Line

Too much slack, especially on a windy day, can cause line to fall off of your reel and unravel because there isn’t enough pressure on it to keep your line on the spool. Worse yet, when this happens you can set yourself up for a monster wind knot, especially if you close the bail with your reel, as discussed below.

4. You Closed the Bail With Your Reel

Most beginners close the bail to their spinning reels by turning the handle. I know I did this for years as a kid before I learned better. This was likely a major reason poor old Dad spent so much time figuring out how to untangle a spinning pole I was using. Here’s the issue: if your line has any slack in it at all, when you close the bail with your reel (giving it a little twist) the slack line is going to form a loop on the spinning reel. This loop will be tight and twisted and won’t sit right on the reel. This loop in your line will be the first to unravel from your spool, get caught by other line trying to leave it, and culminate in a tangled fishing line.

5. Your Lure Started to Spin

Sometimes your lure gets fouled enough that it starts to spin on the retrieve. Consider a crankbait that has both its treble hooks get stuck together. When you start reeling it in, it will start spinning. This creates line twist that, true to form, twists your fishing line up in a spiral and causes all sorts of problems. Some lures are more likely to do this than others, and you might find that attaching a small swivel to your line and then using a leader to the lure from it helps.

Why Does Your Fishing Line Keep Getting Tangled? How to Prevent Fishing Line from Tangling?

Frankly, I think all the tangles I put Dad through as a kid were good for his character and my vocabulary development, but if you want to learn how to prevent fishing line from tangling, let’s talk about the common reasons why fishing line tangles and what you can do about it.

More than likely your fishing line was tangled by one of three things: your line developed line twist, your line formed a wind knot that caught itself and tightened, or your line sat too long and developed coils which wrapped up on themselves, causing a convoluted mess. While you’ll get your share of tangles up near your lures that you’ll quickly notice, the worst tangles by far are formed much closer to the reel, usually right after a cast. Left unnoticed, these quickly turn into monster birds nests of legend. Let’s dive into each more.

tangled fishing line that has unraveled and fallen off the spool of a spinning reel.
This is staged as I’d never let it get that bad, but all that line balled up is absolutely the result of a prior monster tangle!

What is Line Twist?

Line twist is when your fishing line, well, twists. It spins around in a tight spiral. When taut, this can be imperceptible to the eye, but when allowed to slacken, it will be much more obvious. Look for line that looks almost like a corkscrew with a loop in it. All types of fishing line can twist, though some are worse than others.

Does Monofilament Line Twist?

Monofilament line was twisting while fluorocarbon was still just a twinkle in some scientist’s eye. If you’ve been fishing long enough to decide it’s about time you put “why does my fishing line unravel” into a search, you’ve definitely seen monofilament coil up and fall off a spool or two.

Does Fluorocarbon Line Twist?

Does fluorocarbon line twist, you question? Boy does it ever. Fluorocarbon is the Wayne Gretzky of line twisting. It has such high memory that it easily coils, twists and contorts, often straight from the spool. It doesn’t matter if you have light pound test fluorocarbon, or heavy. The thin stuff will twist just as easily, and you’ll be less likely to notice it. My drop shot rod (which I use fluorocarbon on exclusively) goes through multiple spools of it yearly because it’s such a pain.

Does Braided Line Twist?

I suppose braided line twists, sure, but you probably won’t notice it after a couple of casts. Braid can sometimes take a few retrieves to limber up (it can coil slightly from the spool) but once this is done it has next to no memory. While it isn’t going to magically unravel itself if one of your lures goes haywire and produces a monster twirling motion, it’s also not going to be an issue that drives you crazy. Frankly, I consider braided line to be the best type of line to use on spinning reels because of this. It’s certainly the easiest to manage (assuming you’ve backed it appropriately).

With that said, be aware that the same limpness of braid that prevents your line from coiling, does make it more susceptible to other tangles, like wind knots. Luckily, what causes wind knots in braided fishing line are the same factors that cause wind knots in every other line. So avoid making those mistakes, and you’re good!

How to Prevent Line Twist on a Spinning Reel

If you’re serious about wanting to keep your fishing line from unraveling or tangling, you’re going to need to learn how to prevent line twist on a spinning reel. You’re going to want to learn how to properly spool your own reel, close your own bail, and consider using a swivel.

Spooling Your Own Reel

Unless you live next to a tackle shop or have a very bored friend, you’re going to be spooling your own reel with fishing line. If you’re using an open faced reel, it is very important that you learn how to spool your spinning reel without line twist.

I’ll bet you’ve looked at a spool of fishing line and thought you could just poke a pencil through the hole in the center and have someone else hold it while you spooled your own line. This can be fine, but probably not the way you are planning on doing it. Most people hold the pencil horizontally and have the line come off the same way a tire spins. This is the absolute worst way to put line onto a fixed spool reel such as a spinning reel. The reason is you’re immediately imparting twist to the line by forcing it to turn a 90 degree angle to get to the spool. By doing this, you’ve twisted all your line before its even made one cast.

Instead, either lay the spool flat on the ground. Take the tag end of the line and see which way it unspools fishing line. You want it to strip off counterclockwise. This is because it will reel onto your spinning reel clockwise. This is how you need to put line on a fixed spool reel, and a very important precaution to prevent line twist on spinning reels in your arsenal.

How to Spool Line Onto a Spinning Reel

Here are the steps you need to take to spool line onto a spinning reel to avoid line twist.

  1. Set up your filler spool of line as discussed in the last section, so that the line will unravel counterclockwise from the spool.
  2. Take the line and either thread it through the fishing rod you want to fill, or, if space is limited, use the lower section of an old two-part fishing rod for the task (this is a great thing to do with old fishing rods).
  3. Open the bail of your spinning reel.
  4. Form a loop with your line around the spool of your spinning reel. Tie it with an arbor knot.
  5. Close the bail.
  6. Take a rag, wet it with line conditioner.
  7. Pinch the line with this rag about 8″ above the reel.
  8. Reel in slowly and steadily until your fishing line is about 1/8″ from the lip of the spool.

If you follow these steps when spooling your next spinning reel, you’ll be much less likely to have your trip ruined by some line twist.

Close Your Bail Manually, Never Close Your Bail by Turning the Handle

As mentioned earlier, you should always manually close the bail on your spinning reel, never with the handle. First, it’s bad for your reel and will cause it to break down faster. It’s also a sure-fire way to get a wind knot. The slack in the line often forms a loop and gets stuck unnoticed when you do this (you’re probably concentrating on working your lure at this point). What you should do instead is manually close the reel and then pull your line tight through the roller before you reel in. This will save you tons of headaches down the road.

Consider Using a Swivel

Swivels aren’t going to do much for line that twists near the reel, but they work wonders if your crankbait hooks get stuck, your spinnerbait wraps around itself, or any other issue causes a lure to start spinning wildly on retrieve. There are also some lures, like inline spinners, that are notorious for causing line twist. While you might think that a “spinner” would “spin,” that’s really not what it’s designed to do. It will, however, do exactly that if you reel it in too fast. Any lure that makes a large circular pattern on the way back to the boat is going to impart a twist into your line.

A swivel will help avoid this because if the lure starts spinning, in theory the only line that is going to spin is the leader between the lure and the swivel – not the main line. I say in theory because you need to make sure your swivel is actually spinning, as any amount of gunk or algae could clog it up and prevent this.

What is a Wind Knot in Fishing?

A wind knot is every spinning reel angler’s worst enemy. It is a knot that forms when slack causes your fishing line to unravel and slip off the spool. Left unnoticed, this unraveled line will form a loop on the spinning reel when the bail is closed by turning the handle instead of manually flipping it. One reason it is caused a wind knot is because wind puts so much slack into lines that these are much more common on breezy days. If you want to prevent wind knots, it is critical that you manually close your bail. Then, give your line a good tug through the line roller to make sure it is snug. While this might be a case of your needing to break an old habit, it’s one worth fixing.

How to Keep Fishing Line from Curling

If your line keeps unwrapping from your reel, you should consider if line coiling, or curling, is the culprit. As mentioned earlier, fishing line has “memory” which basically means it “sets” to an extent. In other words, the fishing line will more or less start to look the way it has sat, such as in a coil on your reel. These coils or curls are hard to keep tight against the spool, which can cause your fishing line to fall off the spool or unravel. How to keep fishing line from curling is an art in itself that mostly considers line care.

Use a Line Conditioner

One of the benefits of spooling your own reel is that you can use a line conditioner while you do so. Most tackle shops aren’t going to go to this length for you, and none of the pre-spooled fishing reels I know of ship with a fishing line softener applied. You can use anything from a purpose-built fishing line conditioner to simple silicone spray. I personally prefer KVD’s Line and Lure Conditioner, but there are plenty of other options out there.

It is imperative that you use a line conditioner if you’re planning on fishing with fluorocarbon fishing line. If you don’t, you will have a fluorocarbon line twist extravaganza on your hands.

Will Soaking Monofilament Line Help?

Some people like to soak their monofilament line in water to loosen it up. I suppose there’s nothing wrong with this given the line is going into the water eventually, anyway. I’d just caution you not to boil your fishing line. I know plenty of folks do it, but it’s one of those arts that can go south on you quick if you mess it up (high heat and fishing lines don’t always mix).

How to Untangle Fishing Line

While every tangle is unique in its own dastardly way, there are a few maxims that I can speak to that will help you untangle fishing line. The most important is to notice that the fishing line is tangled as quickly as you can. I tell my kids that I need to know they have a tangle as soon as they do. If you catch them early it can be as simple as just gently picking them apart or unwrapping your line. If you don’t notice them immediately, they tend to cinch down and you’re left with a situation where you need to reach for your scissors rather than try and untangle the fishing line.

Candidly, you’re probably better cutting off in most circumstances. Yes, this is expensive. However, every tangle creates pressure and friction on lines that they weren’t designed to handle. Every little kink and knot weakens the strength of your fishing line. What do you suppose is going to happen when that trophy fish bites?

As a general rule of thumb, I attempt to untangle braided fishing line. It is so limp that it won’t kink just because it folds over itself. Monofilament and fluorocarbon fishing line, on the other hand, should simply be retied unless the tangle is truly easy. The second I notice any 90 degree bends, creases, or folds, I cut off and retie.

Is There Any Such Thing as Tangle Free Fishing Line?

No. All fishing line can tangle, especially in the hands of a crafty child. However, there are several brands that have a reputation for being easier to deal with than others. Point in fact, I use these brands almost exclusively for this exact reason. A good braided fishing line that is fairly tangle free is PowerPro. A monofilament line that tangles less than some competitors is Berkley Trilene XL. As for fluorocarbon, good luck, but I do pay a premium for Seaguar InvizX as it is one of the softer, more pliable fluorocarbons out there. This makes Seaguar InvizX about as tangle free as a fishing line made from fluorocarbon can be (which isn’t saying much). These lines are all good choices to help prevent tangles and to stop your fishing line from unraveling.

Conclusions

Fishing is a great hobby, but every rose has its thorns. If you used to find yourself shaking your fist at the sky, crying “Why does my fishing line unravel!?” I hope this article helped sort through the issue for you. There are few things more frustrating in this sport than having your line get loose on the spool and start tangling up on you. As we’ve discussed there are several simple measures you can take to prevent your fishing line from tangling. Luckily, none are major changes. Just use the right line for the reel, apply proper conditioner to it, cast and retrieve it appropriately, and sacrifice your first born (kidding). While there’s no such thing as tangle free fishing line, at least these steps will reduce your agita a bit, and make for a better fishing trip.

Have a great day for fishing,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


Do Northern Pike Attack Humans? Legends of the Water Wolf

My kids call northern pike, “Boo Boo Fish,” because of their sharp teeth that can do a number on an unwary angler’s hands. While it’s fair enough to expect a pike to bite you by accident, their ferocity does lead one to wonder. Do northern pike attack humans? Could a swimmer be in danger in pike-infested waters, or this just the stuff of bad daydreams and legends? What of dogs and cats? Will northern pike eat them like a duckling? Let’s find out…

The Legend of the Water Wolf

I have been fascinated by northern pike ever since I was little. I credit three reasons:

  1. The biggest fish on our wall was a huge northern my Uncle Steve caught on Lake Champlain. I used to stare at it for hours and study every detail.
  2. My first “big fish” that I caught without help was a 6lb northern. While small by adult standards, to a six-year-old, it was incredible. It still graces the wall almost like an old sports trophy from peewee hockey.
  3. The folks at In-Fisherman produced an absolutely phenomenal book about northern pike, as seen below. It was one of the first books I wore out. The first chapter’s description of ancient pike lore will leave any child wide-eyed with wonder.

In the book they talk about legends of the Mannheim Pike, a monster that was said to have lived for 267 years and weighed over 550lbs. That’s just one of the many legends that abound about this great fish! Thus, it’s no surprise that people would come to wonder if northern pike attack humans. One 550lbs certainly could!

Are Northern Pike Aggressive?

Northern pike are famed for their aggression. In waters without muskie, they are apex predators that can rocket forth from the depths with no warning to slam your spinnerbait. They offer explosive topwater action, and are not are not afraid to follow lures fished right up to the boat. Indeed, you’re well advised to take advantage of this aggression by making a large figure eight with your lure near the boat. Often, this will produce a startling strike.

If you don’t believe me about their aggression, check out this YouTube clip from one of my favorite content producers, NDYakAngler:

Now, having said that, it has been my personal experience that northern pike are much “calmer” when captured than their smaller chain pickerel cousins. Pickerel tend to flop around fanatically while you’re trying to get them out of the net while pike are much more chill. Regardless, I’d take care not to put my hands close to either’s mouth, lest I wanted stitches.

Are There Any Reports of Northern Pike Attacking Humans?

There are several reports of northern pike and their larger muskie cousins attacking humans. Most of the attacks seem credited to the latter. Another commonality is that most of the attacks seem to be against the foot or leg, which indicates the pike or muskie probably weren’t attacking a human on purpose, but instead mistook their feet for a fish.

  • In 1983, a 13-year-old girl was attacked on the foot by what she described as a seven-foot muskie. Of note, this same archived article discusses other attacks in 1978 and 1980 (source).
  • In 2017, an 11-year-old girl was attacked by what was presumably a large pike or muskie while her feet were dangling over a paddleboard. The poor girl required multiple stitches and a surgery to repair tendons after the fish attacked her foot (source).
  • In 2019, a 10-year-old boy was bit on the foot while swimming at Fox Lake in Dodge County, Wisconsin (source).
  • In 2020, a Winnipeg woman was mauled by what she believed to be a muskie while swimming near a fishing lodge. She states that the fish grabbed her leg and thrashed, pulling her under (source).

In addition to these, you can also find plenty of stories or videos of northern pike “attacking” the hands of humans, sometimes when they’re releasing another fish, or just dangling in the water. This is by far the more likely way you’ll ever encounter these fish.

So Do Northern Pike Really Attack Humans?

I think it’s safe to say that while northern pike do bite humans from time to time, they don’t really attack humans. The rare cases where they do can almost all be attributed to the pike mistaking an extremity for a fish. If northern pike were a real danger, we’d know about it. The media is not shy about reporting such fascinating horror stories. Yet, as big as the internet is, there aren’t that many reports out there to find. I’m not a mathematician, but this does lead me to conclude that the chances of a human being attacked by a northern pike are exceptionally small.

Can a Pike Bite Your Finger Off?

No, a northern pike cannot exert enough force to bite your finger off. A 2015 study by Allegheny College and the University of South Florida examined the bite force of northern pike compared to barracuda. It found that the posterior bite force for the largest pike in the study (a roughly 32″ northern) was 44.0 N (source), well below the 154 N required to amputate a finger, according to a recent biomechanical study (source).

With that being said, northern pike can have anywhere from 300-700 teeth, none of which are particularly pleasant to touch. While you won’t lose a finger to a northern, it is completely plausible that they could sever a tendon or do some significant damage. Accordingly, you must never grab them by the mouth and instead lift them from the gill plate. The video below illustrates a safe way to lift a northern (both for you and the pike).

Want to learn more ways to hold fish without a net? Check out this article.

Do Northern Pike Attack Dogs or Cats?

I wish that this was also a legend, but unfortunately it is not. While I will not reproduce the videos here as they are inappropriate for a family site, I am sad to say that you can find evidence of pike taking kittens from the waters edge. If a large pike can attack a small cat, there is no reason it couldn’t do the same to a small dog or puppy. This is something to consider when taking your pup out to play near the water.

Conclusion – The Legends are Just That, but Based on Facts

As much fun as I had in my childhood reading about the Mannheim Pike and other legends, it seems that’s all they were. Northern pike are not going to attack humans, at least not with the intent of eating them. With that said, any cornered animal will attempt to defend itself and a northern pike is no different. You should handle them with respect and care while fishing, or else you may be bit. While the bite of a northern pike won’t sever your finger, it could damage it to a point that you lose its full use. Finally, your smaller pets are legitimately in danger if they get too close to a large northern, so keep them leashed.

This was an interesting article to research, and I hope you found it informative. If you have any other questions, feel free to post a comment or send me an email.

Have a great day for fishing,

John Paxton

Fish Taxidermy: Should You Mount a Fish, or Get a Replica?

I’ve always been fascinated by the fish mounted on the wall at our camp. Dad and Uncle Steve sarcastically named the room “The Aquarium,” and as a child I would spend hours staring at the impressive displays of fish taxidermy they had acquired. I remember studying every inch of the fish mounts, and feeling every tooth of the northern pike. Immersing me for hours, these taxidermy displays were very much my version of the iPad.

This inevitably led me to want some trophies too, and I spent a lot of time pestering Dad about when I could get a fish skin mount of my own. This led to some fish going up on that wall that really had no business being there, as a “trophy” to a six-year-old looks mighty small 30 years later.

All the same, it is pretty neat to see the sorts of fish I was pulling in as I was starting out fishing. They’re almost like peewee hockey trophies at this point. Not really that special, but an important reminder of a right of passage, so I keep them up. Even so, if I had it all to do over again (and I might with my children), I wouldn’t get a real fish skin mounted. I’d avoid taxidermy and buy a fiberglass replica fish mount instead. They last longer, are easier to clean, and enable a fish that beat all the past odds to beat one more.

With that said, I’m not here to judge anyone. Let’s discuss how to prepare a fish for the wall, regardless of if you choose taxidermy or a replica fish mount. We’ll compare costs as well as the pros and cons of each so you can make the best decision for your trophy.

This pike went through traditional fish taxidermy.
I spent many hours staring at this pike as a boy.

What Is Fish Taxidermy?

Also referred to as mounting or stuffing fish, fish taxidermy is the act of preserving parts of a real fish as a display or trophy to last a lifetime. You know those fish that are hanging on the wall at your local tackle shop? That’s a fish mount. If they’re older, they’re probably skin mounts. Nowadays, replica fiberglass fish mounts are becoming more popular as they are comparably priced, tend to be more vibrant, will last longer, and don’t require you to kill that trophy!

How is Fish Taxidermy Done?

Contrary to popular belief, fish mounts are only “somewhat” made from real fish. Yes, these fish mounts include the fish’s real teeth, head, fins, and skin, but these are all stretched over a foam mold that is cut to size. After placement, the skin is brushed with formaldehyde while certain areas of the head have formaldehyde injections. Some taxidermists, like Nature’s Design Taxidermy, use ethers made from ethanol or glycol, and inject it across the entire skin as well as the head before rubbing the skin down with Borax.

All of the fish we have on our wall have a shiny gloss to them. Some taxidermists use a clear coat to protect their work for longer, especially if they had to do any touch up painting. Despite this, I can attest that these fish have lost some of their luster over the years.

How to Preserve a Fish for Taxidermy

If you intend to have your trophy fish skin mounted, there are several steps you need to quickly take to ensure that your trophy is properly preserved, frozen, and stored for mounting. If you miss one of these steps it could affect the quality of the skin mount despite the taxidermist’s best efforts.

Step 1: Land Your Fish Without Damaging It

Landing nets can severely damage a fish’s fins, especially if they are made of nylon rather than rubber. Unless you want to bring your fish to the taxidermy shop all banged up, try to land them safely. Ideally, you’d land a fish without a net, though this could be nerve-wracking with a trophy on the line. If you’re going to use a net, make sure you know the proper way to net and land your trophy fish.

Step 2: Photograph the Fish Quickly and Take Good Measurements to Prep it for Mounting

A fish’s color changes much more rapidly than you might think. If you don’t believe me, take a good photograph of a fish you catch sometime and then put it in your livewell for a bit. You might be surprised by the results. Make sure that you quickly photograph a fish so you can have a good representation of what it looked like “fresh caught.” This should be done regardless of if you are having the fish skin mounted or if you will have a replica fiberglass fish mount made. Any taxidermy shop is going to need good photos so they can touch up the real fish appropriately, or airbrush a cast.

Step 3: Store the Fish in the Livewell If Possible, but Cool Water If Not

Because fish start to deteriorate quickly after death, try to keep the fish alive as long as possible prior to bringing them in for taxidermy and mounting. Ideally this would be in a well regulated livewell.

Step 4: Kill the Fish Without Damaging It

If you’re going to kill your fish for a skin mount, at least do so humanely and efficiently so it doesn’t suffer any longer than necessary. You’ll need to do this in a way that doesn’t damage the scales or gills before your fish reaches the taxidermy shop. I’d suggest giving it a good thwap on the head with a blunt object. This is unlikely to damage the scales and will put it out of its suffering.

Step 5: Sprinkle Powdered Borax or a Color Preservative on the Skin

I remember bringing one of my fish over to George Daniels’ bait and tackle shop over in Port Henry for mounting. I was very young at the time but I distinctly remember George patting the fish down with a white powder. This was strange to me and I wasn’t sure why he was doing this to my beautiful fish. As it turns out, it was to help preserve its color.

Be liberal with the application of borax before freezing your fish. Try to coat both the inside and outside of the fish. Just make sure that the borax is the fine grain, non-bleaching type or you’ll have all sorts of issues you don’t want!

Step 6: Wrap the Fish Up in a Wet Towel

Once you’ve applied borax or a color preserver, it’s time to protect the fish and prepare it for shipment to the taxidermist. Take a soft towel that your wife won’t miss and wet it. Wrap the fish up in the wet towel. Be gentle with the fins so they aren’t damaged. Your goal with the towel is to provide a sturdy layer of protection during transport to the taxidermist.

Step 7: Place the Wrapped Fish in a Plastic Bag

Your next step is to take your fish, towel and all, and warp it in a plastic bag. Make sure you squeeze all the air out of the bag. Once wrapped, tape it up so the plastic won’t unravel. It’s not the worst idea attach a label to this bag with your information, including fishing license number and the date the fish was caught. If a conservation officer checks in on the fish at the taxidermy shop, this information will make for a smooth process (assuming you did everything on the up and up)!

Step 8: Freeze the Fish

You’ll want to freeze your fish to preserve it for taxidermy. Put it in a freezer where it will fit without needing to be bent. Take care in where you store the fish – stay away from areas in the freezer that normally frost over. You want to do your best to avoid freezer burn, which can damage the scales or ruin the color.

Step 9: Bring the Fish to the Taxidermist and Wait Patiently

Most taxidermists take anywhere from 8 – 14 weeks or longer to mount a fish. Depending on how unique and artistic of a job you’ve commissioned, some taxidermists can take as long as a few years. Consider that the actual act of taxidermy takes several weeks to properly cure and paint everything. Then you need to factor in the fact that if the shop is any good, they likely have other customers besides you and may be facing a considerable backlog.

While you could shop around and find a shop that will turn yours around quicker, that might not always be the best idea. Make sure you check references and ask for examples of their work to make sure that you’ll be happy with the result. After all, it’ll be up on your wall for years.

How Are Fish Replica Mounts Made?

If you want to practice catch and release while still mounting your trophy fish, a fiberglass replica is the way to go. Replica fish start off as molds that were made from real fish in various sizes to match the length and girth common to trophies. These molds are then used to produce fish casts, or blanks, that taxidermy shops can buy and paint. Think of casts almost like a plastic model airplane that you might build. They’re shipped to a taxidermist in a box and, as with models, have rough edges or flash that needs to be removed, and little seams or creases that need to be restored or fixed before details can be added and the cast can be airbrushed to life-like quality.

Because these casts are mass-produced, only one trophy fish of any given size needs to be killed to enable multiple anglers to purchase replicas to match their catch. Small little details like scarring or genetic variations can be accounted for and replicated by a skilled taxidermist the same way scale models come out so life-like in the hands of an expert. If you work with a true master, you’ll be amazed at how close they get it.

Replica fiberglass fish mounts are a good alternative to real fish skin taxidermy.
We can all dare to dream of catching a fish this large!

How to Measure a Fish for Replica Mount

You will need length and girth measurements of your fish to make an accurate fiberglass replica mount. The length is easy enough – this is the length from the tip of the (closed) snout to the tip of the tail. Girth is just as simple. It is the measurement around the widest part of the fish.

If you have a digital scale handy, you should also also weigh the fish before you let it go. While the fiberglass taxidermy replica will of course have the correct measurements, most freshwater trophies are judged by their weight. If you don’t have a scale, you can estimate it using the measurements you took using a bass weight calculator.

How to Photograph a Fish for a Replica Mount

Good photographs are going to make all the difference for any fish mount, replica or skin. These will allow your taxidermy shop to accurately portray your fish and bring it to life. Make sure that you take photographs of both sides of the fish from several angles. Try and ensure the lighting is proper. Have the sun in front of you – never behind you.

You will get better photos earlier or later in the day than at noon as you won’t have to contend with as many shadows, however remember that the purpose of this photograph is to give the taxidermist something to work with on your fish mount. Just try and keep shadows off the fish even if this means they are more pronounced on you.

How Much Does It Cost to Mount a Fish or Build a Replica?

Different taxidermists have different prices for stuffing fish and creating skin mounts, as well as creating fish replicas. It is, however, industry standard to charge by the inch. After doing a little research I’ve found that this can be anywhere from $12 to over $20 per inch. Some taxidermists charge less per inch for larger fish while others take the opposite approach. You’re really going to have to call around and ask many questions. Also, be aware that most places have a minimum cost (usually around $200).

With a range like this, it’s fair to say that you could assume a skin-mounted largemouth bass trophy would run you somewhere from $300 – $500, or possibly more if you go to a particularly renowned taxidermist.

Fiberglass mounts can be about the same cost or a bit higher, at least if you want it to actually look like the fish you caught. Some companies will sell you a fiberglass mount that is the same size of your trophy, but which comes in a standard color. Most, however, will also offer to paint your replica to look just like the fish you caught if you send them good photos. If you go this route, you’ll pay for it.

Other Factors That Affect Price

The cost of skin mounting a fish or commissioning a fiberglass replica will fluctuate further when other additions are considered. While some taxidermists will offer a true skin mount where the fish’s color is what it is, others will airbrush or paint it for a better look. Replica fish are all going to be painted by someone, and the better the painter, the higher the cost.

Further, some taxidermists will mount your fish in a “live action” display. Perhaps the best examples of this come from the award-winning artists at VanMar Taxidermy. If you visit their website, you’ll see they offer replica fish mounts in incredible “live action” displays. They can turn your fish into the world’s coolest coffee table for your den, or centerpiece for your mantel. This will add to the cost considerably, but you’ll emerge with something breathtaking and, if I may be so bold, priceless.

How To Clean a Mounted Fish?

Regardless of if you go the taxidermy route and get a skin mount of your trophy fish, or if you opt for a replica, the thing is going to get dirty and old hanging on your wall. Here are a few tips to keep your mounted fish looking great for years to come.

  • Clean the dust from it from time to time with either a dedicated duster, or a damp soft rag. Use rags that are going to be gentle, like the type of washcloths you used when your kids were little.
  • When wiping, always go in the direction of the scales. If you go the opposite direction, you could damage them.
  • Take special care around the fins as these are the most delicate areas of any mount. Take your time so you don’t damage them.
  • Remember that anything that would damage a priceless painting is going to damage your fish mount. Avoid hanging it in direct sunlight to prevent it from fading over time. Also, if you’re one of the people who still smokes (either the real thing, or those stupid e-cigarette flash drive contraptions), consider smoking outside so you don’t ruin your trophy!

Why You Should Get a Replica Mount Instead of Stuffing a Fish

While this is definitely a judgement-free website, it’s also my little soap box and I’d be remis if I didn’t take at least some opportunity to convince you to use a replica fish mount for your taxidermy needs instead of a skin mount. There are several outstanding reasons to choose a fiberglass replica fish vs. a traditional skin mount:

Replica Fish Mounts Look Better Than Skin Mounts

While this is subjective, and both types of taxidermy fish can be works of art, the replicas just look nicer these days. They’re basically the equivalent of buying a custom airbrushed crankbait vs. the regular ones you can buy in the store. If you don’t believe me, go walk into any tackle shop that has skin mounts and then compare them against a fiberglass one that you see hanging at Cabelas. They don’t compare.

They are Comparably Priced

The cost of having a replica made of your trophy bass is not that much different than a skin mount in most places. In fact, the places I’ve checked usually featured a surcharge of only $2-$3/inch for the replicas. That’s not bad at all when you consider all the other benefits. Anything in this price range is what I’d call comparable and when you consider how much more time you’ll get out of the replica fish than the traditional skin taxidermy, it’s a no brainer.

Replica Fish Mounts Last Longer Than Traditional Fish Taxidermy

Ol’ George had quite a few skin mounts at his tackle shop, some of which were ancient by the time I laid eyes on them. Let me tell you, it was pretty obvious which ones had been around for some time. Even at our house, we had one particular walleye that was caught some time ago. It is in worse condition than the other fish. Perhaps a trained taxidermist could look at it and tell me, “well, that was poor technique,” but I will say that fish never looked as good as the replicas I’ve seen, and it only seems to get worse each year.

An old walleye skin mount that has started to deteriorate.
It’s hard to tell from the photo, but this old walleye has seen better days.

You Don’t Have to Kill the Trophy Fish to Have it Mounted

The most important reason to consider a replica fish mount rather than “real” fish taxidermy is that you don’t have to kill the fish. Look, this isn’t some environmentalist speech, it’s simple math. In 2020, Bassmaster produced an article called The Mathematics of Trophy Largemouth Bass Management. It is an exceptionally important article for every angler to read. In it, they calculated that only 10 of 100,000 largemouth bass fingerlings spawned in any given year will reach trophy size.

First, they have to get past predation year after year to grow (no small task). Even if they manage that, there’s no guarantee that the survivors will be genetically predisposed to grow that large. Just look around you. People come in all shapes and sizes. So do largemouth bass. Not every bass “has it in them” to grow to be a true trophy. It’s critical that the ones who do should be allowed to remain in the lake to breed progeny who will share this desirable trait!

Point in fact, when you take a trophy largemouth bass and have it stuffed, you’re basically closing a chapter on one of the more illustrious odd-beaters in your lake, as well as its entire line. I don’t know about you, but that seems like a fantastic reason to take a couple of photos and measurements, cough up a few more bucks per inch for a replica fish mount, and return your trophy to the depths.

Thanks for reading,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


Will Braided Line Damage My Rod?

If you’ve ever had a chain pickerel flop while you were holding braided fishing line, you know how deeply braid can cut. After tending to your wounds, you might start wondering if braided line will damage your rod, or at least damage the rod guides.

If you ask around, you’ll find no shortage of people who will tell you that braided line once damaged their favorite rod’s guides. Early braided fishing lines certainly could damage older fishing rod guides, but newer braids (and rods) have been designed to avoid this. It’s not exactly in either manufacturer’s interest to have such a destructive fishing line, or delicate rod guides. As a result, modern braided fishing line is going to be fine for most fishing rods and their guides.

Why Did Braid Used to Damage Fishing Rods?

In the early to mid 1990’s, some fishing line manufacturers started using a material called kevlar in their braided fishing line. While this manufacturing process was celebrated for all the usual benefits of braid (reduced stretch, enhanced sensitivity, decreased diameter), kevlar was a very abrasive material that did not mesh well with certain line guides. At some point, people started to wonder, “why does my fishing line snap when I cast?” After some investigation it was observed that there were grooves in the fishing rod line guides which was causing damage to the line over time, and Kevlar was given the blame.

It seems that since that time, most manufacturers have abandoned kevlar (or at least the earlier versions of it) in favor of different techniques for making braided line, such as using gel spun polyethylene fibers instead. These won’t damage line guides as they aren’t as abrasive as the kevlar braids.

While manufacturers adjusted (no one wanted that press), the damage had already been done. As a result the internet is rife with stories of guys claiming that braid damaged their fishing rods. However, you can buy modern day braided fishing line and use it with confidence on modern day fishing rods. They won’t damage each other.

Modern braid will not damage fishing rod guides.
Modern braided fishing line won’t damage modern fishing rod guides.

What Braid Won’t Damage Fishing Rod Guides?

Any braided line that isn’t made from kevlar is going to be just fine for modern day fishing guides, but if you’re looking for a recommendation, I really like PowerPro braided line. I’ve been using it for years on all sorts of St. Croix rods and haven’t had an issue with it. It casts well, is durable, and stands up to every fish I’ve encountered. It’s also sold in giant spools of 1,500 yards so you can buy it in bulk. Since braided fishing line doesn’t go bad, I like to buy giant spools of it so I can get a good value. I use 20lb braid on most of my spinning rods, 30lb braid on most of my casting rods, and 50lb braid on my frog and jig rods for throwing around heavy cover.

If you’re interested, head over to Amazon and try a spool of PowerPro braided fishing line out. It’s so manageable and works so well I’m sure you’ll be buying it in bulk like me soon enough.

PowerPro braided line will not damage your fishing rods.
I am a huge fan of PowerPro braided line. I’ve been using it for years and it has never damaged my fishing rods.

Best Rod Guides for Braided Line

As mentioned, so long as you aren’t using an older, kevlar-based braid, you shouldn’t have to worry about braid damaging your fishing rod or line guides. Regardless, if you are one of those in the “better safe than sorry” camp, In-Fisherman ran a story a few years ago called The Essentials of Ceramic Guide Inserts that will be of interest to you. In it, they examined the different types of material used to make fishing rod guide inserts. The article indicates that ceramic inserts are rated on their hardness. The harder the insert, the better it will withstand braid.

Good Ceramic Guide Inserts for Braided Line

That In-Fisherman article was a good starting point for my research. It mentioned five types of ceramic guide inserts that are commonly credited with being good for braided fishing line:

  • Silicon Carbide Inserts
  • Nanolite Inserts
  • Alconite Inserts
  • Nanoplasma Inserts
  • Torzite Inserts

I looked into these a bit more and determine what popular rods feature them. It’s clearly not an exhaustive list but you can see some notable names in there. As a comparison, I’ve also included a benchmark for aluminum oxide rod guides just to give you an idea of what types of rods use them (it’s usually the entry level offering for given manufacturer).

Guide Insert MaterialRod Brand and Model Using Them
Aluminum OxideSt. Croix Triumph, St. Croix Premier, Shimano Scimitar
Silicon CarbideG. Loomis NRX (titanium SiC), Shimano Poison Adrena
NanoliteKiller Bass Baits Sicario,
AlconiteSt. Croix Avid, Shimano Curado
NanoplasmaAppears to be more popular on the custom rod building scene.
TorziteSt. Croix Legend Xtreme, St. Croix Legend Elite
Again, any of these rod guides are going to stand up to modern braid.

What Else Could Have Damaged Your Rod’s Guides?

OK, so we know that a modern braid won’t damage a fishing rod, yet your rod guide is still damaged. What gives? Let me ask you a question: are you using your rod guides as a hook keeper? If so, stop. You should never use the rod guide (or at least the circle/insert part) as a hook keeper. Hooks, as you may have noticed, are rather sharp and pointy. They can easily damage rod guides if you aren’t careful. Once you get a little kink or scratch in them, it could cut your line.

Most fishing rods come with a dedicated hook keeper near the reel seat that you should use instead. If your rod doesn’t have one, you can buy one (just click on the photo below to go to Amazon to check them out). This is one of those good ways to spend a little money – it’s much better to have a proper hook keeper than to damage your rod guides.

Can Braided Line Damage Your Fishing Reel?

Braided fishing line won’t damage your fishing reel unless you have your drag improperly set, or attempt to free it from a snag the wrong way. If you have your drag set properly, no braid (not even kevlar) is going to have a chance to dig in against the line roller enough to damage it. There really shouldn’t be that much force placed on the line roller in the first place while you’re fighting a fish, as your rod should be absorbing much of the energy of the fish long before the reel can be affected.

The only way I could realistically see braided line damaging a fishing reel is if you got caught on a snag and tried to free it too forcefully using your rod. Braid can dig in against itself very easily when snagged, and if it digs in enough it might damage a less durable reel. When you get snagged with braid I highly recommend that you give it some slack and then wrap it around a heavy stick or paddle well past the rod and pull with that. Let the braid cut the stick, not itself or your rod (or your hand).

Conclusions

While older, kevlar-based braided fishing line was known for damaging fishing rod guides, manufacturers have adapted. Modern braided fishing line doesn’t damage modern fishing rod guides. Remember, neither line nor rod manufacturers would have been pleased to hear that their products were incompatible with one another. It’s just bad business. Both have made great strides the past 20 or so years to fix this early issue, and as a result, it’s fine to use braided fishing line – it will not damage your rod.

Thanks for reading this article. I frequently add new content. If you’d like to be updated when this occurs, please join FishingFather’s facebook group. Thank you.

John Paxton

Is Fishing With Treble Hooks Illegal? The Answer for All 50 States

Treble hooks are very common on many fishing lures. There are no states that completely ban their use, but treble hooks are illegal to use in some states in certain situations. In those states, it is usually illegal to fish with treble hooks if you’re using live bait, fishing for trout in streams, or attempting to snag a fish. Further, while some states have laws regarding how many fishing hooks you can use at once, most states consider a treble hook to be a single “hook” in terms of hook regulations.

This article will discuss the various laws on the books for treble hooks throughout freshwater fisheries in the United States. Then, I’ll spend some time discussing frequently asked questions about treble hooks so you can better understand the “why” behind some of these state laws.

DISCLAIMER: Be aware that I am not an attorney nor does this constitute legal advice. This is simply my interpretation of the laws in the latest state guidebooks that I could find. Always double check (I’ve provided links for your convenience). When in doubt, reach out to a fish and game warden in your state.

What Are Treble Hooks?

Treble hooks are a type of fishing hook that has three points attached to one shank. They are often found on crankbait, jerkbaits, and certain topwater fishing lures. They are one of the easier lures to hook a fish on, because their three points are always at the ready. However, it is often more difficult to keep fish attached, as thin treble hooks don’t penetrate as deep or securely as a single hook. Treble hooks are also far more susceptible to picking up weeds or other debris, and getting stuck and snagged on underwater obstructions.

Are Treble Hooks Illegal?

Laws vary from state to state (and sometimes waterbody to waterbody) as we’ll see, but the short answer is if you’re a bass angler fishing a lake or pond, you’re probably just fine to throw a crankbait, jerkbait, or other lure that has treble hooks. It gets far trickier once you start fishing in various trout streams as many states start regulating treble hooks in such waters, presumably in an effort to protect the trout.

While I’ve taken the time to make a handy chart for you a bit further down, here are some general guidelines to be aware of while fishing with treble hooks:

  • There is no state I’m aware of that prohibits artificial lures that have treble hooks on all waters.
  • There are multiple states that prohibit any type of treble hook on trout streams and rivers.
  • Many states prohibit treble hooks while fishing with live bait, especially if you’re fishing for striped bass.

Basically, if you’re a bass angler fishing on a lake or pond, you’re more than likely fine to tie on that crankbait. But, if you find yourself near a river mouth or upstream, you should definitely check your local regulations as your state might not allow treble hooks in areas with more vulnerable trout.

Are Treble Hooks Illegal In My State?

It’s important to understand if it’s illegal to use treble hooks for the given state you’re fishing. In an effort to help, I’ve gone ahead and looked them up for you and created this handy chart. Bear in mind I’m no attorney and this is simply my interpretation. Always check your local regulations for yourself or call a wildlife officer if you have any questions.

Note that this list only contemplates freshwater regulations. Saltwater regulations are a whole other animal, and have federal regulations to contend with as well (for example, 50 CFR 635.21(f), which prohibits the use of any hook that isn’t a circle hook in billfish tournaments and while recreationally fishing for sharks).

StateAre Treble Hooks Illegal?
AlabamaIn Alabama, it is illegal to use treble hooks when used in the aid of grabbling, noodling, or hand fishing. Fine to use on fishing lures.
AlaskaAlaska breaks down their fishing regulations by different territories. The state is vast, and has fine fishing for salmon which are protected in multiple waters. Accordingly, many have regulations against treble hooks on particular waterbodies. You can find their detailed fishing regulations for Alaska here.
ArizonaIn Arizona, in areas where a single-pointed barbless hook is required, treble hooks do not meet the definition.
ArkansasIn Arkansas, several trout streams require the use of a single-pointed barbless hook.
CaliforniaMultiple regulations (surprise, surprise). Search for “multiple hooks” as opposed to treble hooks. There are size restrictions for treble hooks as well as weight restrictions on the types of lures that can handle them. I definitely recommend going right to the source with this state as they love their ever-changing regulations and there’s no way anyone can keep up.
ColoradoRegulates how many treble hooks can be used for trotlines (three). When reading their regulations, search for “common hook,” which they describe as “any hook or multiple hooks having a common shank.” Check out their regulations brochures for more information.
ConnecticutConnecticut considers a treble hook to be a single hook per their angling guide. There are no restrictions on their use with the exception that treble hooks are prohibited while angling for striped bass with live bait.
DelawareTreble hooks are illegal in Delaware while fishing for striped bass with live bait. A circle hook must be used instead.
FloridaNo freshwater restrictions found in Florida. Note that there are several saltwater restrictions you should be aware of as it is unlawful to fish for multiple species while fishing live or dead bait. Be careful when fishing many of Florida’s brackish streams for this reason.
GeorgiaGeorgia restricts lures on several trout streams to those with single hooks and it does appear they mean a single point by this in many cases.
HawaiiTreble hooks are illegal in Hawaii in the Kōke‘e Public Fishing Area.
IdahoTreble hooks are illegal while fishing for salmon in the Clearwater River in South Fork, Idaho.
IllinoisIllinois has minor restrictions such as the size of treble hooks (maximum size of 5/0).
IndianaIn Indiana, double and treble hooks are allowed only on artificial lures and shall not exceed 3/8 inch from point to shank. Some rivers in Indiana only allow treble hooks on artificial lures.
IowaNo restrictions in Iowa except when attempting to snag a fish. Then, “You cannot use a hook larger than a 5/0 treble hook or measuring more than 1 ¼ inches long when two of the hook points are placed on a ruler.”
KansasNo restrictions on treble hooks in Kansas though they must be barbless if using them to snag for paddlefish.
KentuckyWhile treble hooks aren’t illegal in most places in Kentucky, there are a few select catch and release brook trout streams that only allow lures with a single hook attached (Dog Fork – Wolfe County, Parched Corn Creek – Wolfe County, Shillalah Creek – Bell County, outside the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park
LouisianaNo freshwater restrictions against treble hooks found in Louisiana.
MaineThere are restrictions on multiple streams that don’t allow treble hooks. Note that Maine’s rules are quite confusing as “single baited hook” can be a treble hook per their definitions, however they distinguish between “single hook” and “treble hook” several times in their pamphlet. When in doubt, call a game warden.
MarylandTreble hooks are illegal in Maryland in Trophy Trout Fishing Areas. Further, treble hooks are prohibited when targeting striped bass with live bait.
MassachusettsTreble hooks are illegal in Massachusetts when fishing for striped bass with natural bait. No other restrictions found, though I note Mass has followed the “Boston Theory of Street Layout” and made it near-impossible to find a .pdf download of their angling guide.
MichiganMultiple rivers and streams throughout Michigan prohibit the use of treble hooks. Additionally, there are size restrictions on treble hooks in general (3/8-inch or less from point to shank).
MinnesotaMinnesota prohibits treble hooks on Lake Superior tributary streams. If you’re fishing within 100 yards of the mouth of a Lake Superior tributary stream, you can only use one rod with a treble hook (so beware if you’re trolling). In addition, there are a few trout streams where you must use a lure with a single hook.
MississippiTreble hooks are illegal in several Mississippi spillways, but only if using live bait (one can use artificial lures with treble hooks on them lawfully).
MissouriNo freshwater restrictions against treble hooks found in Missouri.
MontanaMontana fishing regulations prohibit treble hooks on multiple sections of the Flathead river. They are also discouraged for anyone intended to practice catch and release.
NebraskaNo restrictions found, but then again Nebraska went all fancy instead of going for an easily-searchable .pdf – so call your game warden in case I missed something!
NevadaIn areas requiring a single barbless hook, treble hooks do not qualify, even if their barbs are pinched down per the Nevada fishing regulations.
New HampshireNew Hampshire fishing regulations restrict the use of treble hooks in several instances. For example, during certain times of the year, treble hooks are prohibited while fishing with bait on certain lake trouts and salmon lakes. Additionally, there are some streams where only flies or single-hooked lures can be utilized.
New JerseyNew Jersey fishing regulations restrict the size of treble hooks that can be used while ice fishing. Though this is assuming that “burr” is New Jersey’s way of saying “shank.” Here’s exactly what it says: “or one burr of three hooks that measure not more than ½-inch from point to shaft.”
New MexicoIt’s illegal to use treble hooks on certain Special Trout Waters in New Mexico. These areas instead require a single barbless hook.
New YorkCircle hooks required when fishing for striped bass with bait. Additionally, treble hooks are illegal in several streams and tributaries in New York.
North CarolinaCertain rivers and streams in North Carolina require the use of a single barbless hook. Additionally, several streams and rivers only allow a “single hook.” Note that in their regulations, North Carolina defines “single hook” as “a fish hook with only one point,” thus, treble hooks would be illegal.
North DakotaNo restrictions found. Also, props to North Dakota for having some of the more angler-friendly fishing regulations I’ve seen.
OhioTreble hooks are prohibited in several rivers as well as on set lines and float lines in Ohio.
OklahomaOklahoma restricts treble hooks from certain sections of the Lower Illinois River however it seems if you’re targeting species besides trout, you’re OK? I’m not sure I’d chance it.
OregonPer Oregon’s Fishing Regulations, “Barbless hooks and or single point hooks may be required when angling for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or trout in certain waterbodies.” Check the link and angling guide for exactly which ones as they are extensive.
PennsylvaniaPennsylvania prohibits the use of treble hooks while fishing for any species with live or cut bait in the Delaware River estuary.
Rhode IslandPortions of the Falls River in Rhode Island are “no kill” or “catch and release” and require the use of a single barbless hook.
South CarolinaTreble hooks are illegal in South Carolina on certain trout streams where artificial lures with a single hook are required.
South DakotaNo freshwater restrictions against treble hooks found in South Dakota.
TennesseeMany trout streams in Tennessee require a single hook point for fishing. Additionally, single hooks are required when fishing with jugs.
TexasNo freshwater restrictions against treble hooks found in Texas.
UtahNo freshwater restrictions against treble hooks found in Utah.
VermontVermont restricts treble hooks in Noyes Pond (Seyon Pond).
VirginiaVirginia prohibits treble hooks in several trout streams, however they do consider a treble hook that had 2 of its hook points removed to be a “single-point hook.”
WashingtonPer Washington’s fishing regulations, “Single-point barbless hooks are required in areas designated as ‘fly fishing only’ or ‘selective gear rules.'”
West VirginiaWest Virginia requires that treble hooks be barbless in catch and release waters.
WisconsinNo freshwater restrictions against treble hooks found in Wisconsin.
WyomingNo freshwater restrictions against treble hooks found in Wyoming.
Remember, these are only freshwater regulations. There are multiple saltwater regulations at the state and federal level requiring the use of circle hooks when fishing for multiple marine species.

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, nor am I Nostradamus. This chart is based on my interpretation of laws and regulations I have gone and read. I have no way of knowing when any of the above states will change their laws, so I certainly advise that you double check with a fish and wildlife officer prior to getting in trouble. This chart does not absolve you of the responsibility of knowing your local laws. If you’re aware of a law that has changed, please email me and I’ll be happy to update this chart. Thank you.

Treble Hook FAQ

Now that I’ve explained what treble hooks are and what states prohibit them, let’s talk about some frequently asked questions regarding these little devil tridents.

Are Treble Hooks Good for Fishing?

Yes, treble hooks are good for fishing, so long as they’re used appropriately. Their thin wire hook points easily penetrate most species mouths which allows fish to be hooked more easily than with traditional j-style hooks. However, this same thin design does make it easier for the hooks to rip out of a fish’s mouth if they aren’t played carefully. Most treble hooks require a sweep set for this reason – if you try and set the hook with too much power you can easily rip it free from the fish’s mouth.

Are Treble Hooks Good for Bass?

Treble hooks are great for fishing for bass, and as a result treble hooks are featured on many bass lures such as crankbaits, jerkbaits, and topwater plugs. It can be easier to hook a bass with treble hooks because there are three points ready to connect and you don’t need as forceful of a hookset. Bass often hook themselves when they bite treble hooked lures as the mere act of chomping down and then turning their head is often enough to stick them.

Bass are also far easier to unhook a treble hook from than some other fish. Their wide mouths lack any real teeth, which enables you to get a good grip with one hand while you retrieve your lure with pliers held by the other. There’s no need for a mouth spreader or the like. Further, bass are fairly easy to subdue once hooked and held, so it is easier to remove a treble hook from their mouth than from a fish like a pickerel that wildly thrashes.

Can You Use Treble Hooks for Catfish?

There used to be many catfish stinkbait hooks and rigs that used treble hooks. While you can still find them, they aren’t as prevalent as I remember them being years ago. It’s easy to see why. Several states prohibit the use of treble hooks while fishing with live or cut bait. Both are routinely used for catfish. What good is a hook that you can’t use for the fishing technique you want to use?

In areas where it is legal to use a treble hook with cut or live bait, treble hooks are certainly great for catching catfish you intend to eat. I would steer clear of them if you intend to release the fish alive, as it will be very problematic if they swallow them. It’s hard enough to remove a regular hook from a fish after it swallows it, much less a treble hook.

Can You Use Treble Hooks for Trout?

Many states specifically prohibit the use of treble hooks for trout. In several states, treble hooks are fine everywhere except places where you are likely to catch a trout. This is to try and reduce mortality rates among this important, fragile, and economically important species. Even if a state does not specifically prohibit the use of treble hooks for trout, you should consider using a single hook instead.

Can You Put a Worm on a Treble Hook?

You can put a worm on a treble hook but you need to remember that a worm is “live bait”. It is illegal to fish with live bait on a treble hook in several states. Make sure that you check your local regulations before you try this. You would need to get a little creative with how you hooked the worm on a treble hook, but there’s no reason it can’t be done. Consider hooking it on 1-2 points for a more natural presentation. Leave a good length of the tail dangling free where it can wriggle and entice a fish to bite.

Are Treble Hooks Bad for Fish?

Judging by the overwhelming number of states that ban treble hooks when fishing with live bait for striped bass, when fishing in trout streams, or when fishing with cut bait, it’s safe to say that treble hooks are bad for fish. While there isn’t much harm in your crankbait having treble hooks, the reason so many states made it illegal to use treble hooks with any type of live or cut bait is because the instant that hook is swallowed, that fish’s chance of survival plummets.

This doesn’t matter if you’re after fish for table fare, but if you intend to practice catch and release, you should never use a treble hook with live bait. When swallowed, they are incredibly difficult to dislodge without killing the fish or causing it immense harm.

Are Treble Hooks Dangerous?

Because they will stand up rather than falling harmlessly flat, treble hooks are much more dangerous than regular hooks with only one point. To make matters worse, treble hooks tend to be thin and extremely sharp which makes it easier for them to penetrate flesh. While this is great for catching fish, it’s terrible if your fishing partner snags you. You are much more likely to be accidentally hooked by a crankbait than a spinnerbait.

For this reason, I have long-since railed against using treble hooks while fishing with children. Little kids don’t make the most accurate casts, and don’t have the best grasp of personal space (meaning they might sneak up into your cast). You’ll note that whenever I talk about safety tips for fishing with kids, I caution against treble hooks. This is because they are always a danger – whether they’re being cast or simply laying down, a hook is always exposed. In this way, they’re very much like a “rusty nail from hell” that can jab you at any moment!

treble hooks stand up at all times, making them more dangerous than single hooks.
The common treble hook. Or, as I like to think of it, a “rusty nail from hell.,”

Treble Hook Covers

If you’re worried about getting poked by a treble hook (or just want to have an easier time getting them out of your tackle box), you might consider buying some treble hook covers. These are little treble hook protectors meant to cover up the hook points so they don’t jab anything or anyone by accident. They’re an inexpensive option and while I trust most people aren’t at too much risk of hooking themselves with a treble hook while it’s still in their tackle box, these do make tackle organization much easier. Without a treble hook cover, I find that all my treble hook lures quickly become a tangled mess. These treble hook protectors fix that issue at least. You can click on the photo to check them out further on Amazon.

Barbless Treble Hooks

Another option is to pinch down the barbs on your treble hooks. As seen in the state guide above, some states are OK with treble hooks so long as they don’t have barbs. You can pinch them down yourself with some pliers, or you can buy barbless treble hooks directly from the store. Frankly, I’d recommend the latter. Treble hooks are very thin to begin with and you might damage them trying to pinch the barbs down. You’re better off just buying them from the store and not having to worry about damaging them by accident while trying to be compliant. You don’t have to worry about quality, either. You can buy rock solid barbless treble hooks like Mustad KVD Elite Triple Grips.

Does a Treble Hook Count as One Hook?

While multiple states limit the number of “hooks” that any angler can use, I’ve yet to find a state that doesn’t consider a single jerkbait to be “one” hook, despite the lure having as many as three. Rest assured, if there were states that didn’t allow bass anglers to throw crankbaits or jerkbaits because of the “one hook” rule, we’d all know about it.

With that said, it is a little confusing, apparently, so several legislatures have tried to clarify the matter. For example, in Colorado they define the term “common hook” to be “any hook or multiple hooks sharing a common shank.”

Other states apparently consider treble hooks “one hook” — until they don’t. Take Arizona for example. There’s nothing that says a treble hook isn’t “one” hook until you start looking at various trout streams that require a “single-pointed barbless hook.” But, here the “single-pointed” is the giveaway that treble hooks aren’t in compliance.

Should You Replace Treble Hooks?

If you are fishing with the intention of releasing the fish you catch, you should consider replacing your treble hooks with single hooks. Single hooks are far easier to remove from fish than treble hooks, so the mortality rate of the fish you catch will decrease. Single hooks are also much safer for fishing with children or other beginners who can’t cast accurately.

If you’re intent on replacing your treble hooks, you’ll need a good pair of split ring pliers. These are pliers that have a little knob on the end that catches in the middle of the split ring, allowing it to open. The photo below illustrates the knob well. This particular model comes with a line cutter and is saltwater resistant, making it a useful multitool.

What Are the Best Treble Hooks?

This is a difficult question to answer. The best treble hook is going to depend on what you need to use it for. Several states restrict the size of treble hooks, so there is that to consider. Also, you need to think about what lure you’re attaching it to. Some jerkbaits and especially topwater lures can have their action dramatically affected by a different size of treble hook. Therefore, if you want to go and buy some higher-quality treble hooks to replace what your gear came with, you should consider getting ones that are a similar size.

There are a few companies that have a great reputation for producing quality treble hooks.

  • Trokar – A high-end division of Eagle Claw, Trokar is renowned for their surgically sharpened hooks. I like to buy Trokar fishing hooks whenever they go on sale. Here’s an example of a Trokar treble hook that works well.
  • Mustad – Anything with the KVD branding is going to be quality. Mustad Ultrapoint KVD Elite Series treble hooks would make a great replacement hook.
  • Gamakatsu – This is a trusted brand known to make high-end hardware. Several expensive fishing lures are so priced because they come with Gamakatsu hooks out of the package.

What Is Snagging Fish?

Ok, so we’ve talked about treble hooks. Now let’s talk about one of the more nefarious ways people use them. Snagging a fish is when you hook it outside of its mouth. Sometimes referred to as foul-hooking, it’s usually done by accident, often while fishing lures like jerkbaits that are retrieved with what basically amounts to a series of small, sharp hook sets.

However, there are some people who try to deliberately snag fish by using a weighted hook (and it’s almost always going to be a treble hook). These folks make a cast past a fish and try to set the hook into it to snag it. The most infamous person to do so was probably a gentleman once lauded as a big bass specialist but who has since fallen from grace. If you haven’t read that story, here’s the link to The Dark Secret of “American’s Big Bass Guru.” It’s truly a magnificent piece of journalism.

Is Snagging Fish Illegal?

According to an article at FishingDuo.com, snagging fish is illegal in most states. The overwhelming majority prohibit snagging gamefish in all but a select few waters. According to that article’s research, only Mississippi and Arkansas allow a “snagging free for all” without any caveat to where or how you can employ the technique.

That same article found that significantly more states allow you to attempt to snag “rough fish.” What exactly constitutes a rough fish is going to change state by state, but it often includes species like gar, carp, freshwater drum and the like. Make sure to check your local regulations before you go off trying to snag something (you could also read my article on the basic skills you need to take a kid fishing and go catch them the right way)!

What About Foul Hooked Fish? Can You Keep Them?

As mentioned earlier, most fish are snagged accidentally, usually while fishing some sort of lure that has a treble hook on it. Can you keep a fish that is foul hooked in such a way? Well, that depends on your state. The technical answer is going to be to follow your state’s snagging laws. If a snagging a fish is illegal in a state, then so is foul hooking, and you need to release the fish immediately.

Granted, it would take a very bored prosecutor to go after a guy who kept a fish that was snagged in the head, but outside the mouth. We know fish strike at lures and sometimes miss by inches. We also know that treble hooks are so good at hooking fish, that missing by inches is often close enough. Some states, like North Dakota, have attempted to rectify this and give anglers a break by stating, “for fish hooked by a lure with multiple hooks, the fish is not considered foul-hooked if at least one of the hooks is embedded from gill covers forward.” (see page 4 of their 2020-2022 angler guide). Not every state is so enlightened.

The bottom line is the law is the law. While B.A.S.S. is apparently lobbying to have certain laws regarding snagged fish changed, while they remain on the books they must be followed. If you keep a fish that didn’t take the lure in the mouth, and you’re fishing in a state or waterbody that prohibits this, you are breaking the law. Plain and simple.

Can You Keep a Foul Hooked Fish in a Tournament?

You can only keep a foul hooked fish in a tournament if both the state law and the tournament rules allow it. Remember that the state law is always going to take precedence over any tournament regulations. There are very few states that allow gamefish to be snagged or foul hooked in the first place, so chances are that you must release the fish.

Conclusion: Treble Hooks are Only Illegal Sometimes in Some Places

As seen, treble hooks are only illegal in some states and in certain conditions. By and large, there is nothing wrong with using a treble hook on most ponds or lakes while you’re fishing for bass. Instead, you’ll find yourself in trouble if you try using them on many trout streams. You should also make sure you know the local regulations when fishing with live or cut bait, as there are several state and federal laws that prohibit treble hooks while fishing live bait. You should also consider using a single hook vs. a treble hook when you’re fishing with kids, or if you’re just out to catch and release a bunch of fish. Treble hooks are more dangerous than single hooks for humans and fish, so use them sparingly.

Thanks,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


What to Do With Old Fishing Rods: Ideas to Get More Life Out of Them

During a lifetime of angling, you’re going to come to a point where you want to retire an old fishing rod. Perhaps you bought a new one that you like better, or maybe your old one broke. You might wonder what to do with your old or broken fishing rod. Before you throw it in the trash, consider some of the creative ways you can give these old rods new life.

Do Old Fishing Rods Go Bad?

There’s no need to get rid of your old fishing rods if they’re still working fine. Though heavy use can break down rods (and especially fiberglass ones) over time, a fishing rod doesn’t automatically go bad with age. If you’ve taken appropriate care of it throughout its life, it may just out survive you. I know I’m still fishing with rods I used 30 years ago as a kid, and I’m not the only angler who can say that.

With that being said, it’s not easy to keep any fishing rod in pristine condition. The mere act of using them exposes them to potential damage constantly. Every door or rod locker could potentially snap their tip, and each hook could scratch the blank while you’re clawing for the keeper with cold hands. When you get too excited by a big fish, it’s easy to forget about your rod and drop it awkwardly as you work to unhook a monster pike.

Some rods, such as fiberglass ones, have bonding agents that hold the glass together. If you used this to its full potential for a significant amount of time, it could weaken. It’s not uncommon to hear fishermen say that their old fiberglass rods just aren’t what they used to be for this reason. However, this just means the rods action is slightly different. That’s not to say it has “gone bad” – just that you might have to start using different lures or techniques.

What is the Life Expectancy of a Fishing Rod?

Many fishing rod manufacturers offer lifetime warranties on their products. Several even allow this warranty to be “no questions asked” in exchange for a high deductible. They wouldn’t do this if fishing rods weren’t expected to stand the test of time. While anything abused will break, a fishing rod that is properly maintained and stored will be fine for a lifetime. Again, I have several that I have fished with for over 30 years. There’s nothing wrong with them at all and now my kids are using them.

This does, of course, assume that the manufacturing process is a quality one. It’s not my place to disparage any manufacturer, so I won’t, but the reason I spend so much time raving about both Ugly Stik and St. Croix fishing rods is because I’ve found them to be exceptionally durable, and, in the case of St. Croix, often backed by a great warranty. This has not been my experience with every single brand I’ve tried.

Creative Things to Do With Old or Broken Fishing Rods

There’s no need to march to the garbage when your fishing rod snaps. There are several creative things to do with your old or broken rods.

Claim a Warranty

Before you do anything else with a broken fishing rod, you should see if it is under warranty. Many companies offer solid warranties even to second owners. I wrote an article about buying used rods with confidence that illustrates this point. While it might not be worth it for less expensive rods, if your prized possession breaks, see what the company will do for you first.

Attempt a Repair

If you’re handy, you could see if it’s possible to make repairs. As the video below that I’ve linked to shows, this is even possible if your blank snaps in the middle.

Fixing a Rod Tip

Amazon sells kits to repair fishing rod that you can use for on the water repairs. You’d just use a lighter to heat the glue in this kit and make sure you coat both the broken rod as well as the new tip with it before sliding it on.

Fixing a Blank that Breaks in the Middle

This is an interesting video showing you how to fix a broken fishing rod that snaps directly in the middle. He uses a dowel rod and generous use of epoxy and string to make the repair.

Spare Parts

If the rod is too far gone to repair, you can always break it down further and use it for spare parts. The line guides can be removed and salvaged for use on other rods. Further, cork handles and be ground down and used to fill in the handles of other rods for little touch ups.

Even if you aren’t comfortable parting it out, remember that others are. There’s quite a market on e-Bay for broken fishing rods (especially when they’re high-end), so before you toss your broken fishing rods, consider posting them on e-Bay to see if you can get a bite.

Décor

Old fishing rods and other used fishing equipment makes great décor around a lake house or barn. If the rod is in fairly good shape you could simply mount it crossed against another like swords for a cool look. You could also line your walls with them or hang your child’s name, letter by letter, down from the line guides while the rod is mounted near their crib.

Really, you should go check out this Pinterest page with multiple ideas for fishing décor to help get your creative juices flowing. There’s a lot of cool art projects that you can do with old fishing tackle in general, much less rods.

Modeling Components

I’ve been getting into scale modeling a bit as another hobby I can’t afford. What I’ve noticed right away is how just about any “junk” becomes useful in this craft. I was downstairs today stringing up some Ugly Stiks when I noticed just how translucent their tips are. Considering they’re also quite strong, they’d be a great way to prop up model airplanes in a diorama.

Consider this photo below. This was my son’s Black History Month project this year. He used wooden dowels to get the planes up in the air. These of course stick out quite a bit. I’ll bet the tip of an Ugly Stik also would have done the trick and been less noticeable. Of course, the only problem with this is that Ugly Stiks are darn-near indestructible, so we’ll never get the chance!

Tuskegee Airmen diorama
A translucent rod tip would have been less noticeable than these wooden dowels.

I’m sure there are plenty of other ways to make good use of old fishing rods in scale modeling. For example, I’m already wondering if a foam handle wouldn’t make a great, lightweight, interior support structure…

Lawn & Garden

I have to say, a medium-heavy or larger rod blank would make a great stake for your garden. Indeed, the line guides would be very good places to tie off some fabric to keep your tomatoes growing strong. Depending on how tall you need them, you might need to connect two broken blanks together with a dowel, but you’d think this system would work quite well. Come to think of it, I hope my wife doesn’t read this. If she does, I think I just bought myself a new project…

Plow Reflectors

Fishing rod blanks are lightweight, flexible, and (if you remove the eye guides at least) unlikely to do any damage to something that walks into it. This would make them a pretty good use as a reflector during the winter months to help you avoid the lawn while you’re snow blowing. Just wrap that rod up in reflective tape, sharpen on end with a knife, and push it into the ground as you would with any other reflector.

Line Stringer

I once lost the top half of a 2-piece fishing rod, but rather than throw it out, I’ve put it to great use as a line stringer. I find it much easier to put new fishing line on a reel if it’s on this shortened rod than a longer one. It’s more convenient and can be done in tighter quarters. I’d keep a broken fishing rod around specifically for this purpose.

4-Wheelers Spider Web Catcher

I was mauled by a brown recluse spider last year, so any opportunity to not encounter one of these creepy crawlers is music to my ears. You can recycle old fishing rods by attaching them to the front of your 4-wheeler and using as a spider web catcher. Just place 2-3 old fishing rods vertically in front of your ATV to catch any spider webs before you eat a mouthful of arachnid.

brown recluse spider bite
Spider bites suck!!! If only I had a broken fishing rod to save me…

There’s a Lot of Life Left in Those Old Fishing Rods!

As you can see, there’s little need to throw out old or broken fishing rods. First, you can likely repair them. Even if you can’t, you can either use them for parts, or perhaps file a claim under warranty and get it replaced. Lastly, you can put old fishing rods to good use in a variety of crafts, decorations, and practical applications. I hope this article helped you think of a few ways to get some more life out of your old and broken fishing rods. If you have other tips or ideas, please leave a comment and share with our readers!

Thanks,

John Paxton

Can A 2-Year-Old Child Fish? Advice from a Dad.

Are you sick and tired of your walls being covered in crayon? Is your toddler running around the house, knocking over every vase, in need of some fun outdoor activity? Or, are you simply so fed up with “Baby Shark” that feel compelled to catch one? If so, you’ve probably wondered “can a 2-year-old go fishing?”

You are in luck! Not only is the answer, yes, you can take your 2-year-old fishing, but it’s also the best time to take them! This is the perfect age at which to take a kid fishing for several reasons. First, they’ll be super excited about every little fish caught, no matter how large. Second, this is an age where they want to copy everything you do, and they’ll grin from ear to ear if you let them practice casting. Third, this is a point in their life where they’re really into slime, water, and animals. In short, 2-year-olds love to fish. You need to take them!

Now, you may have already seen my article about what a good age is to take a child fishing, but this will expand on that, so read on. Note that this article does assume that your kid is about 2-3 years old. If they are much younger, please refer to my post about fishing with babies and infants.

Why You Should Take a Young Kid Fishing

It might surprise you, but fishing is a great sport for young kids like 2-year-olds or 3-year-olds. Like soccer, it’s one of those activities they can mostly handle. Sure, most kids won’t be able to make that great of a cast at first, but they can quickly get the hang of it. There aren’t too many ways that they can be “just like mommy or daddy,” but fishing is one of them.

That’s empowering for kids. After all, how many of your hobbies do they “really” get to play along with at this age? Much of the time, they probably feel left out on the sidelines. If you take your 2-year-old out to catch some fish, they’ll be front and center for the action.

I’ve also found that my children listen to me better while we’re out fishing. While I struggle just as much as anyone else to get them to eat their food or pick up their toys, they listen very intently to instruction with a fishing pole in their hands. This is because they’re so interested that it’s easy for them to pay attention. Little kids have ADD from the 7th ring of hell, but if they find something fascinating, they’re laser-focused. I’ve yet to find a 2-year-old who saw me catch a fish and didn’t want to catch one of their own.

Finally, you ought to take your 2-year-old fishing with you because they think it’s just the coolest thing ever, and that’ll make you the coolest parent ever. Well, at least until you get back in the car.

My 2-year-old daughter with a small fish.
Pictures like this are a pretty good reason to go fishing with your kids too!

What to Expect When Fishing With a 2-Year-Old

In a word, tangles. Lots and lots of tangles. Everywhere there will be tangles, the likes of which you’ve never seen. There’ll be no reason for you to wonder if old fishing line goes bad. It’ll never get the chance.

You may think I’m joking, but I’m not. You know how it only takes your 2-year-old two seconds to get into trouble? I think it’s more like one when they’re fishing. You should absolutely expect to have significant equipment breakdowns, and you should therefore bring a couple of spares. I recommend bringing no less than three fishing rods when you take a 2-year-old along.

  • Alpha Rod: the fishing rod currently in your 2-year-old’s hands. It is in the process of being tangled.
  • Bravo Rod: the fishing rod currently in your hands. It is in the process of being detangled.
  • Charlie Rod: the fishing rod currently resting up against a tree. It is about to be tangled.

It might seem like overkill, but if you don’t bring along three rods you’re going to spend most of your time fixing issues with one and your kids will get bored. Fishing with 2-year-olds very much feels like reloading muskets during the American Revolution. It takes time and is a constant, all trip long.

Can a 2-Year-Old Catch Their Own Fish?

Yes, but you shouldn’t expect this. My son was casting, hooking, fighting, and landing his own fish before he was two, but I am insane. You’ll note I started an entire blog about this. I’d assume most people haven’t had their kids on this kind of track since they were little. So, it’s going to take them a few trips. Your best bet is to cast out for them, and also try to cast your own rod out. When you get a bite on your rod (which is more likely, since your kid has probably reeled theirs in immediately), hand it over to your 2-year-old and have them reel it in.

You’re going to need to coach them through the reeling and fighting of the fish. My father always used to coach, “keep the rod up high!” While this can lead to high-sticking, which you don’t want, with little kids like 2-year-olds, it really is good advice. They’re too short to keep much pressure on the fish in any other way. Also, it’s unlikely they’re catching a fish large enough to break the rod via high-sticking (if they do, it’s probably stronger than them and they aren’t lifting it that high in the first place).

Tips for Fishing With a 2-Year-Old

Here are some tips and advice to make fishing with your 2-year-old much more enjoyable. You’ll note that most of the factors discussed below are entirely in your control. Given this sport has so much that isn’t, I would advise you to consider these.

Wear the Right Clothing

Taking a 2-year-old fishing requires special clothing. You should outfit your children in some rainboots, regardless of how sunny it is. I suppose if it is really hot, crocs or other water shoes would be fine. Don’t put them in anything that you want to keep clean, as it’s not happening. You also need to get them a sunhat, even if it isn’t that sunny. Trust me, fishing is so exciting that you’ll forget to reapply sunscreen, which you don’t want. I like wide-brimmed hats that have a snap to help keep them in place.

this style hat works well when fishing with young kids.
This is a good style fishing hat for fishing with kids.

What is the Best Fishing Pole for a 2-Year-Old

Once a child reaches about 2 or 3 years old, the best fishing pole to buy them is an Ugly Stik. They’re durable, inexpensive (important since you want three of them), and last a lifetime. They are perfectly sufficient for catching any fish a 2-year-old is likely to hook into. Kids this age don’t need the sensitivity some of the higher-end brands provide, as they’re going to be fishing mostly with live bait which provides an obvious bite. If you’re interested in learning more about why Ugly Stik is my favorite fishing rod for kids, check out my review of the Ugly Stik Elite fishing rods.

What Lures Should You Use With a 2-Year-Old?

I’d strongly urge you to avoid using lures and instead use bait. Lures are artificial objects intended to trick fish into biting, thinking it’s a meal. Bait is the real deal. We’re talking worms, crickets, hot dogs and corn (where legal).

Of these, I find that worms work the best, especially when rigged with a drop shot. I favor drop shots because they’re easy to tie and cast, keep your bait up off the bottom where fish might see it, and can easily be converted to a slower-moving target by removing the sinker.

Here’s a video from Wired2Fish that will show you how to tie a drop shot rig. This is a great way to fish with 2-year-olds.

Should You Use a Bobber?

I’m really not a fan of fishing with bobbers when I take kids out. I find the technique to be boring as people tend to cast their rod out and then set it down, waiting for a fish to bite. I find that you get far more bites by working the bait back to shore or the boat in a series of short little twitches with pauses. If I was going to fish with a bobber, I’d leave that rod off to the side and have my kid working a different one.

Bobbers are fine if fishing is the ancillary activity, so if you’re “mostly” playing catch and just happen to be next to a lake, they’re useful. I just feel that they take something that should be active and exciting and make it very passive.

This Sounds Stressful…

Yes, it can be. However, you’re in luck! I wrote an entire article about making fishing with kids stress-free that I highly encourage you not only to read, but also to share with your spouse and anyone else who is coming for the trip. One thing that bears repeating from that article is simply to keep your cool. Look, you’re catching sunfish out there. If you lose one, does it really matter? Of course not. Indeed, you might think about a fishing trip as an awesome way to showcase some resilience for your children by always being on the up and up no matter what goes wrong. So look at the little adventures of taking a 2-year-old fishing as a learning opportunity and leave it at that.

How to Keep a 2-Year-Old Interested in Fishing

My best two pieces of advice for how to keep a 2-year-old (or any kid) interested in fishing are pretty simple:

  1. Get a fish into the livewell or bucket as fast as you can.
  2. Have plenty of other distractions besides fishing.

The first one makes enough sense. For years, I’ve stressed the need to catch a fish as quickly as you can and put it in the livewell or bucket. This gives kids something to “check in on” whenever they start getting bored. I’ve found that my son and daughter spend almost as much time staring at the livewell than they do fishing some days! From a 2-year-old’s perspective, if there’s no fish in the livewell, then you’re just standing there holding a fishing rod. They don’t do well with delayed gratification. Once the fish is in the livewell, they have a “friend” to hang out with until their next opportunity to start reeling.

As for distractions, well, as counter-intuitive as it may be, one of the best ways to keep kids interested in fishing is to have other stuff going on that can pull them away from it. It’s the same concept, really, as getting the fish in the livewell. You want your kids to have other things pulling their attention away so they don’t have time to get bored with the actual angling. I find that soccer balls and worm buckets are just about perfect for this!

When fishing with 2-year-olds make sure you have some distractions, like worms, to keep them occupied when the fish won't bite.
Have some distractions on hand. Luckily, you don’t need to bring anything special. The box of worms will do just fine.

Conclusions: Yes, You Can Take a 2-Year-Old Fishing

You shouldn’t hesitate for a moment to take your 2-year-old fishing with you. Indeed, it’s one of the best experiences that a parent can share with their child. If you aren’t convinced, I’d suggest that you check out my article on a boatload of reasons to take your kids fishing sometime. There’s plenty of good ones!

As always, if you need more help please feel free to email me, leave a comment below, or join my Facebook group and post a message there seeking advice. You can also buy my book which was written specifically to help you with the exact kind of questions that led you to this page (click on the picture below my signature for the purchase link on Amazon). I love interacting with fans and helping people learn to fish with their kids, so please don’t feel as though it’s any trouble!

Have a great day for fishing,

John Paxton

How Fishing Bobbers Are Destroying America

I hate fishing with bobbers. Always have, always will. While there’s a few guys on the walleye circuit making a killing using them, I refuse. Every time I tie one of these stupid things on I regret it. They’re good for nothing but putting little anglers to sleep, they’re choking hazards for the more excitable, they litter tree limbs across banks like Christmas ornaments from hell, and if that wasn’t enough for you, they’re destroying America.

You heard me right. The Land of the Free, slowly but surely being bludgeoned to death by these little red and white, gumball-shaped wastes of time. Don’t believe me? Read on, dear patriot, and help me take our country back.

Fishing with Bobbers is BORING

I started this website to help parents learn how to take their kids fishing. This always seemed like such a strange thing to need to teach, because angling is naturally awesome. Unfortunately, there are many grown adults who don’t know how to fish. This is despite the fact that many of said grown adults, at one point in their life, had a parent or grandparent take them out on the lake. So what happened? Why didn’t it stick?

BECAUSE THAT PARENT OR GRANDPARENT TIED ON A BOBBER, AND BOBBERS ARE BORING.

Think back for a moment. Uncover that deep dark secret you’ve repressed all these years. Go lay down on a couch if it helps. You hate fishing because at one point or another, you were sitting next to a pond, just staring at a bobber. Well, that and being “shushed” constantly so you didn’t scare the fish. That’s right. As a child, you were tasked with BEING STILL AND QUIET while you stared at that stupid ol’ bobber quietly floating like the plastic piece of trash it is. No wonder you hate fishing. It’s amazing you can even function in society with an upbringing like that.

Imagine, however, that your childhood was different. Imagine if that adult “guide” of yours hadn’t sat you in a lawn chair staring at a puddle. What if they instead tied on a hook with a worm and told you to — gasp! — hold the rod and twitch it now and then as you slowly reeled it in! You might have actually got to feel the fish when it bit in time to do something about it (and get excited). It’s likely you would have caught more fish and had a better time if you were actively engaged in the activity, don’t you think?

Check out this article for more ranting about how bobbers are terrible for using with your kids.

Now, imagine that you started when you were a little older. Perhaps 7 or 8. You were old enough to cast reasonably well by then, and this guide of yours tied on a spinnerbait and told you to cast along the weed line. Perhaps then you would have felt the rocketing force of a chain pickerel or northern pike slamming your lure with reckless abandon! If you had, I’m sure you’d remember!

But no, instead that adult tied on a bobber and let you just watch it float. As a result, you’re now reading a fishing website as an adult trying to learn this great hobby. An entire lifetime spent doing something else that wasn’t as fun! Don’t do this to your children! Leave the bobbers at home!

Bobbers are Choking Hazards

Well, they are now, aren’t they? Many of them are are quite rotund and capable of blocking an airway. I know you’re probably wondering why anyone would eat a fishing bobber. If I haven’t made it clear yet, because bobbers will bore you stupid in a hurry. Stupid eats plastic. Unless you feel like bringing along that Dechoker the Facebook ads have scare-guilted all of us into buying, leave the bobbers at home!

It could happen.

Fishing Bobbers are Christmas Ornaments From Hell

Go walk around your favorite fishing pond. Look to the trees, look along the banks. What will you see? BOBBERS. EVERYWHERE THERE ARE BOBBERS. These photos didn’t need to be staged, folks! I could fill a page with them! Every single one of these things is a potentially danger to wildlife as well as just a stupid way to ruin a photo for a postcard. Think of all the Pinterest shots ruined by these lousy floats!

fishing bobber littering a bank.
A bobber doing what it is good for: nothing.
fishing bobber caught in a tree.
Bobbers are Christmas ornaments from hell. This is a bird death trap just waiting to happen.

Please do your part to stop turning our ponds, lakes, and rivers into your own personalized version of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Leave the bobbers at home!

Bobbers are Destroying America

According to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 100% of proceeds from fishing licenses go towards conservation and restoration. Further, there are taxes on many common fishing items that are also dedicated to these causes (source). Thus, the more people who buy fishing licenses, the more money that is available for conservation.

Most states don’t require small children to have a fishing license. Thus, they will only pay into this conservation practice if they grow up to become anglers. As you may remember from my first point, bobbers make fishing so incredibly boring that they put plenty of people off.

Let’s think this through:

If fishing licenses fund conservation efforts, and bobbers bore people away from fishing, then bobbers decrease funds available for conservation efforts. So… Yeah. Bobbers really are destroying America, one fruited plain and shining sea at a time! Stop destroying America! Leave the bobbers at home!

Bobbers are at the Gates!

Conclusion: Be a Lively, Breathing, Non-Polluting American Hero and Leave the Bobbers at Home!

I don’t know how much plainer I can put it. Bobbers are stupid, they bore your children, they pollute our waterways, stringing up birds along the way, and are destroying the very fabric of our nation. There’s really nothing good about them aside from the fact that people recognize them and they make fine decorations for a “cutesy little fishing cake,” but then someone might choke on them. To each their own, but I’ll leave the bobbers at home!

Have a great day for fishing (just not with bobbers, unless you have no soul),

John Paxton

As an aside, if you are a bobber manufacturer or aficionado who is now furiously typing me an email or about to leave a nasty comment, consider the posting date of this article and if you shouldn’t take a little walk and sleep on it. Unless, of course, you think I should add “Bobbers Fuel Anger” as a subheading above too. Happy April Fools, everyone!

Does Old Fishing Line Go Bad or Expire?

So, I’m one of those people that likes to buy things in bulk, and fishing line is no exception. Unfortunately, ever since I’ve become a father, I haven’t had quite as much time to use all that fishing line as I used to. Thus, I now have a large box filled to the brim with tons of spools of fishing line that’s just itching to see water. It does beg the question, does old fishing line go bad, or somehow “expire?”

After much research, I can report that braided fishing line can last nearly indefinitely, assuming it hasn’t been compromised. Fluorocarbon and especially monofilament, on the other hand, can break down or otherwise go bad meaning that you’re better off replacing spools every few years. Fishing line will degrade faster while on a reel, but line can even experience issues while in the box. Despite all this, many anglers (including myself) have been using “old” fishing line for years without any problems. Indeed, there is a stark difference between what various websites tell you and what the end users report on fishing forums.

Let’s discuss why fishing line goes bad, and what to do about it.

Index

Methodology

Where possible, I’ve tried to go right to the source. I found a few manufacturers who had information right on their website, which I’ve cited throughout this article. I also reached out to a few, but am waiting to hear back (I’ll update this article as I hear from them)!

While searching for manufacturer comments, I also found some blog posts on the topic which have helped inform this topic, especially when written by professional anglers or scientists.

I’ve also searched the forums. Fishing forums are some of the best places to get information when you have a question. While there are some posters who are sponsored, the majority of anglers are normal guys and gals like you and me who just know what works.

Finally, I’ve put in my own two cents. I’ve been fishing for over thirty years (and have some spools that aren’t much younger lying around, I’m sure)! What’s the point of writing this if I’m not going to stand on a soap (or is it old fishing line) box for a bit?

Why Does Fishing Line Go Bad?

Northern pike aren’t the only enemies of fishing line. It is also damaged by repeated use, heat, stress, tackle interference, knicks and abrasions, rod issues, the wind, backlashes, UV light, and tying knots. These issues can affect fishing line and make it go bad regardless of if its on your fishing reel, or still in the box.

General Stretching and Use

I had an old friend who once told me, “There’s only so many times you can bend a spring before it won’t spring back.” Fishing line is the same way. Monofilament line naturally stretches. It’s part of its appeal (or downside, depending on what you’re looking for). Berkley mentions that monofilament will stretch as much as 25% on a heavy hook set (source). However, just like that spring, it can only be stretched so much before it finally breaks. If you don’t believe me, just take a plastic band or anything else and keep pulling on it.

Some fluorocarbons are designed to have minimal stretch, while others are a bit more forgiving. The same concept that applies to monofilament will apply here. Repeatedly stretching anything will eventually wear it out.

Braid barely stretches, if at all. If you’re stretching your braid, something catastrophic is happening or your drag is set way too tight. While it won’t stretch, braid has another issue from use – it just gets worn out by friction slowly over time. You’ll see that it starts to fade as it is used more often, indicating that it has been put through the ringer.

Heat

The internet is full of different advice about this one. On the one hand you have many people arguing that heat is not good for fishing line. On the other, you have people trying to boil fishing line to reduce memory. If I’m putting my nickel down, it’s on the “don’t let fishing line get too hot” side of this argument. For one, while researching this article, I came across many reports of many people using fishing line that is decades old. Not one of them reported that they kept this line in a hot and humid place. All of them reported that it was kept somewhere dry and cool.

Stress

While fishing line is meant to fight fish effectively, it’s still quite the battle. The stress large fish put on line while jumping, diving, and making long runs will eventually take its toll. While this is normally fine for the line (it wouldn’t be sold for long if it wasn’t), if you use the wrong size of line for your drag or rod, you can overstress it and cause it to break. This is why weaker lines need to be matched with “whippy” rods like ultralights that will flex enough to compliment the line’s rating. If you put 2lb test monofilament on your frog rod, you’d have issues.

Tackle Interference

Do you use slip shot sinkers? Do you really think that crimping them onto your line is going to be good for it in the long run? These, and other types of tackle (such as the bobbers I so detest) that attach directly to fishing line are bad for it. If you’re using beads, bobbers, or any type of sinker that connects to the line, you need to consider the damage it is slowly doing over time and retie often.

These sinkers are handy, but crimp line by design.

Abrasions

Toothy critters, rocks, pilings, zebra muscles, wood, and random junk people toss in the lake can all scratch up your fishing line with tiny little imperfections. Sometimes these are obvious and visible to the naked eye from a few feet away. Other times they are small enough that you need to look very close or even run your finger down the line to inspect for damage.

Every little abrasion is a tiny little cut where a piece of your line you were counting on is removed. This is a bad situation. The line becomes weaker with every little kink and you can bet that’ll be the point of failure. If you notice abrasions you should retie immediately lest you lose the big fish of the day (and your favorite lure).

Rod Issues

Abrasions don’t always come from toothy critters. Sometimes, the culprit is your own fishing rod. Are you one of those “old school” anglers like my dad who insists on storing your fishing lures by hooking them to a line guide? Did you know that doing this can damage them and give them little scratches that can knick up your fishing line? Most rods have a hook keeper near the handle – use this instead.

Likewise, have you been fishing with kids or other amateurs (or are perhaps learning yourself)? Ever notice how they just love to reel their hooks all the way to the rod tip? Yeah – that isn’t doing any favor for your line guide there, either! Make sure you stop the hook before it gets that high or you could turn your rod tip into a line-cutting whipping stick.

Wind Knots & Backlashes

The simple act of casting poorly is going to cause issues to fishing line and make it go bad. It should be no surprise to anyone who has spent an hour picking through a birds nest or backlash that this isn’t great for the line. Wind knots are the same way. Both of these situations are basically contorting and pinching your line and reducing its strength and effectiveness.

UV Light

Monofilament line can be badly damaged by ultraviolet light over time. How badly you ask? Consider what Berkley (the manufacturer of what I consider to be the best monofilament line you can buy) has to say:

“Under normal circumstances, monofilament loses about 20% of its tensile strength for every 100 hours of exposure to sunlight.”

THE SCIENCE OF LINE & WHY RESPOOLING MATTERS

20% tensile strength is a scary figure. While it does seem pretty unusual that you’d have a situation where line was exposed to this much sunlight, this is a great reason for keeping your tackle in a dark room or rod box as opposed to outdoors.

In the same article, Berkley goes on to say that Fluorocarbon doesn’t have this same issues as monofilament. That’s not surprising considering fluorocarbon’s reputation of being much tougher than monofilament overall.

While there’s no reason to suspect that UV Light is going to damage braid, I do suppose it could be a contributing factor in why it fades over time. I’m a big fan of Power Pro braided fishing line, but I will say that it’s dark green color turns to light grey after using it for some time.

Tying Knots

An improperly tied knot can do considerable damage to fishing line. Unfortunately, this damage is often imperceptible to the naked eye. Have you ever seen a fisherman lick his knot before he cinches it down? This is done in an attempt to lubricate the line and prevent heat and friction from damaging it while the knot is tightened.

Even if you tie a knot perfectly well, it is still going to degrade the line’s strength. Think about it. Tying a fishing knot basically means smushing that line even smaller than it already is, and putting great force on it. Another consideration is that not all knots are the same, as the “Knot Wars” on YouTube have demonstrated time and again. Here’s a look at one of their videos. You can find others through their channel.

Want to know why your fishing line snaps when you cast? Read this article to find out!

How Long Does Fishing Line Last?

Trying to answer this question has been very challenging in that there is not a ton of “primary source” information out there. I took what I could find in the horse’s mouth, so to speak, and then supplemented it by experience gleaned from various fishing forums (specifically, posts in walleyecentral.com, thehulltruth.com and bassresource.com). These are, after all, filled with anglers like you and me. They also are more or less “peer reviewed,” or as much as any internet post can be, given that everyone has their chance to weigh in and call out baloney.

What Did the Manufacturers Have to Say?

I checked the websites of several manufacturers to try and find some information on this. Emailed inquiries have been sent, but haven’t been responded to as of posting. As for their websites, few had much to go by. I checked out the websites for Berkley, Stren, Seguar, P-Line, spiderwire, Sufix, Sunline, Strike King, and Yo-Zuri. Of these, only Berkley and Seaguar offered any information.

  • Berkley‘s The Science of Line & Why Respooling Matters blog post cited earlier, had information helpful to this article, but it mostly touched on line that’s already on a reel. In their article, Berkley recommended that tournament anglers respool before every tournament, while enthusiasts could respool every season.
  • Seaguar had a very helpful FAQ that touched upon many of the issues in this article. However, they were vague regarding how long fluorocarbon lasts before it goes bad. They simply said it lasts longer than mono.

What Did the Fishing Forums Opine?

While I won’t claim to have exhaustively searched through every post on earth, I did read through plenty of them. Here’s some general themes that quickly emerged:

  • People overwhelmingly support that monofilament fishing line goes bad the quickest. However, there were multiple anglers (and you can chalk me up in this) reporting using the same spools of monofilament for years (sometimes decades) without issues.
  • Of those people who were using the same line for decades, most reported keeping it in a dark place. One guy had spools of fishing line in an Igloo cooler for 30 years that he still uses. The line that I still use likewise was kept in a closet or basement its entire life.
  • Many folks report braid lasting indefinitely unless you really beat it up catching fish. I agree with this. The only time I change braided line is when the spool is running low. Since I tie directly to lures most of the time, I’ve never had the chance to see braided line to go bad.
  • As for fluorocarbon? Most agreed that this line creates manageability problems due to taking a set (or succumbs to a bad backlash) long before it has a chance to go “bad.” So, fluorocarbon fishing line can go bad in the sense that it becomes even harder to manage (it has such high memory that it isn’t easy to begin with).

Does Unused Fishing Line Go Bad In Storage, or Expire?

I note there’s no expiration date on any of the spools in my basement. The cynic in me believes that if fishing line manufacturers were able to get away with it, it would be in their best interest to slap one of those expiration labels on every spool they sold. What better way, after all, to get line hoarders like me to pony up for a new spool?

The fact that there’s no expiration date lead me to believe that unused fishing line does not go bad or expire. All the same, we all know what assuming something does. So I set off on an adventure into the merry internet to see if I could find the answer to my hypothesis.

What is the Shelf Life of Monofilament Fishing Line?

I tried reaching out to Berkley to ask them how long monofilament fishing line will last. They’ve yet to reply (and I’m a little anxious to get this post out) but I did find a 2007 post from walleye central where a member confirmed that he had asked Berkley this same information and was told that nylon monofilament has a shelf life of 2-3 years.

How to Tell How Old Fishing Line Is

The rep further advised that one can tell how old their fishing line is by the code on the front of the spool. If you take a spool of Berkley Trilene and look at the white circle on the spool, you’ll see three numbers. The middle number is the age of the line.

The middle digit represents what year the line was manufactured. In this case, 2014.

I Did a Little Science Experiment

So, as we can see from the photo above, this line was manufactured in 2014. It is now 2021, 7 years later. We saw earlier that Berkley states that their monofilament line has a shelf life of 2-3 years (or at least they did in the 2007 email described earlier). Thus, there should be significant problems with this line, right? Perhaps I should revisit how I’ve just added this line to all of my kids fishing reels in preparation for this season?

Well, I did a little test. I don’t have a fancy scale to do this with. No way to measure the force or even be precise. Indeed, I don’t even have a set of weights that adds up to 6lb. The best I could do was 5lb. What I will say, however, is that this line held up just fine with a small 5lb dumbbell dangling below it. There was no issue. So at the very least, over 80% of its strength has been retained after all these years. Perhaps a few ounces more would have been fine. Perhaps the full pound. All I know is that the line I’ve spooled onto my kids reels a few days ago is staying on them, and I’m not losing a wink of sleep.

What is the Shelf Life of Fluorocarbon Fishing Line?

I have to say, I agree with the folks on the forums on this one. Fluorocarbon is going to develop setting issues, like memory, long before it “goes bad” by sitting on the shelf. Then again, I find fluorocarbon to be a pain to deal with in general. Anything that is going to exacerbate this is going to be magnified in my eyes.

There’s really no reason to suspect that the line itself would suddenly deteriorate if stored in a cool dark place. However, given the memory issues, I do find myself replacing my drop shot and crankbait rods (which I spool with fluorocarbon) each years.

What is the Shelf Life of Braided Fishing Line?

Unless you’re infested by mice or other rodents that are going to chew through it, braided fishing line can last forever. It has no memory to worry about, meaning it doesn’t matter if it spends most of its life on the spool. It also isn’t affected by UV light (not that it’ll get much on a shelf). There’s really no reason to suspect that this line would ever go back and after repeated scouring on the internet, I’m perfectly confident buying the big spools in bulk, knowing it’ll take me years to go through them.

Tips for How to Store Your Fishing Line

Given that we’ve discussed the ways that fishing line is damaged, the best way to store it so your fishing line won’t “expire” is to avoid as many problems as possible! Let’s walk through it:

  • Since we know that UV light can damage monofilament fishing line, let’s keep it somewhere dark.
  • Given we’re aware that heat is bad for fishing line, let’s store it somewhere cool.
  • As we know line doesn’t like abrasions from teeth, let’s keep it away from the family hamster.

If you follow these three steps, your fishing line should last much longer.

Ideal Places to Store Fishing Line Include

  • A cool, dry boat locker (remove it on hot sunny days).
  • A basement.
  • A closet.

While researching this article, I noted that Field & Stream featured a short post about tossing old spools of fishing line in the freezer! My wife is already mad enough about all the worms in the fridge, so I don’t think I’ll go there, but leave me a comment if you try it out and find it works!

I've had absolutely no issues with any of this unused fishing line. The line didn't go bad and certainly doesn't feel expired to me.
I have no intention of throwing any of this unused fishing line out. It all works fine, hasn’t gone bad, and doesn’t feel expired to me.

Does Fishing Line Go Bad on a Fishing Reel?

Yes, unused fishing line can go bad on a fishing reel. Indeed, it goes bad considerably quicker than it would sitting on shelf. All of the issues that could make fishing line go bad on a spool are going to be amplified when its on your fishing reel. Here are some of the more common reasons why fishing line will go bad on a reel.

How to Minimize Line Memory

One reason your line is even more likely to have problems on your reel is because it is wound that much tighter. Go grab any spool of line you have lying around. Note how much larger of a circumference that spool is than most (freshwater at least) fishing reels. There’s a good reason for that: it’s to minimize the negative effects of line memory.

Memory is the way that some fishing line will coil, or retain the shape of the spool. Fluorocarbon is notorious for this. The more tightly the line is wound, and the smaller its circumference, the worse memory becomes. Thus, lines left on fishing reels for extended periods are going to have the best chance of forming the worst memory.

Another Reason Line Goes Bad on Fishing Reels: Stretch

I would guess that very few of us leave our fishing lures dangling free form our rods when we store them. most of us probably make good use of the hook keeper to keep our lure in place. This only works if the line is tight. Tight lines place pressure on them. It stands to reason that any kind of extended pressure on a fishing line can’t be good for it in the long run, which is another reason fishing line doesn’t last as long once you put it on a spool.

Exposure to the Elements

Unless your new rig is a display piece only, chances are that any line that is tied on the reel is going to have significantly more exposure to the elements than some sitting at home in a box. Any salt that accumulates on the line, either from fishing in salt water or just tossing your rods in the back of a pickup truck on a northern, salted road, is going to have a chance to sit there and work its black magic. Additionally, it’s far more likely that your line will be exposed to UV lights while it is on a reel than in a box.

How to Tell If You Should Replace Your Fishing Line

There are several ways to tell if your fishing line has gone bad and should be replaced but most of them boil down to a simple inspection. Elite Series professional angler Scott Martin wrote a great article describing when to replace your fishing line while it is on the reel. He has a ton of money on the line, literally, so he changes it much more frequently than I do. All the same, it’s at least refreshing for him to say he’ll leave it on some rods that he doesn’t use as much.

I imagine those of you out fishing routinely like me are already following his advice. Every time I catch a fish or have a bad snag I take a close look at my fishing line and inspect it for abrasions or knicks. I do this by running my fingers down across it – any roughness whatsoever tells me that there’s an issue.

Also, when you’re casting and you feel some sort of resistance where there shouldn’t be, it’s usually a sign that you have a knot somewhere in your line. As even the best of intentional knots reduce line strength, it should come as no surprise that I lack confidence in my line when I find one of these. I’ll pull it out past the knot and retie.

How to Know to Replace Old Fishing Line Unused on the Spool?

This is a little trickier. First, you need to subscribe to the theory that something might be wrong with it in the first place. As we’ve seen, the jury is very much out on that as many fishermen (myself included) feel that most lines will last indefinitely in storage. However, if you don’t want to chance it, you’ll need to inspect it somehow.

The best way to do this is simply to take a length of it, tie to to a solid object, and then give it a good pull from the other end. Does it seem to act as you would expect it to, or did it break too early? This is very much a “gut check” but one worth doing, I suppose. My little science experiment earlier in the article also works well. Just get a weight that matches or comes close to the line test and see how it does. This should give you the confidence to keep that old spool of unused fishing line for years to come, or terrify you and chuck it.

One last little experiment I’d suggest is purposefully taking a length of line and putting a small bend in it. Just fold it in half once and put in a little crease. Now try the same tests and see how easily it snaps. Remember, by putting the crease in, it SHOULD snap easier, but the question is – was it TOO easy? Don’t let this freak you out too much, but if the line has gotten so brittle that the slightest imperfection weakens it to catastrophic failure, imagine what any imperfect knot will do.

How to Get More Life Out of Your Fishing Line

Fishing line is expensive so anything you can do to make it last longer is going to be a major plus. Here are some tips for how to get more life out of your fishing line.

  1. Protect it from the sun. Store it in a dark place away from UV light when not in use.
  2. Use a line conditioner to keep it nice and supple while it is on the fishing reel.
  3. If you’re fishing in saltwater, make sure you thoroughly rinse the line on your reel before putting it away.
  4. Remember that you don’t need to replace the entire spool. Use a Double Uni Knot to attach some fresh line on, while leaving the old for backing. Note: don’t do this if you fish for species that might spool you.
  5. If your faded braid is bothering you, remember that a permanent marker can be used to touch it up and make it look like new. Just make sure its only discolored and not frayed.
  6. Tie directly to the lure rather than using snap swivels. The mere act of retying will ensure you go through line at a moderate pace. This will allow you to cycle to fresh line without having to entirely respool by using step #4.
  7. Remember that braid has no memory. This means that you can take the fresh, unused underlayer from one reel and use it as the top layer on another.
  8. Consider using a leader with braided line. This will prevent your main line from getting as many abrasions. If you need help tying one, I wrote an article about how to make a fishing leader that can help you.

Any Advice from the Pros?

I was able to find this article on fishing line care from Elite Series pro Aaron Martins where he mentions that he will “regularly fish with line that is three or four years old.” This is refreshing to hear from a pro when many of them state they exchange line routinely. Then again, he clearly goes to great lengths to take care of his fishing line and keep it in top condition.

Uses for Old Fishing Line

I’ve found old fishing line to be quite useful for a number of tasks around the house. Even if you think some of your unused fishing line has gone bad and don’t trust it for fishing, you can put it to one of these many great uses.

  1. Fishing line is very useful for scale modeling. Some instructions specifically call for its use for the radio wire on various aircraft. Further, it can be used for detailed work on any vehicle that has various cables.
  2. It is outstanding for hanging Christmas ornaments. If you have an old ornament that lost its string, or want to make new ones with your kids as a fun craft, fishing line of all types comes in handy.
  3. Likewise, old fishing line can be used for hanging pictures. Granted, if you’re worried that its tensile strength has been reduced by age, you’ll want to take it easy with which pictures you choose to hang.
  4. You can use old fishing line for making jewelry such as bracelets with beads. Just use a heavier pound test to make sure it will hold up to being taken on and off for years.
  5. It can be very nifty for repairing eyeglasses (source).
  6. While I’m not so certain that I’d want to use old line that has been in the water for this, fishing line can be used as a cake cutter. It seems that there is some benefit to this as the lines are cleaner and this avoids transferring one type of frosting onto another and making a mess.
You never know what people will come up with, but using fishing line to cut a cake obviously works great as seen in this video!

Disposing of Old Fishing Line Ethically

If you’ve decided that you just can’t trust your old fishing line any longer and need to replace it (and don’t want to make use of it elsewhere), you need to throw the old stuff out sensibly and ethically. Discarded fishing line is horrible for wildlife. At this point we’ve all seen the YouTube videos of good Samaritans rescuing various wildlife entangled by it. It is absolutely your responsibility to ensure that you will not kill or injure a creature by discarding your line. Here are some tips to help.

Recycle Old Monofilament Line

Monofilament line can be recycled, but not just by anyone. You can’t toss it into the recycling bin at your home, unfortunately, but the good news is there are several entities that offer free recycling programs for old fishing line.

Bassmaster has an absolutely phenomenal post where they list the different fishing line recycling resources available. There are listings for programs in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. I’d like to highlight two of these resources in particular.

Boatus.org has partnered with Berkley in a recycling program for monofilament fishing line. They have a post where they provide videos and other information for how you can build your own line recycling station at your favorite waterway. All you need to do is commit to stopping by once in awhile to empty the container and to mail it to:

Berkley Recycling
1900 18th Street
Spirit Lake, Iowa 51360

Likewise, the Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program is a Florida-based program which offers opportunities to get involved by building your own recycling bins as well as joining relief and clean up efforts. If you live in the Sunshine State, consider getting involved.

Other Places to Recycle Fishing Line

If you don’t have a fishing recycling bin near you (and haven’t gotten around to volunteering to collect one yourself yet), several tackle shops are willing to recycle old line for you. You’ll often see bins in the entryway of major retailers who sell fishing tackle. Just call around and you should be able to find a shop near you. Of course, you also could just mail your old fishing line directly to Berkley Recycling and they’ll take care of it.

Cut Your Old Fishing Line Before You Toss It

I haven’t seen any recycling programs for braid (please email me if you know of one). This means that for now at least, you’ll need to throw it out. It’s very important that you cut it into small pieces before you do so. If you leave it as a long string it is very likely that a bird or other animal will be caught in it and die. Just wrap the line around your hand to form a loop and then cut that loop on both ends. The 3-4″ length that is left will be much safer for all involved.

It should go without saying that this should be done with any fishing line, not just braid. I’d even cut it before you put it in the recycling station. For one, it’ll save space and allow other anglers to utilize it. Secondly, if something goes wrong (maybe a bird starts pulling it out for a nest or something), you won’t endanger wildlife. Considering it takes fishing line 600 years to decompose, don’t take a chance of some getting loose in a long enough strand to do damage. A length of fishing line can kill a number of turtles in 600 years.

Conclusions

You’d think after a 5,000+ word article I’ve spent days researching I’d be more decisive, but I just can’t be. All that I can say for certain is that fishing line on a reel, exposed to the elements, and used regularly will go bad quicker than unused fishing line stored on the spool in a cool, dark place. I’m not at all certain that you have much of anything to worry about with using that old fishing line stored in your basement, aside perhaps from excessive line memory. Braid, certainly, could be trusted for years and years.

My best advice would be to test out your line a bit before you rely on it to land your next lunker. If it is supple enough and manageable, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over continuing to use it. Then again, that might be easier said than done with a tournament on the line!

Thanks for reading,

John Paxton

Batterson Park to Be Maintained, Finally

I’m extremely pleased to hear reports that Batterson Park will be maintained again, finally. There’s a whole article where you can read all of the details here. Aside from the gist of things, I don’t intend to rehash them. I’m simply writing this post with my thoughts on the matter as someone who lived within walking distance of the park for several years and who fishes it often. Who knows? Perhaps those tasked with restoring this park will see this article and take some of the thoughts into consideration.

The Gist of Things at Batterson Park Pond

Batterson Park is situated between Farmington and New Britain, Connecticut, but curiously owned by Hartford. This situation seems to have caused some issues with keeping the park operating well, especially with all the financial trouble the capitol has had in recent years. As a result, the park has been “closed” since 2015.

This closure led to several issues:

  • The boating ramp deteriorated. Despite a total lack of outboard motors and, thus, no power loading to speak of, there are huge potholes in the ramp.
  • The expansive Farmington side becomes completely overgrown by wild grass and weeds just in time for Memorial Day.
  • The actual “park” itself (on the Farmington Side, and with a beach) has been shuttered. One of the buildings sustained considerable fire damage.

At one point a few years ago, people were just driving their vehicles through the road fence (which was broken). They’d park all along the Farmington side and party. This was eventually stopped (while there was no money for mowing, there was money for no-parking signs and to drag giant felled trees out to make a new fence).

What This All Meant

The situation above basically meant that unless you had a boat, it was tough to take your kids fishing at this park any time the fish might reasonably bite. As soon as the weather warmed up enough that you’d want to go outside for the weekend, the grass and weeds took over and the place became a haven for ticks and snakes. My wife wouldn’t even let me take our son out there once the grass grew too high, which stunk as we were within walking distance at the time.

Yellow perch caught at Batterson Park Pond.
This photo was taken along the Farmington side in April. One month later, this would be completely inaccessible due to overgrowth.

As much as that personally troubled me, the far greater impact was to all the families and children who relied on the actual park itself for some clean summer fun. Once upon a time the park was open and kids could swim or have a picnic, perhaps shoot some hoops or just, well, be kids. Now those same areas that used to service them look like something out of Chernobyl. Even the basketball court is overgrown and decrepit. That’s a shame as despite all the great work New Britain has done under some excellent leadership the past few years, much of the city isn’t exactly renowned as a great place to let your kids run around outside. Places like Batterson Park, if operational and maintained, would provide a safe haven for kids to just have fun without their parents needing to worry about who is on the corner.

My Input on Improvements for Batterson Park Pond

Not that anyone has asked, but I do have a little bit of a Batterson Park “Wishlist” based on a few decades now of fishing there.

1. Mow the Darned Lawn

This is a simple step but one that is critical. Look, while we all hope that the pandemic will subside with the new vaccine, no one knows for sure. We might have a situation where we need to socially distance for the foreseeable future, or may have new pandemics down the road that once again compel this. As great (and vital) as fixing the actual park area is, someone needs to mow the lawn regularly. It should never get long enough to prevent families from enjoying the wide open areas along the Farmington side. Otherwise, people will be forced to concentrate at the boat launch and near the beach. The grass along Batterson Park Road in Farmington needs to be accounted for.

2. Fix the Park Area

We can’t have burnt down buildings and basketball courts overgrown with weeds. I trust this is definitely in the works at least. If I might make a suggestion, however, it would be to try and increase some shore access for fishing over in this area. The waters right around the basketball court make for a pretty good fishing spot where you can catch bass and walleye. Unfortunately they’re very difficult to reach without a boat. Much as this will impact me (it’s one of my favorite spots!) I’d really like to see kids have the chance to be more successful and they need a few places they can cast.

3. Repair the Boat Launch at Batterson Park

The boat launch at Batterson is, how should I say, “not ideal.” As mentioned earlier, it somehow has managed gigantic potholes without allowing any power loading whatsoever. Address this to prevent property damage or injury. A number of very large submerged rocks on either side of the boat launch that makes it challenging to safely beach your boat to go retrieve your trailer. This is especially true in high winds (which Batterson Park is notorious for). While these rocksmight be creating a bit of a breakwater, they are a real hazard and some consideration should be made if they can be moved.

4. Consider a Dock or Fishing Pier

A dock or place to tie up the boat would be outstanding. I understand that docks are not cheap, but they do no cost anywhere near $7 million. Frankly, I would invest in a few. One that is meant to allow boats to tie to (perhaps with a no fishing from dock sign, or at least on the ramp side) and then 1-2 others towards the sides that were meant for fishing. While it would be an investment and would require yearly maintenance (in that someone needs to drag it in each winter), a few floating docks would make the lake so much more accessible for anglers, especially those who require mobility assistance.

If there was only money for one, I’d let the boats continue to beach and deal with it and put in the fishing pier for the kids. Docks provide shade and cover for fish and good fishing opportunities for the kiddos. It would be a great improvement at the boat launch, or even near the park itself.

4. Add a Walking Path Along the Farmington Side

The Farmington side of the park is by far the largest expanse of open space. Unfortunately, much of that space is a swamp. Because of the grading, it gets extremely muddy along the way and you need good boots to walk there. Consider either grading this differently so that water will drain instead of collecting. You might even create a walking path of sorts along this way. Right now, I think it would be extremely challenging to maneuver a wheelchair through the area for much of the year (even if someone mowed the grass).

5. Create More Shore Access for Fishing

Really, this park needs more shore access for fishing. I’d consider trimming bushes where it’s safe to do so and the environmental engineers indicate it won’t cause erosion issues. Years back a great job was done of opening up the norther, rip rap side. That’s a good start, but more can be done. Batterson Park Pond is so important because it provides a quite place to enjoy nature for those who may not necessarily have the money to afford a boat. Reasonable steps should be taken to increase their options, if possible and environmentally sound.

Batterson Park Pond has many shorelines where fishing is inaccessible.
This shoreline is all but impossible to fish from, limiting any chance to those fortunate enough to own a boat.

6. Consider More Parking on the Northern Side of Batterson Park

This one probably won’t go over too well with the lake house owners on the Farmington side of things, but I will point out that there are only 2 true parking spots on the entire northern side. This means most who want to access this enormous section of the park are going to need to hoof it quite a ways.

There’s a gated that allows presumably mower access to the northern section. I wonder if there’s any way to have a little road that goes down into the valley for more parking. For one thing, this would allow more people to access the part of the park they wish to easily. Secondly, Batterson Park Pond is 140 acres. The northern end is a hike with a kayak and if you wanted to spend your time there, it would likely be easier to carry it in from a closer launch site.

Thank You to House Speaker Matt Ritter!

I would be remiss if I didn’t say thanks to the man who is leading the charge to restore Batterson Park Pond, House Speaker Matt Ritter. I don’t know if he will ever see this but if he does, I’d just like to say thanks for taking the lead on this and doing something much-needed for the communities of Hartford, New Britain, and Farmington. I’ve spent many years shaking my head at the state this park has gone too and it’s refreshing to see leadership taking a new interest in the park. Thank you for your hard work, Sir! It is very much appreciated!

Thanks,

John Paxton