Textured fly lines on vintage rods

Evan B

Evan B

Bobber Downey Jr.
Staff member
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Having just lined my new to me vintage fiberglass 7wr rod up with an SA Amplitude MPX textured line I've had on the shelf for a few years, I got to thinking about something I remember hearing a long time ago....

Has anyone ever experienced these textured lines damaging the guides of their older rods? I'd hate to damage the guides @Salmo_g built it with, but like this line quite a bit and it's perfect for the carping I have planned.

I originally lined it up being confident in the new coatings put on lines in recent years, but wanted to check on the experience of others as well.
 
Evan B said:
Having just lined my new to me vintage fiberglass 7wr rod up with an SA Amplitude MPX textured line I've had on the shelf for a few years, I got to thinking about something I remember hearing a long time ago....

Has anyone ever experienced these textured lines damaging the guides of their older rods? I'd hate to damage the guides @Salmo_g built it with, but like this line quite a bit and it's perfect for the carping I have planned.

I originally lined it up being confident in the new coatings put on lines in recent years, but wanted to check on the experience of others as well.
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I don’t know if it’s line texture that can wear on guides so much as dirt on the fly line, and some of the textured lines were notorious for picking up and holding dirt.
 
I don’t know how they affect guides, but I really like the textured lines. I know they’re polarizing, but I enjoy the sound.
 
I do remember the thread about textured lines damaging guides. There were even pictures of the damage. Might be related to dirt as someone mentioned above.

They are a no-go for me as a result...

My Loomis IM6 vintage rods are too beloved to risk it.
 
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The original sharkskins had that problem but the change to the more subtle textured lines don't seem to have that problem for me.
The sharkskins grooved chromium guides on a rod but not so much that I couldn't sand them smooth.
 
I'm not trying to play expert, as I am far from it, but older guides are, without a doubt, softer than the latest guides. So perhaps...

Regardless, listening to that noise is more than I can bear; I gave away two textured lines, I would prefer, going forward, to never hear those things again. It's a visceral reaction I have to them. A pox upon them. And I hope the lovers of textured lines catch every fish they cast to. But they're not for me.
 
You read t here first:

Textured lines scare fish...
 
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textured alone, probably not, but the Midwest musky guys swear by ceramic guides with any line that is tungsten impregnated (I've seen photographic evidence supporting such claims too--e.g. guides worn almost completely through).
 
Besides, @Evan B , you've already bastardized that fine rod built by @Salmo_g that at this point, you may as well just re-do the guides too.... :LOL:

seriously though, if I had that rod and wanted to preserve those original guides, I'd probably just throw on a Cortland 444 Peach or Sylk and call 'er a day....
 
Lake flyer said:
The original sharkskins had that problem but the change to the more subtle textured lines don't seem to have that problem for me.
The sharkskins grooved chromium guides on a rod but not so much that I couldn't sand them smooth.
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Trying not to veer too off topic here. But I'm curious what you did to sand those guides smooth? I have a rod I built and used with one of the original sharkskin lines that wore the inside of the black single foot guides chrome, plus wore some grooves. I hadn't thought about trying to sand them smooth rather than stripping the whole rod down and rebuilding it.
 
Run the textured line if that's the line you want to fish IMO. If you manage to wear out the guides then you'll either have a fun repair project or an excuse to go shop for a new toy.
 
Dennisoft said:
Run the textured line if that's the line you want to fish IMO. If you manage to wear out the guides then you'll either have a fun repair project or an excuse to go shop for a new toy.
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Yeah think how many casts and fish it takes to wear out some guides. It’s a lot. If you manage to do that, it’s probably worth it.
 
I would rather see @Evan B cook pizzas or fish than possibly take time to rebuild a rod.
 
Matt B said:
These things can be outsourced to experts.
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So what is cheaper? A Cortland peach line or a rod rebuild by an expert?
 
Matt B said:
Are we doing things the cheapest way possible or the way that gives us greater pleasure?
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When on a fixed income or time time away from pleasure will answer your question...
 
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