Death of a Tippet

[fishhunterphil]

So, I was wondering what other addicts did when their tippet got hot (say over 90 sittin' in the trunk) or they had bought it a couple years back; throw it away? Keep using it until it is clearly kaput? Do some sort of tests with 3, 6, 8lb weights etc.!?

On some tippet I have seen an expiration date, does that mean is just becomes brittle after that time?
Look forward to hearing thoughts, opinions, etc.
Thanks
-Phil

[Benny]

Make another one out of the old one, it won't be as pretty as a new one, but it'll work just as well. The heat does affect the line and will make it brittle but that would be with direct sunlight and not just cause of heat. I have some old spools of mono and kept them out of the light and heat and then look just like new and are still strong.

[fishhunterphil]

Make another one out of the old one, it won't be as pretty as a new one, but it'll work just as well.

How?
I am thinking about 40m spools of tippet material, not leaders.

[flybob]

Phil, call me cheap, but I have yet to have a fish break off because my tippet was expired!

I have done some yank and pull tests, I have yet to break it!

btw, the only size I buy in the large spool is 4x, I go through that stuff like dental floss!

[Benny]

Make another one out of the old one, it won't be as pretty as a new one, but it'll work just as well.

How?
I am thinking about 40m spools of tippet material, not leaders.

My bad, I misread I was thinking (or should I say not thinking) leader...

All my tippet spools are kept in my truck so that I never forget them at home and they work just fine. There are some really old spools in there as well and I haven't had any issues thus far. I think you should be okay if your just fly fishing for trout.

[fflutterffly]

Holly Heck fishman 4x. you must be hit'em big'ums. I usually don't fish anything more than a 6x or 5x (rarely). A 6x is usually rated to 3lbs and I don't come across many of those. Where do you fish for such wonderful big boys. I want in!!! I've never tossed out tippet. I have used some old stuff to tie flies with however.

[Papasequoia]

Phil, call me cheap, but I have yet to have a fish break off because my tippet was expired!

One of my New Year's resolutions was not to make any more jokes about the average size of Bob's fish. Nope. Not even gonna bring it up. Not a word out of me. Nuh uh. Nada. Zip. It's too bad, because this would have been the perfect place for it. But....no. Someone else, maybe. But not me.

[fly addict]

Use fluorocarbon, heat does not affect it like mono. Here’s another tip, buy Halo P-Line in 200 yard spools for $22. You can rip tree limbs down with the 6# stuff! I haven’t used mono for years, but if I did I would keep it in the cooler instead of laying on the dash of my truck.

Mark

[fishhunterphil]

Thanks for the responses everybody.

So, basically most think the exp date is a bit bogus?

I am using all flouro tippet....just got some 6x and 7x and it says exp in 2013.

I don't always get big old beasties on line, but I lost a bunch of fish when I was fishing the oct caddis hatch in OR last year, there were some bruisers that just taking me downtown real fast, SNAP O. Maybe I should have been using 3x, or 2x, instead of 4x. It was a # 10 fly, so reckon shouda gone 3x.

[FlyinFish]

You guys are way too touchy. My salt reels sit in the scorching sun for days on end year after year and the mono is just fine... ya, heat and sun light aren't great for it, but the stuff lasts forever. If it's kept in a cool, dark place it really will last as long as you live.

90 degs should not be a problem at all. My mono spools sit in my parent's garage in the valley where it probably gets to be 120 inside the garage. You'll be just fine.

[beachbum]

Do the break test, if it's bad, you can tell. Good fluro lasts a long time.

[fancyboy]

I think sun is the big culprit in term of destruction to tippet spools. Just sitting around is not likely to cause structural failure. I think the expiration date is partially there to let you know it hasn't been sitting out in some fly shop for 4 years basking in the sun before you even get it.