Replacing old fishing line

[Don@Eden]

I'm sure that no one on this board uses this method but, I was taking a client out for a day of fishing on Wednesday and were leaving the slip when he apparently decided to change line. We were idling out of the no wake zone when he cut his jig off and began letting line out the back of the boat, I figured that he was just going to get the kinks out, but when the line got to the end of his spool he just cut it off and let it go into the water. I blew my top, we immedaitely turned around and after several casts we finally got the line back into the boat. Well I guess I lost a return customer but, I really let this guy have it, he had just let at least 120 yards of line lose in the water for someone to get tangled in. If anyone has ever had to replace lower unit seals because of fishing line I'm sure you understand, this guy, very apparently has no regard for anyone except himself. It just about completely ruined a good day of fishing. We did manage to catch a pretty good mess of fish, which was the only thing good that happened that day. I just purchased a 93 model 275 Stratos and the first thing I had to do was have the lower unit seals replaced because of fishing line behind the prop. We all need to take our props off and check for line on a regular basis. Sorry for the long post but I guess I needed to vent a little.

Keep what you can eat and return the rest to be caught another day.

[CrappiePappy]

I applaud your actions ! It's bad enough to have to break off a length of line, when hung up .... but to blatantly throw a whole spool of line into the water is just not the actions of a "concerned sportsman".

When at home, changing line, I keep my old line until I get a good amount together - then take it to my local tackle shop, where it is returned for recycling. When on the water, I wrap the line around my hand and tie it together - then place it in a bag for disposal.
Checking behind the prop is good advice ..... but, also check behind the trolling motor prop !! With trolling motors costing several hundreds of dollars, you don't want to neglect checking them, as well. ............cp

[duane]

I applaud your actions ! It's bad enough to have to break off a length of line, when hung up .... but to blatantly throw a whole spool of line into the water is just not the actions of a "concerned sportsman".

When at home, changing line, I keep my old line until I get a good amount together - then take it to my local tackle shop, where it is returned for recycling. When on the water, I wrap the line around my hand and tie it together - then place it in a bag for disposal.
Checking behind the prop is good advice ..... but, also check behind the trolling motor prop !! With trolling motors costing several hundreds of dollars, you don't want to neglect checking them, as well. ............cp

I learned this back in May of this year. Do not check behind the trolling motor prop on the water. They have a little pin that drops out sometimes like mine did. I had to make a pin to fit back at camp. I was not happy with my fishing buddy for letting his line get in my trolling motor. I now carry extra pins in my tackle box.

Was even less happy with myself for not thinking about the pin and letting it drop in the water.

[Barnacle Bill]

If you happen to have a little pocket screw driver and a hacksaw in your back pocket, you can make one. LOL Been there, done that.

[crappieseeker]

Not only does line cause problems with motors, it causes fish and wildlife to get caught up in it and die.

[Kokomo Bob]

I had this happen to a seal back in the 80's. And everytime I take line off I think about that. Just yesterday morning a guy brought a birds nest into the coffe shop and it was made almost completely out of fishing line. That bird, he said was a Oriole, must have found a whole spool somewhere. I had a bunch wrap up in my trolling motor one time also, but that did not do any damage. When someone is fishing with me and they get hung up, I try to stop them from breaking the line and then I will troll over to where they are caught and usually you can pull loose from the backside. But it seems most want to pull on the line and break it.
Catch-u-lat'r
Bob

[duane]

If you happen to have a little pocket screw driver and a hacksaw in your back pocket, you can make one. LOL Been there, done that.

no but a nail with a chisel and hammer done good when I got back to camp.

[gcromer]

Don I see that I'm going to have to behave if you let me go back out with you again.

All joking aside, I sure glad that you tried to set this guy straight. I know that we all lose some line when we break off jigs, but what this guy was doing was so uncalled for. I hope he learned something from this...

Good to hear the fishing is starting to pick up.

Gerald

[Moose1am]

I have used several types of lure knockers which are nothing more than a heavy object that has circular rings welded to it so that you can slip your hung up jig's fishing line into the circle and then slide it down the line to knock you lure loose from the stump or brush pile. There is a heavy line attached to the lure knocker. I used these a lot many years ago when I went bass fishing at KY lake with my dad. I still have them hidden in my tackle box and should get them out more often. I normally will just motor around to the other side of the hung up jig and pull it free but sometimes the Palomar Knot faills and the line will break. I prefer the 6lb test line which normally will not break and let the jig's hook straighen out an come loose from the brush pile.

But I bet that the lure knocker would help get the jigs back when crappie fishing also.

Bass Fishing Plugs these days are not cheap and if you can save a few from being lost then the lure knocker would pay for itself many times over.

As far as fishing line disposal How to you guys dispose of used fishing line? Do you save it and take it home and throw it in your trash can for pickup? Or do you burn it? Fishing line melts pretty good. I like to cut it up in tiny pieces and throw it away. By the time I get done with the line it's in pieces less than a few inches long. I just wad it up and start hacking at the loops of line with stainless steel surgical bandagle scissors.

I had this happen to a seal back in the 80's. And everytime I take line off I think about that. Just yesterday morning a guy brought a birds nest into the coffe shop and it was made almost completely out of fishing line. That bird, he said was a Oriole, must have found a whole spool somewhere. I had a bunch wrap up in my trolling motor one time also, but that did not do any damage. When someone is fishing with me and they get hung up, I try to stop them from breaking the line and then I will troll over to where they are caught and usually you can pull loose from the backside. But it seems most want to pull on the line and break it.
Catch-u-lat'r
Bob