Cloth line

[thabugman]

I remember when I was a kid seeing these little fishing kits that had a cork line lead weight hook and a green cloth twine like line it was sold as a set with a bamboo pole. Maybe a dumb question but what was the purpose of the green line? I don't see them anymore.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cray]

I'm just guessing here but figure it was supposed to blend in better and harder for fish to see. Don't know how old you are but when I was a kid you had a choice, black Dacron or white Dacron. Then they came out with the green. Then they set the fishing world on fire when they came out with cat gut line.

[skeetbum]

Nowadays braided line has taken the place of the cloth line of years ago. It does a great job and has it's place, but isn't for everyone as it has a different personality than mono I remember my Dad having the dacron line and the dryers that he used to put it on to wash the salt out of it and make sure it dried and didn't do any harm to the line. He told me that the line left wet would rot or weaken. Boy......That's a couple of minutes ago!

[CrappiePappy]

Nowadays braided line has taken the place of the cloth line of years ago. It does a great job and has it's place, but isn't for everyone as it has a different personality than mono I remember my Dad having the dacron line and the dryers that he used to put it on to wash the salt out of it and make sure it dried and didn't do any harm to the line. He told me that the line left wet would rot or weaken. Boy......That's a couple of minutes ago!

I don't know about that, Skeet. Maybe the "earlier" brands of Dacron line would rot/weaken if put up wet, but the Cortland Dacron line that I used back in the early to mid 1970's is still on the poles I used back then ... and it's still strong as ever ... and it was never specially "treated". In fact, the remains of that spool of Cortland Dacron line was placed on a "worm rod reel" and used for Bass fishing for several years before being "put away". That same line is now topping off a reel I use on one of my 14' spider rig rods.

Now, that being said ... my lines have never seen salt water, and the salt content drying within the fibers of woven lines may attribute to their demise, so I quantify my statements with that possibility in mind.

I do know that the old, black Nylon line would weaken/deteriorate after years of use (or misuse), but again ... that experience was not in saltwater.

Perhaps the re-forming salt crystals, in the unwashed lines, caused a "cutting" of the fibers (during storage or use), leading to the weakening of those lines ??

[skeetbum]

I honestly don't remember why he used to do all that. What brought the subject up between he and I was the collapsible dryer that I found among his fishing junk. Mono was around strong when I came along, and my oldest brother was 12 years my senior. I would have to say thatt this was in the 40's to early 50's that he used that , and maybe before. Dad was born in 1916 so he saw some changes along the way.Once all us kids came along( 4 of us) he worked 2 jobs and I never saw him drag all the old stuff out and use it. He also had several cedar and Bamboo rods I'd like to have today.

[PawPaw Gene]

I remember when I was a kid seeing these little fishing kits that had a cork line lead weight hook and a green cloth twine like line it was sold as a set with a bamboo pole. Maybe a dumb question but what was the purpose of the green line? I don't see them anymore.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not sure if I'm reading this right but if it had "a cork, line, lead weight, hook and a green cloth twine like line", I think all the first items were to fish with and the green line was to use as a stringer. But what do I know as I was around in the 40's.
"gene"

[thabugman]

Not sure if I'm reading this right but if it had "a cork, line, lead weight, hook and a green cloth twine like line", I think all the first items were to fish with and the green line was to use as a stringer. But what do I know as I was around in the 40's.
"gene"

No not a stringer apparently it was maybe part of a leader you tied to the cane pole??? I remember my dad vaguely telling me something about it being used as part of the line??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wicklundrh]

Skeet: DuPont created mono line around 1939 however it was not cheap, hard to cast, and was wiry. Dacron, cloth, or silk line remained popular until the mid to late 50's when DuPont introduced Stren.

Line dryers were used after a day on the water with the older style lines. Unlike today where we change line frequently, the days of old was "not" the throw away generation. By drying the line it ensured it did not weaken. Wet line left on a reel would rot (depending on the line makeup). Most of the ones that needed drying I believe where the "silk" lines. Greased lines floated while ungreased lines sank. They were a little more popular with the fly fisherman. We had several dryers up until a few years ago. I remember the history lesson from my grandfather.

My other grandfather had the exact setup that Thabugman is referring to. I'm not sure of the purpose of that line but I would surmise it simply had something to do with the time frame to which the rod was sold in relation to what was widely used on the market during that time.

[genec]

MY,MY, I WAS BORN IN 44 ,MY MEMORY IS NOT AS SHARP AS SOME OF YOU ,I JUST FISH IT WITHOUT MUCH QUESTION,WE WHEN WE COULD AFFORD IT ,JUST TIED IT ON A CUT BAMBO WE FIND AND USE IT,SOMETIMES WE MAY USE KITE STRING,MY,MY, THIS GENERATION HAS EVERYTHING AND YET ARE THE LESS SATISFIED PEOPLE I EVER SEEN,WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY HAD TO LIVE AS OUR EVERY DAY LIVE WAS,I STILL LOVE THOSE YEARS AND THINK THEY WERE THE GREATEST

[Crestliner08]

I still have an old "knuckle buster" with black dacron. Got that with money from my paper route, along with my one only lure, a "Lucky 13". The old Heddon was large lure that Gadabout Gaddis often used, which is why I needed that bait caster! I remember fishing for days on end with that outfit and lure only - nothing else. Caught some decent bass too. Maybe I should take it out and give it whirl once again!