How Often?,

[stripey]

I have just respooled new line on my river reels, and was thinking how often do other anglers renew the line on reels or how often do anglers renew elastic in poles, when i was match fishing regularly i would change reel line about every 5/6 matches, but only change pole elastic if it had a obvious flaw or had been at full stretch on a few occasions, How often do you guys change the line/ Elastic.

 

[no-one in particular]

I expect everyone has a different mode on this. On my fresh water reels I often cut the last 3-10 foot of line off when it starts to look a bit worn or stretched, maybe after every two or three sessions. When the line starts to fall a bit low below the lip of the fixed spools reels I will take it all off and add a bit more backing and put it back on so that it comes back up to the lip again. It lasts a long time until there is less line than I like left on the reel and will replace the lot. I dont like just replacing it all automatically and throw away yards and yards of what is still good line thats never come off the spool. It will depend how often I fish but a fully loaded fixed spool might last me a few years. It just comes down to eye and judgement.
I don't use pin reels but not the same problem with them but I guess i would still just cut off the last few feet of line off every now and again until there was less line than I like and replace the lot. I have started using a multiplier again sea fishing and will do this on that, As I am casting out 100 yds and it gets a bit frayed and stretched more often I will probably replace more of it more often but still use up as much of whats on the reel first. The same as before - It just comes down to eye and judgement.
I use strips of old cloth about an inch or half inch wide to use as backing, I find this works OK. saves line and is kind to the spool.