Fly Fishing Forum banner

Rio line winders

3K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  Nathan Smith 
#1 ·
Has anyone got an opinion on the Rio line winder boxes. They look like a good solution to multiple fly lines and only a few spare spools. How about long term (winter) storage on these small diameter spools. Any suggestions for general line storage, treatments, etc...?
 
#3 ·
Good topic. I store on the spools, but Al's method sounds better. Bill (see steely pics) uses discarded large wire spools from electrical contractors and gets several on one spool at a large diameter. Each can be wound or unwound easily from the same spool because the big flanges on the ends can be turned quickly like a wheelchair with the hand. They have a thru-hole, etc.

I know some trout guys / firemen who have stored their lines in the hose hanging tower! Now that's extreme.
 
#5 ·
My cat, or should I say my wife's cat, eats any fly lines in sight. I once built a hybrid loop system and went to sleep to let the glue dry. When I woke up the line was in shreds on the floor. I had to hang around until the flyshop opened. On my way out I realized I had no cash. My wife was at a tea and crumpets thing with the ladies but I was bent on fishing so I stomped in there with my fleece wader liners and a scruffy turtleneck to get a check so I could get a new line (she had a no credit-card rule going back then). She saw me coming in and said "oh - my - GOD! Here's a check... now go, GO!"

Built the new loops at the Seattle store, chatting with Les Johnson and Mike Kinney. Too bad the store is no longer!
 
#6 ·
The Struble Line Winder (60 bucks?) is what I have found to be the best way to store lines. It coils the line in a 6" coil with out any twist. Think of how happy your line will be lounging in a zip lock bag all winter, while all the other lines are wrapped tightly on extra spools and jammed into Rio line winders. The factory plastic spools are ok(and free), but can come apart and are a pain to roll up with out introducing twist.
Extra spools are expensive and store the line tightly. The Rio boxes store the lines in small diameter coils as well (and a few boxes can add up). You buy the Struble thing once, zip lock freezer bags and some pipe cleaners and your set. Check it out at your local shop.
I should say that this makes the most sense if you have more than a few lines (like that new Permit taper, that might only see 14 days out on the water). The RIO boxes are very convenient for changing lines in the field.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top