Gr60

[John Crosby]

Hi all, I have 2 spools of gr60 that I have had for a lot of years. Would there be a shelf life/use by date? If it's still okay, how would you test the breakage, I'm assuming hook a length of line on to scales and see what it breaks at?

 

[Terry Harman]

depends on how it’s been stored personally i would bin it

 

[John Crosby]

depends on how it’s been stored personally i would bin it

Yeah I thought that too. It's been in my old bag in the garage for the last 15 years! Although I mainly use power Pro braid for my mainline, I like to use gr60 for my pin.

 

[Tim Marks]

If you do that you may well break the scales.

Id employ a step ladder and a bucket of sand. Keep adding sand/bricks whatever, weighing as you go along….until the line breaks.

PS I’m currently using a spool of 12 lb Berkeley Trimax mono bought in about 2000. It’s fine.

 

[Terry Harman]

15 years !!!!!! put it in the bin ….could cost you a fish of a lifetime……personally i wouldn’t use line over a year old

 

[John Crosby]

Is gr60 still as good as it used to be?

 

[Richard Isaacs]

Is gr60 still as good as it used to be?

Absolutely. It’s still fantastic. Definitely buy some new stuff and bin that

 

[Terry Harman]

Is gr60 still as good as it used to be?

i wouldn’t use anything else

 

[Lee White]

For the sake of £20 just replace it maybe use it as backing line on some big pits as for that just bin it

On my big pits I normally use it for 12 months then back it of on to another spool for 12 months then bin it on shallow spools justhe bin it after 12 months

 

[Terry Simner]

If not exposed to direct sunlight nylon will have a 'shelf life' longer than you do. But whatever line you use, check the breaking strain, and the best way to do that is via an old spring balance. 'Brand new' line that you buy may be 10 years old, and that's fine... nylon is inert.

 

[Clive Kenyon]

My spools and reels are kept in a cupboard in the basement. Cool, dry and dark. Some of the Ultima and GR60 lines are now over 10 years old. I'll examine the line before use and cut off any damaged sections, but all in all it is as good as new. I stopped doing bs tests years ago as there was no deterioration. If it feels smooth to touch it is OK for me. I can only remember one instance of main line breaking anywhere above the hook length swivel and that was down to a bite off.

When buy an old reel I always change the line though.

 

[Richard Isaacs]

I swap it every year when the reels get serviced. Changing the line has become part of the service and gives me opportunity to make adjustments to the line lay if needed.

 

[Wayne Robinson]

Hi All
I think it's how often you fish, that's important, more than how old it is. Until a few years ago, I would change the line twice a season! If I've not fished much then I keep using it the following season

 

[David Craine]

A charter skipper friend of mine retired and moved, when we were clearing out his tackle store, we found a very very large ( small litter bin sized ) new spool of 25 lbs mono , it had been plastic bagged and stored in a bucket buried under old rags and a biscuit tin of sinkers . He remembered buying it some 30 years before for his reels , he had put it away safely then promptly couldnt find it .

It is like new, no damage or visible deterioration and has been tested against a bucket with 20 lbs of lead in it . It did not break and I saw no reason to try any more weight as that line strength is fine for my inshore boat fishing for smaller species , in fact I would happily use it over graunchy ground from the beach .
So now I have enough 25 lb mono to last me out if I store it carefully .

David