Good question.
Memory is a fishing term used to describe fishing line that has taken on the shape of the spool resulting in the line being coiled.
If your fishing line spirals off of your reel when making a cast, there's a good chance your line has some memory in it.
This is most commonly seen with monofilament and fluorocarbon.
Fluorocarbon, being the stiffer of the two lines, has the biggest issues with line memory.
What's the only thing on the planet with better memory than an elephant?
Fluorocarbon fishing line.
The more memory your fishing line has, the more problems you will have as an angler.
There's nothing good about having memory in your fishing line and too much of it usually leads to line tangles and decreased casting distance.
Read on to learn about the reasons for line memory, a few ways to manage it, and one way to completely avoid it.
Reasons For Line Memory
Material Composition
Fishing line, whether monofilament, fluorocarbon, or braid, is made using synthetic polymers.
These materials have a natural tendency to stiffen and take on the shape of what they are stored on.
As mentioned above, this is most common with monofilament and fluorocarbon since both types of fishing line are made from a single strand of the material (nylon, in most cases).
Braid, being the exception, doesn't suffer from line memory issues since being made up of smaller fiber strands that are woven together.
Storage
If fishing line is left in sunlight or extreme temperatures for long periods of time you will quickly notice line memory.
Leaving fishing line exposed to direct sunlight or extreme temperatures often leads to stiffer line and thus more line memory.
Storing your line in dark, air-controlled environments is one of the easiest ways to slow down the pace of your line developing memory.
Casting and Retrieval
Ever went to cast a light lure and notice it spin around about 30 times before hitting the water?
Repeated casting and retrieval of your lures, especially lightweight ones, will cause your fishing line to take on a coiled shape.
It's tough to avoid since the use of swivels is not practical for every setup but all the twists and curls that come from casting light lures can overtime contribute to line memory.
Old Line
Fishing line, especially monofilament and fluorocarbon, degrades over time - UV light exposure and friction are two of the main contributing factors.
Even with proper storage, fishing line can be prone to developing line memory as it ages.
Think about a nylon rope that you would buy from your local hardware store.
The first day you buy the rope it's nice and flexible and able to be moved freely however you see fit.
But after a few months or years that same nylon rope will stiffen and take on the shape that you last rolled it up in.
The same goes for old fishing line.
Check out a previous article to discover 3 Things Your Fishing Line Can Tell You
How to Manage Fishing Line Memory
Fishing Line Conditioners
One of the most common ways that anglers manage line memory issues is by using a line conditioner.
Line conditioners usually are sold in the form of a spray bottle or aerosol can.
Most brands use either a polymer blend or silicone oil base that can be sprayed directly onto your spool of line to help manage issues surrounding line memory.
It's still debated how line conditioner actually works.
Some will say it puts a protective coat on the line much like how we apply a layer sunscreen to avoid getting burnt.
Others will say that line conditioner actually penetrates the line itself to soften it and reduce memory.
Regardless of which is true, it does provide benefits.
The other great thing about line conditioners is that they act as a lubricant which can slightly improve your casting distance.
Popular brands include DHT Tangle Free, KVD Line Conditioner, Reelsnot, and Reel Magic.
Stretching
Another way to manage and help reduce line memory is by stretching the line.
If you're a shoreline angler here is an easy way to do this:
Tie off the end of your line to a tree or post
Walk the line off your spool that has memory in it
Give the released line a few light tugs while under tension to stretch it out
This is oftentimes enough to reduce some of the line memory and overall coiling.
If fishing from a boat you can accomplish the same thing with the following:
Tying a heavy fishing weight to the end of your line
Release the line affected by the memory
Troll for a few minutes to allow your line to be stretched out
Just as a person stretches before playing sports or working out - the idea here is that the line is being slightly stretched to a looser, less stiffened state.
By no means is stretching fishing line a permanent fix to line memory issues but it will help with avoiding the bigger headaches of backlashes and tangles during your time on the water.
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Use Braid To Avoid Fishing Line Memory
The easiest way to avoid line memory issues all together is to use braid.
Unlike mono and fluorocarbon, braid does not hold memory.
To take advantage of this, anglers will utilize braid as a backing for baitcasters and as the main line for spinning outfits.
Most commonly done on spinning outfits, braid can be used in combination with a mono or fluorocarbon leader to virtually eliminate line memory.
In Conclusion
Fishing line memory is the inevitable that all of us using mono and fluoro eventually will have to deal with.
Like the old saying goes, "It's not a matter of IF, but WHEN."
Despite the odds being against us, understanding what contributes to line memory and knowing how to manage and avoid it better prepares you for when you encounter memory issues down the road.
Then, line tangles and reduced casting distances aren't something that catch you by surprise.
Time to go catch 'em!
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