fishing line shelf life?

[marcus]

so i got fishing line new in the box all over my house braid, mono, floural, dental floss you name it i got stuff laying all around the house....with that being said so when i say new in the box i mean never used some spools of line i have are about 6-10 yrs old and have not been used yet so is this line still good to use since it is unused or is there a shelf life on the line meaning dose it get stale or dry rot or whatever or is it still good to use ?? 

[Russell Doughty]

I understand that mono has a shelf life but fluoro doesn't. Also it would be better if the line weren't eposed to daylight. Maybe someone on here could describe some type of strength test you could give your line. I would think that line sits on a shelf for a long time in a store. I have known some leader manufacturers to put an expiration date on their spools but that's probably just a way to get you to throw away perfectly good line and replace it.

[Blll]

Totally based only on personal experience, if the line has not been exposed to UV rays, I think mono if good for years but will have some serious memory.  Can't speak for Fluro or braid. I've had some Fireline on spare spools for years and when put into action its fine. 

[mjk86]

Agree with the stuff here.  Light and moisture are troublesome.  The braid is most likely fine, as is the FC.  The mono is cheap enough that i just replace it frequently anyway.  You could always do the old, pull off a section and break it test....just dont cut your fingers.

[bagofdonuts]

Saw a tip on Hank Parker and have used it ever since. Store your line in an old styrofoam cooler, will keep light out. I now buy bigger spools and keep in the cooler. Even the mono looks brand new for years.

[fishinwrench]

Mono that has started to degrade will leave a white powder on your fingers when spooling it, and it will soak up alot of water and get all curly on you.  Knot strength goes down the tubes. 

Flouro and co-poly basically have an unlimited shelf life but it does react to temperature changes, so 2-3 year old line will feel kinda stiff when you first spool it up.  Give it a good stretch and it settles back down nicely.