Gear alert: Time to re-examine fishing lines

Even semi-serious anglers should monitor their fishing lines continually — even though, with today's "super lines" this isn't as necessary as it once was. This is because many of the hi-tech lines spun onto reels today don't need replacing as regularly as the monofilament lines of yesteryear. Still, particularly at this time of year, after nearly a summer's worth of use, it's important to re-examine lines for nicks and frays. This is especially important for anglers who anticipate fishing into and through September and October — when numbers of fish might not be the goal as much as size. For the angler who still use today's much improved monofilament lines, which are much longer lasting than earlier models, they should be checked and possibly replaced as well.

Dennis Anderson