Cracking MED

[barrysthlm]

Hi all,

Is it normal for MED to crack after about 6 months? My lines have cracked with the cracks looking like black rings about 2mm apart. My first line snapped at about 60ft while casting. My second has just developed the cracks.

Is this normal?

Barry

[Lasse Karlsson]

Hi Barry

I have never snapped a MED, so that part doesnt sound normal. The cracking of the coating in the area where you haul the line in and out of the rings while falsecasting a long carry, yup thats pretty normal. Thin coating under alot of stress does that.
Some people really destroys lines (Paul) and other like me, can have a MED for over 10 years, that might be a bit rough on the carry point, but still functions like it should.

Cheers
Lasse

[James9118]

This is why I convert my old MEDs into shooting heads. I've never snapped one mind you, only cut them. Your one that has snapped at 60ft would make a good initial training head.

James

[Paul Arden]

Time to change the line Barry! It depends how much you cast. 6 months for me is good going out of a fishing line (no algae in the water). A casting line 4-6 weeks.

Cheers, Paul

[Stefano De Martini]

Since we are talking about MED ... since it needs to be marked for competitions, how long does the laser marking last? To me very little ...
Another thing: have you ever checked the length of each MED? Among all the ones I bought over time I have gone from almost 37m to 35.5m. The international rules are precise: 120 feet. What happens if I buy a MED and it's not 120 feet? I could return it, yes but then the seller laughs at me and it's $ 100. Why don't they laser mark the MED on both sides? Couldn't that be a good idea?

[Michal Duzynski]

Yep, they do carck especially with a lot of distance casting. This one this time didn't crack, but start shredding the coating- it still flies
Have a look at the picture on the end of the clip from today.


Cheers
Mike

[barrysthlm]

My second one just snapped at 45ft. This is expensive. I’m up in the mountains and they have a limited number of lines and no MED so I’m on an Orvis line on the 4 weight now with a shorter head, which is actually good because it’s really windy up here.

Got my X back before I came up here with new rings so the next MED might last longer.

[Lasse Karlsson]

Hi Barry

How on earth do you snap them?

Cheers
Lasse

[barrysthlm]

Hi Lasse,

I just cast, then there’s a crack, and off it flies…

Luckily I was in a boat and could retrieve it before some poor fish took the fly.

The rings on my X where very worn and had serious grooves. They might have been wearing away at the lines.

[Graeme H]

That will be it. Those grooves have sharp edges. They will rip the coating off your lines and cut the core if they are sharp enough.

Yours seem pretty efficient at doing both.

Cheers, Graeme