Vintage Fishing Line...

[Neel]

I have been doing some research on old fishing lines. I am wondering if anyone knew about vintage silk fishing line? I have a couple casting reels I'd like to fish with and was wondering if I could still possibly buy silk fishing line? I am assuming this was the type of line they used on casting reels back in the 1920's and 30's. Any, help or information would be greatly appreciated. Hope you guys are staying dry. It's rained over a foot here in NC in just a few days.

[Ron Mc]

Neal, you can buy really good dacron braid today that mimics old silk line.
Check Gudebrod Meatmaster


there were also a lot of good nylon lines made in the 50s-60s, and you can often find these NOS

[Steve]

$0.50 per yard

[Ron Mc]

if you fish silk braid, you definitely need a line winder so the line can dry without mildew

[Neel]

Thanks guys! I love this site. Lots of good information. I never thought about the line mildewing.

[Teal]

Nothing worse than getting a mildew spot on the silk line and then having it part during a hook set on a fish. Line dryers are a MUST.

Silk lines can be found for between $5-10 on the auction site.

[Mike N]

I have been doing some research on old fishing lines. I am wondering if anyone knew about vintage silk fishing line? I have a couple casting reels I'd like to fish with and was wondering if I could still possibly buy silk fishing line? I am assuming this was the type of line they used on casting reels back in the 1920's and 30's. Any, help or information would be greatly appreciated. Hope you guys are staying dry. It's rained over a foot here in NC in just a few days.

Here is a rare spool of Edward vom Hofe “winding silk” for sale by another long-time ORCA member.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Spool-Of-Edwar ... Swph1c~Xlv

[Neel]

Maybe, I'm wrong but, the silk thread on eBay looks like the type to wrap rod eyelets with.....

[Ron Mc]

you are correct

I've bought a lot of good NOS braided lines following this search over the years
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... 001&_pgn=2

such as this 4-lb silk

[Z3BigDaddy]

I have two silk leaders, seen in the picture, if you could use them. Let me know.

[Steve]

Neel, the link I posted above leads to a shop run by a friend of mine. If you scroll down, you'll see that he sells:
silk thread
silk leader material
silk twist
silk line

You can find silk fly lines all over the Internet.
And Ebay has lots of other silk products that you're not looking for.

[Ron Mc]

I have two silk leaders, seen in the picture, if you could use them. Let me know.

silk gut leaders ("casts") need to be soaked the night before you fish them, and taken to the river in a cast tin against a wet wool pad

One day just to do it, I fished a Tonka Prince, DAM Effzet brass reel, refurbished silk line, and pre-tied (eyeless hooks) 3-fly English silk gut dropper rig.
I caught a double.

Silk gut leaders are, of course different from the braided line. The line is braided from the silk web. For the leaders, they pull the silk gland from the worm, stretch it into the leader length and let it dry.