Hey AKKings, Out of all the costs for going fishing the price of line is one of the most inconsequencial ones. I use Fusion for all my fishing (well most of it anyway) and do get two years out of it. On the second year I spool it onto another reel so the protected inside layer is now the outside. Since these lines have no memory no problem. At the end of two years I feel better with new line...cheap insurance to me! However, blood knots in the middle of lines are a far cry from knots at the terminal swivels where all the action is. In my experience these spots take abuse from bottom structure and should be re-tied at least at the beginning of every fishing day...maybe even after a particularly nasty hangup or big fish which may have stressed the knot. Granted the post quoting the guide did not indicate which knots or what type of knots where not re-tied for three years. You conclude it is the bloodknot splices...I conclude it is at the terminal tackle. For a guide not to re-tie the knots at the leader and swivel before every trip to me is lazy. Whenever I have fished with a guide I re-tie all the knots myself before we start fishing. I just don't believe that they get re-tied everyday and I don't want to put a damper on a trip by knot failure...unless it was one I tied myself! Whatever if a guide told me he hasn't re-tied his knots for three years I would not be impressed...other than to think he doesn't get many clients, or he was to cheap to replace the line or to lazy to re-tie the knots...my $0.02 worth.

Knots I use palomar and double improved clinch.

[This message has been edited by Hammer Bob (edited 10-20-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Hammer Bob (edited 10-20-2000).]