Knots and leaders · 2 min read
Retie after the snag
Before the first cast, settle the leader just past a hang-up. Retie after the snag. That is the whole job, not a new shopping list.
Do it in order
Do this and then stop: cut back to clean line and tie once. If you cannot finish it on the bank, you will not finish it mid-cast.
The usual miss
Skip the version that depends on a nicked leader left on for three more casts. That habit feels fast and costs the next ten minutes.
The test is ordinary. The line ahead of the knot shows no white fuzz. Pack so you can do it again with cold hands.
A creek does not reward a longer speech about the leader just past a hang-up. One working setup, checked once, is the whole article.
A bank note, not a forecast or a rule sheet. Check the local regulations before you fish.