Knot Good

The silver steelhead came out of the grey-green water of the Rocky River down near the first riffle. As soon as she came out of the water I knew she'd be gone. The line went limp in the tell-tale fashion that tells one that something unfortunate has happened. The fast running fish leaped again, as if to say goodbye. The line broke where the leader and tippet had been connected by a poorly tied double-surgeon's knot. Plenty of fish are lost due to poorly tied knots, it is just something that happens in fishing. But this one was particularly painful. It would have been the first Ohio steelhead of the fall. But the first fish will have to wait.