Pursuing Perfection

What does a trout freak do while waiting out the last week before the season opener, tortured by reports of trout slamming streamers and Hendricksons hatching on the Au Sable? Anything he can that has some trouty associations.

That would include obsessively monitoring fishing bulletin boards, sorting flies, cleaning lines; pondering the need for a new line for my 4 wt.; rounding up the parts for my pontoon. There's no telling where this will go over the coming week.

This morning I had some spare time on my hands and decided to practice tying perfection loops. I've struggled with this knot over the years, especially when tying to tie it small, succeeding on maybe one in six or seven tries. While I don't have to tie it often, I'd rather not lose any more fishing time than necessary when I do.

I managed a few decent specimens.



I was especially proud of this small version.



It's not streamlined like the loops on leaders out of the package (or for that matter, like some of the larger ones I tied). I'm sure the knot's jutting to the side weakens it. But it represents progress.

I really need to get back on the water...