Nail Knot

Tying procedure — Nail Knot

1. Thick fly line butted to the thinner leader.

   Step 01 / 4

   Lay a tube or nail along the end of the fly line, then lay the butt end of the leader against both, with about 25 cm (10 in) of leader tag running up along the fly line.

   You should now see: Fly line, tube and leader pinched side by side, the leader tag pointing up the fly line away from its end, and the tube reaching past your pinch.

   If it goes wrong: A gap between the tube and the fly line, or too short a leader tag. The wraps will not lie tight, or the tag runs out before the wraps are done.

   Fix: Pinch the three together again with the tube tight against the fly line, and slide the leader along to give a longer tag.

   Why: The tube holds a channel open under the wraps so the tag can be passed back through them. Without it the wraps close on themselves before the tag can go through.

   If wrong: Gap between tool and fly-line tip — The coil hangs in air and never bites coating.

2. Even wraps transfer onto the fly-line coating.

   Step 02 / 4

   Pinch about 2.5 cm (1 in) from the end of the fly line and wind the leader tag back over itself, the fly line and the tube, working toward the end of the fly line, for about six wraps.

   You should now see: Wraps lying side by side over the fly line, leader and tube, held firm under your fingers, with the tag coming off the wrap nearest the end of the fly line.

   If it goes wrong: Wraps that cross or leave gaps, or loosening your pinch between wraps. You see fly line showing between turns, or a wrap riding over its neighbour.

   Fix: Unwind to the last tight wrap and carry on, keeping the finished wraps pinched hard while you lay each new one against the last.

   Why: Wraps that sit side by side grip the fly line along the whole coil. A crossed wrap bulges and leaves the turns next to it loose.

   If wrong: Gapped coil on the fly-line tip — Leader slides off the coating.

3. Tag tucked; no fly-line coating stripped.

   Step 03 / 4

   Keep pinching the wraps and push the leader tag through the tube so it runs back under them. Pull the tube out away from the end of the fly line, then pull the tag gently until the wraps snug down.

   You should now see: The tag coming out from under the wraps, the tube gone, and the wraps closed down on the fly line and leader in an even coil where you wound it.

   If it goes wrong: Passing the tag outside the tube instead of through it, or letting go of the wraps as the tube comes out. The tag lies on top of the coil, or the wraps spring loose.

   Fix: If the wraps have unwound, go back to step 2 and wind them again, then run the tag through the tube under the wraps.

   Why: Orvis alternates between pulling the tag and the standing part of the leader, a little at a time, until the turns are snug. Tightening gradually keeps the coil even.

   If wrong: Coil left on the tube, not the fly line — That is not a Nail Knot — it will dump.

4. The join should be a smooth taper, not a lump.

   Step 04 / 4

   Pull both ends of the leader tight, then pull the fly line and the standing leader apart hard to seat the knot. Trim the leader tag and the end of the fly line close to the knot.

   You should now see: A slim, even coil bedded into the fly line, the leader leaving it in a straight line with the fly line, and both ends cut close.

   If it goes wrong: Trimming before the knot is fully seated, or seating it with only the leader pulled. The coil sits at an angle and the leader leaves it off to one side, or the coil slides along the fly line.

   Fix: Test with a hard pull on fly line and leader before cutting anything. If the coil moves or sits crooked, cut it off and tie it again on fresh fly line.

   Why: The wraps grip by biting into the fly-line coating, and the final pull beds them in. Orvis describes pulling nearly as hard as your hands can manage.

   If wrong: Over-trimmed before the seat completed — The coil unravels as soon as the tag is cut.