Removing Split Shot from Leader

by

October 2005

Those of us who went on the Upper Sac Fishout learned a nifty trick from Ron Hart, the guide who taught a nymphing workshop for us. This is a quick and easy way to remove "non-removable" split shot from a leader. Thats the simple round type that doesn't have the ears on it for removing it. It's the better stuff to use because those ears on the removable kind account for a lot of snags and loss of flies.

What you do is grab the shot with your release forceps aligned with the slit. This makes it real easy to force your thumbnail into the slit and open it. If you grab with the forceps close enough (as not shown here) , you can lever your thumbnail against the forceps. I learned this trick on Saturday morning and used the same piece of shot all weekend.