Stick it to Knots
I use braided line almost exclusively now, so braid knots — those unintentional bird’s nests of tangles — are the bane of my existence. But here’s a trick to unraveling them that works 95 percent of the time without spending 15 minutes picking at them or cutting them out: As soon as you get the knot, generously rub lip balm on it. Pick out as many of the big loops as you can, and when you get down to those last few tricky ones, just pull tight on the line ends, and out they come with no damage. It is absolutely amazing. I find myself cussing a whole lot less than I used to.
Jay Honan
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Stuart, Florida
