I could lie and say it was a big fish. I could say it was some sort of catastrophic failure. Or, I could tell the truth; I got caught up in it trying to walk down the bank. FYI blood knotted fly line doesn't pass through guides on a 2 weight. Just bought it, too.

That's awful. Just a suggestion—You don't need so many turns on your leader knots (at the butt end) for a 2wt. They won't slip with three turns per side if snugged up properly (as it appears you know how to do), your leader knots will be smaller, yet plenty strong enough and, while they won't slip as easily through the guides as a furled or knotless leader would, they wouldn't be as likely to hang up as those monster six turn saltwater knots you're using. I get tying your own for best presentation, but most of the time, using a knotless leader for the butt section, with tippet sizes (3X and smaller) added on the business end will turn over longer leaders (under about 10ft) just fine. Four turn (per side) knots will hold well at the lower end and should slip through the guides ok.

Oh, now I get it. That must have been the Airflow intermediate line that broke on you. But that's odd; the leader is supposed to break first. Do you imagine it was an inferior quality line?

Ah, don't feel too bad about it, you still have some decent lengths of working line for other (lighter) rods. I recently bisected an 80' SA Comp Nymph line intentionally into two 40' sections and it's perfect for so many applications. You could probably reverse the line and find the level running section cast pretty darn well on a 2 wt.

Yeah, I cleated an expensive Airflo once about mid-head and was (a bit) annoyed that day. I haven't worn cleated wading boots since the episode, it's way to easy to step on flyline and cut it with them.

I was able to splice the line using the heat gun and heat shrink tubing method they use to make loops in lines. It ain't pretty, but it held up to a good stretch.

Hey, who are you to judge 'pretty'? In your profile picture, you look like some sort of terrier.
brent

Been fishing saltwater, so I've only cast it in the backyard. I'll fish it in the morning.

Could always add a Chinese finger puzzle fly line end loop with the loop cut off as a repair backup.