[JesseB]

At work today I had time to break away about 20 minutes at a time to a gavel pit lake. Like I said this was my first time on water. I had screwed around in my back yard trying to cast.

It was rough at first. It's so hard not to use your wrist when all you've done is "regular fishing" all your life. I got the hang of it good enough to get the line I wanted out into the water. Caught several small large mouths and one good sized bluegill on a size 6 wooly bugger. I had a blast but I think I'm trying too hard cuz I was wore out after a full day of fishing. I'm pretty sure that I scared more fish away than I caught, but that's all part of the learning curve I guess.

The most frustrating was the first fish. I had tied a tippet to my leader using a single surgeon's knot. I quickly found out that it wasn't as strong as I had hoped. Fish took one of (what I thought) was my better flies. Just a wooly bugger but it was purple and black (I love purple for largemouths). The knot pulled out quicker than I could set the hook. I tied the fly right to the leader after that until I can get good at tying something stronger.

Wish I had pictures but I was the only one out and I didn't want to get my phone all fishy. I get another chance tomorrow so maybe I'll take some pics of the hogs I'm pullin in. I caught an 8 pounder last year on a spinning rod in the same spot. I'm afraid to hook up to anything that size on a fly rod.

[Frogfish]

Nice report! Keep at it.

Double surgeons for mono-to-mono connections. IMO, you shouldn't even use tippet. Keep practicing the casts. The main goal of flycasting is the present the fly with the least energy possible. If I find myself tiring, I know there is a flaw in my casting motion.

[Frogfish]

Wish I had pictures but I was the only one out and I didn't want to get my phone all fishy. I get another chance tomorrow so maybe I'll take some pics of the hogs I'm pullin in. I caught an 8 pounder last year on a spinning rod in the same spot. I'm afraid to hook up to anything that size on a fly rod.

Dude, go for the big fish! What wt fly rod do you have? I landed a 9 lb LM earlier this summer (report's somehwere here in Midwest section) on a 5wt. Don't be afraid to test your rods! There's nothing nicer than a BIG BEND in your rod.

[G-Man]

good job on the successful outing. Wait till you get into a big fish, then you'll really be hooked.

[steeldrifter]

I had a blast but I think I'm trying too hard cuz I was wore out after a full day of fishing.

Dont worry about that Jesse, its pretty normal when your first starting to try to put too much wasted energy into casting which will wear you out faster. But that will all change as you get more use to casting and you become more efficent with your energy.

Glad to hear ya go into the first fly rod fish, theres no turning back now

Steve