Caught My First One!

[sheltie]

After months of collecting the tools I needed to be an outstanding fly fisherman, and taking lessons on how to cast, etc., I'm proud to report that I finally went fishing yesterday and caught TWO fish!  Both were about 5" long and fought ferociously for at least three seconds.  It took all my strngth and all my wiles, but those two perches didn't stand a chance against my determination.  I'm so proud!  Movie at 7.

[Tom]

Congratulations Denny! Now you're hooked. Photos (fish and fisherman)?

[56kz2slow]

Congrats.  I was reading quick, for a second, I thought you said "and all of my wifes", then re-read properly.

[PancakeBill]

Congrats!  I too am new, have now collected about evrything I will need.  (wife is reading), OK, safe now.   I realize you never have enough, but, rod, reel, line (all on), tippet and leader, waders, net, pack...  and on and on.  Now to get out there, my lessons aren't until July, but want to go now.  Practice cast will likely be over water.  Firehole River.  Big trout.  Can you hear them laugh?

[sheltie]

Congratulations Denny! Now you're hooked. Photos (fish and fisherman)?

I'd post the pix except none were taken and I don't like to brag.  Actually, my wife couldn't find the wide angle lens which would have allowed an image of the fish to be seen!

[56kz2slow]

I went tonight, just with the hook and worm, but with 5 straight days of rain, the water was really high, moving fast and murky.  So not one bite.  Still good father and son time.

[ava]

damn, I miss fishing, its been way too long since I got my line wet and its
not gonna happen anytime soon so I love to hear of your fish stories.
Musta been pretty big to need the wide angle lense 

[sheltie]

damn, I miss fishing, its been way too long since I got my line wet and its
not gonna happen anytime soon so I love to hear of your fish stories.
Musta been pretty big to need the wide angle lense 

Only in my dreams!

[PancakeBill]

Went to my class, great ime, great instruction, First 2 days just casting, no fly.  Couple different casts, entomology etc.  2nd 2 days fishing on the Soda Butte, Lamar, Slough Creek.  Caught a cutthroat on the Slough. 

This is me BEFORE I actually caught my first one.

Alas, no pictures of the fish I did catch, photog was too far away to hold fish out of water.  Next one.

[PancakeBill]

OK, 2 weeks after class;  Have had a chance to go out a couple times.  Last night wet fishing on the Madison River, just inside the west gate to Yellowstone.  River temp about 58 deg.  Caddis hatch flying low over the stream, saw some trout rising for the meal.  Caught one 12" brownie, released.  This was my first times netting my own.  At the class I netted for another angler, and someone netted for me.  It went well, had a good release. 

Jolene shot this as I was netting.  She was about 100 yds away. 

beautiful night, temps justright and the amazing thing is that the skeeters don't seem to go out over water.  Makes sense.  I need to get Jolene some waders so she can get away from skeeters.

[Tom]

You're hooked Bill.

BTW if you don't already own a pair, get yourself some polaroid glasses. They're expensive with prescription lenses, but IMO well worth the money. I got my first prescription polaroids some years ago on the recommendation of an opthamologist; She asked what we do for hobbies and, on hearing we spend a lot of time on the water (fishing &/or boating), she suggested the polaroids.

[56kz2slow]

BTW if you don't already own a pair, get yourself some polaroid glasses.

I second that motion.

I don't need prescription.  I got a 15$ pair of Rapala at Walmart and they are definitely worth it.  I am rough on sunglasses, so the price is right.  I am on my 3rd pair.

[PancakeBill]

I have some polarized glases, wth +2 magnifiers.  Work great, the bifocal part is great for tieing knots, the polarize part for watching the water. 

I am a bit of a gadget freak, so this will be another enabling pasttime.  I bought a tool for doing a nail knot.  It can also help in tying on a fly.  Makes a similar knot to a nail knot.  Way better than the cinch or improved cinch.  Easier because you are using the tool.