My biggest problem has been with casting with weight on the line. The Yough has a faster current where I fish, so you need a good bit of weight to get down to the bottom. Plus, to not spook the fish, you can't really wade too close to the hole, so a bit longer cast is in order. Rolling or regular casting is problematic. I use tungsten weight paste, which I like for its pliability to form a nice narrow oval on the line where I want it. But with all weight, no matter where you put it, casting is a pain. I spend more time picking through knots and tangles because the line just doesn't behave at all the same when casting with that much weight on.
Being that I'm a beginner and have no FF buddy or mentor, I've been having a really rough time and am already discouraged. Aside from the two trout I caught in Gettysburg, I haven't even had a hit. I've lost more flies, gotten more tangles, and tied more tippet material onto my leaders than I ever get fish. Is this normal? Please say yes. I expect the answer is yes, but I'm also not getting results for my newbie troubles. I never know what fly to use. I've tied on Wooly Buggers - black, white, and olive - which are supposedly very good on the Yough...nothing. Not even a hit or swirl. I've tried all sorts of weight combos, stripping patterns, etc.
Not meaning to gripe, but the learning curve of FF on your own is a huge barrier to the sport. I have no idea what I'm doing and I think I caught the two fish two weekends ago possibly on blind luck. Nothing has touched the caddis pupa nymph since. I've tried a wet + nymph combo, different casting types, different weights, etc.
Last Friday, on Indian Creek, none of us caught a single fish (my friend and wife were spin-fishing artificials and I was nymphing because it was cold). A guy moved into a hole I was fishing all morning long, three casts, hooked into a large rainbow. I was so thoroughly frustrated from snagging, breaking off leaders and flies, and not getting a single fish that I just let him have the hole since he wanted it so bad.
So far, not a good start to my first season back at FF.