Trying to rub and wear the "newbie-ness" off, but just got a fresh outbreak. Having FF for decent sized Salmon in AK and medium sized bass here in NC in the last couple of years, I wanted to expand my FF experience by targeting panfish and doing so appropriately armed. The 5 wts work just fine in the farm ponds I'm fishing but overmatch the bluegills in power just a bit. SOoooo.....I ordered and built myself an H&H, IM6, 2pc, 8 ft, 4 wt. This is my first self built flyrod and first 4 wt. Last nite after work and after the Flex Coat was dry and hard, I loaded a reel with Cortland Rocket Taper 4 wt line and did about 5 minutes of lawn casting. Which brings me to the Q's. Should the rod feel a bit whippy and boingy? Obviously, I modified my casting strokes for the lighter line and rod wt but was I still overpowering the rod? I believe it is rated Med Fast action. And I spined it so that the belly (guide side) is softer and the back bone is for the forward casting power stroke. So the fish bends the rod more while playing them in and the stiffer backbone gives me more casting distance. Did I do that right in the build? I'll fish it this evening on the way home in a nice pond with Bass, gills, and crappie that are still quite active and find out how it does. Just wondering what I shoud expect not having cast a lighter wt rod before. I can't even imagine what a one wt feels like.

Steve

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I fish, therefore I swam.