That's GREAT, Mike!! Glad you're enjoying yourself so much with a fly rod!
However, to ME, your "post" is a little backwards!!??!
You stated........."I normally fish with regular fishing gear", but see that's WHY you're NOW catching MORE fish! You are NOW "fishing with 'regular' fishing gear, instead of it being the other way around!!
Also, it's the simple fact that fish eat insects, smaller fish and other, natural looking baits and are not, usually, all that impressed with being offered "large chunks of shiny chrome", "painted plastic tubes" and other such things that are not on their "normal menu"!
Just, teasing ya' with the above!! I hope you can get to "the other side of the state", to those Trout waters next year!! You'll find out, that the Trouties love the flies even more than the panfish do!
Keep at it, it only gets better and even MORE addictive over time!