Sinking Line Selection shown on a cedar fly bin and with fly fishing leaders on the wall display inside Murray's Fly Shop in Edinburg, VA

Understanding Sinking Fly Fishing Lines: Sink Rates, Styles, and When to Use Them – Part One of Two

Jeff
The fly fishing world is full of nuances, and nowhere is this more evident than in fly fishing lines. Today’s fly line technology gives manufacturers [...]
Hackle Image with the words Cape vs. Saddle and a saddle hackle and cape in the background in multi colors

Saddle Hackle vs. Capes: What the difference in Fly Tying?

Jeff
Understanding Saddle Hackle and Capes: A Fly Tyer’s Guide If you’re new to fly tying—or even if you’ve been at the vise for [...]
Tying an Epeorus pleuralis

The Aquatic Insects: How many calories are they worth?

Jeff
Calories in Common Aquatic Insects (Trout Food Sources) Midge Larva / Pupa (Chironomidae) Mayfly Nymph Caddisfly Larva Stonefly Nymph Scuds / Sowbugs Why [...]
Shown are bead head flies including perdigons, jigged head hares ear, purple bombs, blowtorch's and mr Rapidan bead head nymphs on a white oak background

General Bead Size for Hooks – Size Chart

Jeff
Bead Size (mm & in) Hook Size Common Fly Patterns  1.5mm |  1/16″ 20-24 Small Emergers, Midges 2.0mm |  5/64″ 18-22 Small Perdigons, Small [...]
Fly Fishing Podcast

Fly Fishing Podcast–January 2026

Harry
This fly fishing podcast will cover the predictions for the stocked trout streams, native brook trout streams and smallmouth rivers this month. Back [...]
My Six Favorite Trout Nymphs

How Trout Feed During Winter: Biology, Metabolism, and What It Means for Anglers – Part Two of Two

Jeff
By understanding trout metabolism and feeding behavior in winter, anglers like you can adjust your tactics, choose the right gear, and enjoy productive [...]
Wader Care and Repair blog

How Trout Feed During Winter: Biology, Metabolism, and What It Means for Anglers – Part One of Two

Jeff
Winter dramatically changes how trout feed, where they hold, and how anglers should approach the river. Cold water, limited insect activity, and shorter [...]
Shown is a cream Premium Hackle Rooster Cape

Premium Indian Hackle Cape

Jeff
The Complete Guide to Premium Indian Hackle Capes: A Classic, Affordable Hackle for Every Fly Tyer When it comes to fly tying, selecting [...]
Fly Fishing in December Podcast at Murray's Fly Shop

Fly Fishing in December Podcast

Harry
Fly fishing in December in the cold might deter you but the stocked trout are feeding. The DWR continues to stock streams throughout [...]
Nymphs for Trout Streams

Nymphs for Stocked Trout Streams

Harry
There are several nymphs that are very effective in the winter on the stocked trout streams. So let’s discuss those. If the streams [...]
Fly fishing in November

Fly Fishing in November Report

Harry
Fly fishing in November for smallmouth bass can be tricky but not impossible. As the water temperatures are cooling the bass are moving [...]
Trophy smallmouth fly fishing in the Fall.

Trophy Smallmouth

Harry
One of my favorite times of the year is upon us. There’s no doubt that if you want to target trophy smallmouth on [...]
Trout Fishing in the Shenandoah National Park Workshop at Murray's

Trout Fishing in the Shenandoah National Park 101 Class at Murray’s

Harry
Have you ever dreamed of casting a line into crystal-clear mountain streams, surrounded by the quiet beauty of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains? Whether [...]
Fly Tying Class at Murray's Fly Shop

Basic Fly Tying 101 Class at Murray’s Fly Shop

Harry
Learn the Art of Fly Tying. If you’ve ever looked at a fly and wondered “Could I make that?”, the answer is a [...]
Autumn Fly Fishing for Stocked Trout

Autumn Fly Fishing for Stocked Trout

Harry
Many anglers enjoy fly fishing on the stocked trout streams in Autumn not only for the fishing but also for the views. The [...]
Fly Fishing in August for smallmouth bass

Fly Fishing in August

Harry
Fly fishing around the aquatic grassbeds in August is one of my favorite things. They hold great numbers of shiner minnows which the [...]
Deer Hair Bass Bugs for fly fishing

Deer Hair Bass Bugs for Smallmouth Bass

Harry
By the end of July I start fishing deer hair bass bugs. Why? They seldom let me down and also I think big [...]
Fly fishing for smallmouth bass with crayfish patterns

Crayfish

Harry
When it comes to fly fishing for smallmouth bass, most anglers think of poppers, streamers, or woolly buggers. While those classics certainly catch [...]
fly fishing with hellgrammites for smallmouth bass

Hellgrammites

Harry
Hellgrammites are the aquatic larvae of dobsonflies, prehistoric-looking insects with wicked mandibles and enormous wings. These larvae live in the rocky bottoms of [...]
Fly fishing in July

Fly Fishing Tips for July

Harry
My tip for fly fishing for smallmouth bass this month–crayfish patterns. We now have the largest populations of crayfish in our rivers I’ve [...]
Beetle and Ant patterns for fly fishing in the summer months

Beetle and Ant Patterns for Native Brook

Harry
The Summer Secret: Why Beetle and Ant Patterns Shine on Native Brook Trout Streams When summer sun warms the forested hills and freestone [...]
Fly fishing in June for native brook trout

Fly Fishing in June

Harry
Fly fishing in June is one of my favorite months for both native brook trout and smallmouth bass streams. After the recent rains [...]
Shown are a few of the flies and powdered floatants we used in our Powdered floatant test in the Murray's Fly Shop Lab

Dry Fly Floatants Pt.2 – Powdered Floatant Video Comparison

Jeff
Do they keep your dry flies riding high? Do these powders change the color of the fly? How messy are they to deal [...]
Fly fishing with poppers for smallmouth bass

Fly Fishing with Poppers for Smallmouth Bass

Harry
Fly fishing with poppers for smallmouth bass is an exhilarating pastime that combines strategy, precision, and the sheer thrill of topwater action. This [...]
Dry flies in water during a fly floatant test at Murray's Fly Shop Edinburg, Virginia

Best Fly Fishing Floatants Compared: Gink, Loon, High N Dry, SA & More

Jeff
When it comes to dry fly fishing, the right floatant can make all the difference. Whether you’re targeting rising trout on a mountain stream [...]
Fly fishing schools

Fly Fishing Schools at Murray’s Fly Shop

Harry
Looking at the calendar, I realized my son just finished the fly fishing schools for the native brook trout streams. Now I need [...]
Fly fishing in May for native brook trout

Fly Fishing in May for Trout and Bass

Harry
Fly fishing on the native brook trout streams in May brings many opportunities as there are several hatches occurring. The Light Cahill hatch [...]
American Shad

The Shad Run is NOW – Virginia Shad Fishing!

Jeff
Shad Fishing in Virginia – A Spring Tradition You Don’t Want to Miss When spring rolls around in Virginia, anglers across the state [...]
March Brown mayfly hatch

March Brown Mayfly Hatch

Harry
March Brown mayflies are the third major hatch that occurs on the streams, right after the Quill Gordon and Blue Quills. Often you [...]
March Brown mayfly hatch

Fly Fishing in April for Native Brook Trout

Harry
Fly fishing in April on the native brook trout streams is very exciting. We have three major hatches occurring this month and we [...]
Angler standing in a beautiful mountain stream fishing the Blue Quill Mayfly hatch

Blue Quill Mayfly Hatch

Harry
The Blue Quill mayflies emerge from the stream in mid-day and continue until dusk. The Quill Gordons are still hatching as well. The [...]
March Smallmouth Bass blog

March Fly Fishing for Smallmouth Bass

Harry
March brings with it the uncertainty of the weather.  One day it’s 25 degrees, the next it’s 45 and then it’s 60 with [...]
Murray's Fly Shop Strike Indicators

Murray’s Fly Shop Indicators

Jeff
Choosing the Right Strike Indicators for Fly Fishing Many anglers find that Strike Indicators are essential tools for fly fishing, helping anglers detect [...]
Quill Gordon Mayfly hatch - Quill Gordon Dun Mayfly on a rock

Quill Gordon Mayfly Hatch

Harry
The Quill Gordon is the first major mayfly hatch to occur on the native brook trout streams in the Spring. After spending almost [...]
Fly fishing in March podcast by Harry Murray

Fly Fishing in March: Targeting Smallmouth Bass and Native Brook Trout

Harry
Fly Fishing for Smallmouth Bass in March: Tips and Techniques Fly fishing in March for smallmouth bass can be a challenge. Water temperatures [...]
Fly Fishing podcast by Harry Murray

Fly Fishing in February

Harry
Fly fishing in February for smallmouth bass is difficult but certainly not impossible. During periods of high water the powerful flows cut back [...]
Fly Angler standing in a mountain stream Fly fishing with nymphs

Fly Fishing with Nymphs for Trout

Harry
Throughout the winter and in early spring, fly fishing with nymphs is my favorite type of trout fishing. I often use nymphs as [...]
Shown are the Fish Skull Articulated Shanks with sizes listed beside them and a Gamechanger Streamer Fly on a white background

Fly Tying Tip: Tying with the Next Generation Articulated Shanks

Jeff
Revolutionizing Fly Tying: Fish Skull’s Next-Generation Articulated Shanks For fly tyers who demand innovation, durability, and versatility, Fish Skull’s next-generation articulated shanks represent [...]
Sink Tip Fly Line blog by Harry Murray

Sink Tip Fly Line

Harry
In my personal fishing, a sink tip fly line is very important. I rely strongly on one for smallmouth bass fishing in the [...]
Fly Fishing in January

Fly Fishing in January

Harry
Fly fishing in January can be tough but not impossible. The bass are lethargic and they are not actively feeding. By using a [...]
Hellgrammite

Fishing & Tying A Murray’s Hellgrammite

Harry
The natural habitat for the hellgrammite are beneath cobblestones on the bottom of the river, and their greatest concentrations are in the riffles [...]
Winter Trout Fly Fishing

Winter Trout Fishing

Harry
During the winter, one can often catch many trout in the deep pools on the Murray’s Marauder (pearl or black). Cast a size [...]
Fly Fishing in December podcast

Fly Fishing in December

Harry
Let’s talk a little bit about the fly fishing options available in December. I have some friends who insist on fishing for smallmouth [...]
nymph fishing for trout

Nymph Fishing for Rainbow and Brown Trout

Harry
The challenge in nymph fishing for trout is detecting the strike in time to set the hook. I will explain the three techniques [...]
Streamers for Rainbow Trout

Fishing with Streamers for Rainbow and Brown Trout

Harry
Fishing with streamers is very productive. Large rainbows and brown trout feed heavily on minnows in all streams. Whether I’m fishing the Yellowstone [...]
Fly Fishing in Virginia in November

Fly Fishing in November

Harry
Fly fishing for smallmouth bass in November can be tricky but not impossible. Many large smallmouth bass seek protected feeding stations in the [...]
Fall Fly Fishing

Fall Fly Fishing on the Stocked Trout Streams

Harry
Fall fly fishing on the stocked trout streams can be challenging but worth it.  Big Stoney Creek west of Edinburg, VA is close [...]
Fly Fishing in October for smallmouth bass

Fly Fishing in October

Harry
This month I am going to discuss fly fishing in the smallmouth bass, stocked trout streams and brook trout streams. Let’s start with [...]
Fly tying workshops at Murray's

Fly Tying Workshops at Murray’s Fly Shop

Harry
Fly tying has many benefits to anglers. First, some find it relaxing after a hard day of work. Others like to turn it [...]