By Harry Murray | Murray’s Fly Shop in Edinburg, Virginia
Many anglers know the Murray’s Hellgrammite as a staple in their fly box, but few know the years of observation and trial-and-error that went into its creation.
Before it was a world-renowned smallmouth bass fly, it was a childhood obsession. As a kid, I spent my days seining live hellgrammites from the rocky riffles of the Shenandoah River to use as bait. Even then, I was fascinated by the way these prehistoric-looking larvae moved.
The Problem with Traditional Hellgrammite Flies
After college, I transitioned from bait to the fly rod. I tested dozens of commercially tied hellgrammite patterns, but I ran into a consistent problem: they looked beautiful in the vise, but they were largely unsuccessful in the river.
I realized that a “pretty” fly doesn’t matter if it doesn’t mimic the natural movement of the prey. To find the missing link, I went back to the source.
Watching the “Undulating” Motion
I seined ten live hellgrammites from the river and waded out into hip-deep water. I dropped them one by one and watched their descent. Every single one swam toward the bottom with a pronounced undulating motion.
Most flies on the market were too stiff. They lacked the life-like “wiggle” that triggers a smallmouth’s predatory instinct.
Designing a Better Bass Fly: The Breakthrough
Two key influences helped me finally crack the code:
- Material Innovation: A friend experimenting with musky streamers suggested Ostrich Herl. Its soft, flowing fibers provided the exact swimming action I had seen in the river.
- The “In the Round” Technique: While fishing the Madison River with the legendary Charlie Brooks in the late 1960’s, he suggested I tie the fly “in the round” (360 degrees).
With these two elements combined, the Murray’s Hellgrammite was born. Because of its unique construction, it catches fish whether you are fishing it upstream, downstream, or across the current. If you are interested in tying your own Hellgrammite Flies, we have a Hellgrammite Fly Tying Kit available.
Dobsonfly Egg Cluster
The hellgrammite is one of the most consistent and protein-rich food sources for smallmouth bass in Virginia rivers. As the larval stage of the dobsonfly, hellgrammites live among rocks in riffles and runs for up to three years, making them a dependable year-round meal. From July through September, their activity increases, and bass key in heavily on them. This activity is easy to detect by the observation of egg masses on overhanging riverbank vegetation.
How to Fish the Hellgrammite:
Dead Drift Nymphing with a Hellgrammite
Fishing a hellgrammite as a dead drift nymph is one of the most realistic ways to imitate the natural drift of these aquatic larvae. In rivers like the Shenandoah, James, and Rappahannock, hellgrammites are frequently dislodged from rocks and carried naturally by the current.
Fishing the Hellgrammite Down and Across (Swing Technique)
Another deadly presentation is fishing the hellgrammite down and across the current. This imitates a dislodged hellgrammite struggling in the current, as well as many minnows, a trigger that often provokes aggressive strikes from smallmouth bass.
The Popper-Dropper Rig: The “Guide Float Trip” Setup
One of my favorite ways to fish this fly, when guiding a float fishing trip, is as a dropper below a surface popper. This covers two levels of the water column simultaneously.
- The Lead Fly: A Shenandoah Blue Popper (Size 4).
- The Dropper: A Murray’s Hellgrammite (Regular or Heavy) on a 2-foot fluorocarbon dropper with 3x tippet tied to the hook shank bend of the popper.
- The Target: Fish this rig in 3 to 5 feet of water along shady banks on a drag free drift.
Often, a bass will rise for the popper, but if he’s feeling shy, he’ll take the undulating hellgrammite trailing behind it.This method excels in cooler water and during high flows when bass are feeding deep and opportunistically.
Ready to try the Murray’s Hellgrammite?
Whether you’re fishing the Shenandoah River, James River, Susquehanna River or your local Smallmouth river, this pattern is a proven producer.
Pro Tip: A Versatile Streamer Beyond the Shenandoah
While the Murray’s Hellgrammite was born in Virginia, its unique undulating action makes it a deadly “cross-over” pattern for trophy trout across North America and around the world.
- Alaska Spring Run: This is one of my premier choices for Alaska river fishing in the spring. It perfectly imitates migrating lampreys as they move toward the ocean, making it an essential fly for targeting hungry Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden.
- Rocky Mountain Trophy Trout: In the Rockies, I shift my tactics to use this pattern as a high-action streamer. It is particularly effective for large Brown Trout and Rainbows during the early spring and late fall, when fish transition to larger, high-protein food sources before the hatches start in the Spring and to prepare for spawning and winter.
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