The Angler’s Friend – Folstaf Wading Staff
I never head into any stream without my Folstaf Wading Staff. Many anglers readily see the safety advantages of using a Wading Staff [...]
Fly Fishing in Virginia in November & December
Each year I get asked, “What kind of fly fishing can I expect for November and December in Virginia?’ November and December provide [...]
Fly Fishing Podcast Report–November 2016
This Fly Fishing Podcast Report will cover the trout and bass fishing that we can expect in Virginia for the month of November. [...]
Fly Fishing Newsletter
In this fly fishing newsletter I want to discuss the little olives and the best techniques to catch the large bass. Trout Fishing– [...]
Fly Casting Classes
In my Fly Casting and Rigging Tackle Classes and in my “On The Stream Fly Fishing Schools”, I find that most beginning anglers [...]
Sink Tip Mini Lead Head
I used to make these out of lead core trolling line in many lengths from four inches to ten feet long. I whipped [...]
Scientific Anglers Indicators
Many years ago when I showed Howard West, an executive with Scientific Anglers, how I made these with old fly lines. He was [...]
Fly Fishing Questions & Answers October 2016
Each month Harry Murray discusses some fly fishing questions that he is asked through emails and phone calls. This month he discusses the [...]
Murray’s Liquid Dry Fly Floatant
I make this in my fly shop with special ingredients in order to achieve the three most important functions I believe we need [...]
Bargain Hunting
Stop by a yard sale or garage sale and purchase a used food blender for several dollars. These are wonderful for blending your [...]
Fly Fishing Report for October 2016
For my Fly Fishing Report for October I want to discuss the techniques which are effective in fishing streamers for large trout all [...]
Small Flies
In order to tie small delicate trout flies I hold the number of thread wraps to a minimum. The firmness of the wraps [...]
Tailing Dry Flies
Many years ago I used to tie my dry flies with thick clumps of spade hackle and could not explain why I got [...]
Fly Fishing Questions Podcast
This months fly fishing question and answers podcast includes Harry Murray discussing the swing nymphing technique used with Scientific Angler Indicators, hook sharpening [...]
Durable Flies
In order to improve the durability of my flies when I tie them, I like to place a mini-drop of head cement at [...]
Penetrating Cement
For me fly tying cement has two main purposes. One is to hold the fly together and the second is to coat a [...]
Why the Mr. Rapidan?
Many years ago two elderly gentlemen in my advanced fly tying college class made a simple request: Teach us to tie a dry [...]
Streamer Flash
I often add a few strands of rainbow color accent flash in the wings and tails of streamers. These strands in with marabou, [...]
Natural Animal Fur Dubbing Materials
For very small nymphs I often use natural furs right off the skin after removing the guard hairs. These furs produce flies with [...]
September Fly Fishing Podcast
In today’s fly fishing podcast Harry Murray discusses the tactics and fly patterns which are effective for fishing for trout during the Brown [...]
Dubbing for Fly Bodies
For dry flies I like to use a very fine poly blend of dubbing material such as Fly Rite 34 on the left [...]
Hen Saddles
Speckled Indian Hen Saddles are great for hackleing nymphs and soft hackles. They are dyed in many different colors, are inexpensive and you [...]
Effective Streamers
When you are designing a new streamer to match a specific minnow it is great to tie one that looks so much like [...]
Fly Fishing Questions & Answers Podcast August 2016
In this fly fishing podcast, Harry Murray discusses a broad variety of questions ranging from fishing small mountain trout streams to large western [...]
Hackle Cape and Saddle
This photo shows the difference between a Metz Grade 1 Light Ginger Rooster Neck Cape and a Metz Grade 1 Brown Rooster Saddle. [...]
Match the ???
Personally I enjoy entomology. I found that working with Art Flick in the sixties in order to identify the aquatic insects in Virginia [...]
Fly Fishing Podcast August 2016
In this fly fishing podcast, Harry Murray discusses the tactics which are effective for large trout using Shenk’s Letort Hoppers and Shenk’s Crickets [...]
Ideal Flies
Ideal Flies. Select the flies you carry to the stream carefully so you can meet the demands at that specific time. One day [...]
Good Smallmouth Bass Fishing
Great sections of smallmouth bass rivers to fish are the areas just upstream of the public access areas. These receive much less serious [...]
Murray’s Hellgrammite
It is hard to fix it if you do not know what is broken. That is where I was when I started fly [...]
Fly Fishing Questions & Answers July 2016
In this Fly Fishing Question and Answer Podcast, Harry Murray discusses questions that he has been asked over the last month through phone [...]
Match the Minnows
About two hours before dark on a beautiful August evening I waded across the South Fork of the Shenandoah River, intending to fish [...]
Deer Hair Bass Bugs
Deer Hair Bass Surface Bugs are easy to tie and are very effective to fish. Here are some tips which help beginning fly [...]
Maps
Last summer a friend took two of his fishing buddies into a small remote mountain trout stream. He had fished the stream before [...]
Fly Fishing Podcast July 2016 Report
As I am doing this fly fishing podcast I am realizing that many of you are going to be enjoying the outdoors this [...]
Thermometer
My Stream Thermometer is a very important part of my trout and smallmouth bass angling. For example, on mountain trout streams the first [...]
Ruffled Grouse
Ruffled Grouse Body Feathers are some of my favorite materials for hackling nymphs and soft hackle flies. These feathers are easy to use [...]
Learn to catch Smallmouth Bass on Popping Bugs
It’s prime time for catching Smallmouth Bass on Poppers! Learn the three most productive tactics for catching Bass on Popping Bugs in our [...]
Fly Fishing Questions & Answers June 2016
This months fly fishing questions and answers podcast includes techniques to use for the trico hatch that is coming very soon, a simple [...]
Hen Hackle
The Grizzly Hen Hackle tips you see here is one of my favorite dry fly winging material when I want to show distinct [...]
The Blackfoot River
Every time I watch the movie The River Runs Through It my memory brings up the wonderful fishing I have had on the [...]
Murray’s Pop Strike
When the dry fly fishing is fast and I am catching many cutthroats in the mountain trout streams in the Rockies or brook [...]
High and Muddy Shenandoah River
Recent rains have left the North Fork of the Shenandoah River and the South Fork of the Shenandoah River high and muddy (6/5/16). [...]
Sunscreen
Some of the studies are now suggesting we reapply a broad spectrum water proof 50 sun blocking lotion every eighty minutes while we [...]
Fly Fishing Podcast–June 2016
In this fly fishing podcast Harry Murray discusses the outstanding trout fishing that is available now and what we can expect throughout the [...]
Have a Safe and Happy Memorial Day
Today, and every day, take a moment to remember all of those who made the sacrifice to make our country great. We wish everyone a [...]
Take a Youngster Fishing
I started my son, Jeff, fly fishing when he was five years old. He enjoyed it tremendously. He learned fly fishing very quickly [...]