Fish or Rock?
When you are fishing nymphs or streamers deeply and feel a bump set the hook quickly. Sure it could be a rock, but
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Smallmouth/Trout Tactics
Many of the tactics I use for smallmouth fishing in the rivers in Virginia are very similar to the tactics I use in
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Water Levels
Are smallmouth rivers too low to fish? Not as far as I’m concerned. The problem here is that the bass become wary so
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Flashlights
When there are good hatches of white flies and hexagenia mayflies on the smallmouth rivers some of the best action comes as its
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Fly Fishing on Ponds for Bass
Don’t overlook your local farm ponds. These ponds were likely stocked at some point in time, either officially or unofficially. Eric took this
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Fine Tippetts
When the trout streams become low and clear late in the summer and early-fall the trout become very wary. This combined with the
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Tease Them
Often smallmouth bass come to a popping bug and we fail to hook them. I suspect in some cases its a last minute
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Miss the Crowds of Anglers
If you wade when you fish be willing to hike in a mile or two before you start fishing. If you float be
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Rainbows
There is good fishing presently for rainbows below the springs on Big Stoney Creek west of Edinburg. They are taking Shenk’s Crickets and
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Fly Box Logic
There are many excellent fly boxes available that work fine with streamers, nymphs and hard bass bugs. However, be careful with your dry
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Bass & Salt Overlap
Some of my customers ask me if they can use the same 8 weight rod for fishing for bass and saltwater. I really
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Luck Counts As Well As Skill
When you are floating a smallmouth bass river “make every tenth cast in the wrong direction”. That is, as you are drifting along
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Back Country
If you fish back country trout streams on old logging roads there are times when you can get in trouble. We’ve had trees
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Adult Damselfly
There are many beautiful natural damselflies on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River presently and the smallmouths feed aggressively upon them. Our
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Nymph fishing for Trout
Many anglers tell me they are poor trout nymph fishermen but they would like to learn how to do better. Here’s my advice
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Fly Fisherman 2010 Issue of Fly Fishing Made Easy Magazine
This is the finest and most complete guide for the beginner to intermediate angler I’ve ever found. Ross Purnell has packed this with
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Quick Strike
When you are fishing dry flies upstream on a mountain trout stream that is so high and rolling so fast that you have
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Crazy Currents
You stand below one of the most beautiful pools you’ve ever seen on a mountain trout stream. There are four seperate riffles entering
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Wind on the Side
When you are fly fishing and a strong wind is blowing on your casting shoulder simply switch your fly rod to the other
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Thank you to all who served.
Thank you to all who served and made the supreme sacrifice for our freedom. We will not forget you. God Bless you and
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Safe Wading
Folstaff Wading Staff $132.00 A good wading stick is a great aid when wading fast streams and I don’t mean just large rivers.
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Be Patient
Murray’s Magnum Chub $2.95 When fishing streamers across stream on a smallmouth river there are times that the bass take your fly just
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Project Healing Waters wants your old gear!
Listen to Harry’s discussion on a great project. Do you have some new or used fly fishing equipment that you are not using
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Invasive Species Cleaning Procedures
First published in 2010 – this post is as pertinent today as it ever has been. Harry’s discussion on how to clean your
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New Fly Tying book
Murray’s Exclusive Flies 2010 Supplement II book is now available. Murray’s patterns included: Bass Cricket, Magic Caddis Pupas, Magnum Creek Chub, Professor Dry,
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Late Spring Early Summer Trout Flies
Listen to Harry’s discussion on late spring early summer trout flies which is included in our guide trout assortment. https://shenandoahfishing.murraysflyshop.com/AudioFiles///troutguideasst.mp3Podcast: Play in new
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Late Spring Early Summer Bass Flies
Listen to Harry Murray’s suggestions for late spring-early summer bass flies, which are included in our new Smallmouth Bass Guide Assortment. https://shenandoahfishing.murraysflyshop.com/AudioFiles///bassguideasst.mp3Podcast: Play in
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Switch Rod Fly Fishing for Smallmouth Bass
Listen to Harry Murray discuss the techniques and tactics which make the utilization of a Switch Rod beneficial for the Smallmouth Bass Fly
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Aquatic Nuisance Species
Attention Anglers!! We all need to help stop the spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species. For those attending our On-The-Stream Schools, please follow one
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Murray’s Bright Butt and Classic Leader Kits
The Murray’s Bright Butt Leaders and Murray’s Classic Leaders are the preferred leaders by serious anglers all across the country for both trout
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Spring Trout and Early Season Bass Guide Assortments
Murray’s Fly Shop is now offering special guide fly assortments for both trout and bass. We felt getting our guides suggestions on which
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EarthKorp Riverside Festival
Come on out, enjoy some great music and help raise money for a very worthwhile cause.
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Interesting Tidbits
Caddis larva which will be hatching throughout the next two months.
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Slow Down
Smallmouth bass in the cold water found in March and April are willing to feed. However, they are not willing to move far
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Smallmouth Bass Fly Fishing
The North and South Fork of the Shenandoah are both in great shape for floating. The temperatures are in the upper 50’s to
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Hide from the High Water
Every year in March I get cabin fever to fish for smallmouth bass. Not only is the river cold but it is usually
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Two Types of Waders
A friend of mine who is in the wader manufacturing business tells me there are two types of waders….those that leak and those
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Switch Rods
Switch rods have many applications in all forms of angling. Here are just a few situations in which they are helpful in smallmouth
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Smallmouth Bass Fishing Report
The warm weather has kicked the local fly fishing in to gear! The North and South Fork of the Shenandoah River are both
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Brown Trout and Smallmouth Bass
If you are familiar with fishing for either brown trout or smallmouth bass you are well on your way to mastering the other.
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Quick Strike
When fishing nymphs or streamers down and across stream we must set the hook quickly when the fish takes the fly before he
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Smallmouth Bass Deer Hair Surface Bugs
When I’m tying or purchasing deer hair surface bugs for smallmouth bass fishing I want to be sure my bugs will hook a
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Cleaning and Dressing your Fly Line
This photo essay will cover the steps to clean and dress your fly line to ensure optimum performance. Step 1 I apply a
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Caring for your fly line
As we fish through the season much of our gear takes a beating. From leaders and flies to waders, boats and fly lines
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EarthKorps Riverside Music Festival Fundraiser
EarthKorps (a non-profit whose goal is simply removing trash from the river) is holding a Shenandoah Riverside Music Festival Fundraiser. Please support their
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Parachute Dry Flies
My caller asked what differences I use when fishing parachute dry flies and regular dry flies. It’s a good question and it made
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Dry Billfold
During the summer most smallmouth anglers wade wet and often wade in over their vest pockets. If your flies get wet in their
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A hint of Spring
The maple trees along the river are pushing their buds and the crocus have arrived. I usually think of the first hatching Quill
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Fly Rod Tip: Ferrule Care
Ferrules on graphite and glass fly rods can slip and break and you can even cast the tip section off your rod if
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