Ice on Rod Guides
Often in the winter I run into a problem of having ice on the rod guides. This happens often to us in late
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Mr. Rapidan Emerger
The Mr. Rapidan Emerger is one of my favorite flies for early trout fishing on the native brook trout streams. I developed this
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Dead Drift Trout Nymphing
Fishing upstream with nymphs as they dead drift naturally downstream to the trout is one of the most effective tactics on can learn.
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Fly Fishing in December
Fly fishing in the deep pools between limestone ledges on our smallmouth rivers can be beneficial. The ledges can run all the way
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Streamers for Stocked Trout
Streamers which match the minnows the stocked trout feed upon are very effective whether a beginner or an experienced angler. One of the
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Nymphs for Stocked Trout
When fishing for stocked trout, it is a good idea to carry an assortment of nymphs from size 8-20. After being in the
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St. Croix Connect Fly Rod
The new St. Croix Connect Fly Rods are in stock. These are made to cover any anglers need. The tapers are well designed
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Wader Care and Repair
The proper wader care at home will increase the life of your waders. When I return from the stream I hang my waders
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Fly Fishing in November
Let’s discuss the different fly fishing options for November. Many of the large bass move into the back eddies to take advantage of
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Fishing Delayed Harvest Streams
Frequently the largest trout choose feeding stations in the deep water right below the riffles during the winter on the delayed harvest streams.
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Lasting Memories
Many of my memories are linked to by fishing partner of 40 years. William Downey was the ideal fishing partner because we liked
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Think Like A Trout
Seeing the stringer of large trout the young boy was carrying, the elderly angler inquired, “Son, how did you catch all of those?”
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Fly Fishing in October
Many anglers save their vacation for fly fishing in October because they believe this is “big fish” time. Many of the bass leave
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Streamers for Bass in the Fall
Streamers are effective throughout the fall. How late into the season this action will last depends upon how quickly cold weather approaches. Normally
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Smallmouth Shade
One day my son, some friends and I were all fishing for smallmouth on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. Toward the
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Hexagenia Mayfly
September is known for the Hexagenia. One evening a couple of years ago I was fishing with a Chugger on the Shenandoah River
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Popper Fishing in the Fall
Take advantage of the popper fishing before the streams get to cold. More large smallmouth bass are taken on Virginia’s Shenandoah River during
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Fly Fishing in September
Fly fishing in September can be excellent with chub and dace minnows. As the rivers get lower it opens the doors for smallmouth
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Hog Sucker
The Murray’s Hog Sucker is one of our very best flies when we are seeking large bass. It is very effective in the
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Goggle Eye Are Back
Whether you call him a goggle eye, red eye, or rock bass, most fly fishermen are glad this fish is increasing in numbers.
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Bass Fly Rod
I consider the smallmouth bass to be the gentleman of the warmwater species. As such fly fishing for them has picked up many
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Tippet Size
I am often asked, “What size tippet should I be using?” In our on the stream fly fishing schools this topic is discussed
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Hard Head Bugs
The action imparted to hard head bugs is governed by the shape of the bug and the cut of its face. I assign
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Fly Fishing in August
A good approach to fly fishing in August is to use a popper with a dropper. A good friend of mine caught a
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Terrestrials For Trout
Many trout couldn’t live without terrestrials! When the aquatic insect hatches are over for the season the trout live on the great profusion
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Bass Skaters
Ever used bass skaters while smallmouth fishing? One hot July afternoon on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River I decided to experiment.
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Deer Hair Bugs for Bass
I just enjoy fishing deer hair bugs for smallmouth bass. I feel I’m following the standards which Ray Bergman and H.G. Tapply developed
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Fly Fishing in Ponds
Recently I have had more customers asking about fly fishing in ponds and what flies to use. I lived on a farm west
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Crickets & Hoppers
Let’s talk about using crickets and hoppers for smallmouth bass fishing. Several years ago my son and I floated the James River. We
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Fishing With Dragonflies
There are great numbers of adult dragonflies flying above the surface of the river. These insects are powerful flyers. The bass catch very
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Bass Nymphs
For many years bass fishermen have relied on streamers, poppers, and deer hair surface bugs. However in the last several years I have
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Fly Fishing in July
Fly fishing on the smallmouth bass rivers can be excellent in July. This years young hog suckers are large enough to provide an
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Crayfish
In our fly fishing schools and guide trips a crayfish pattern is always recommended. My guides are seeing more crayfish scooting along the
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Bass Flies for Low Water
Every year I have customers asking, “What bass flies should I be using in the low water conditions?” In early summer when the
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Three Fly Rig
My son and I have been playing around with a three fly rig for smallmouth bass. Some anglers are reluctant to fish a
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Trico
Many years ago I fished the trico hatch on Falling Springs often. There were about a dozen of us who fished it regularly
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Fly Fishing in June
The month of June can provide some excellent fly fishing on both the smallmouth and native brook trout streams. Let’s discuss the smallmouth
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Damselflies for Smallmouth Bass
The delicate damselflies seen flying over the rivers from late May until October have appeal to the bass. They are 1-2 inches long
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Little Yellow Stonefly
If you have been on the trout streams recently then you have probably been seeing the Little Yellow Stonefly hatch. The nymphs of
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Dry Flies for Bass
Many of my customers have asked for information on fishing dry flies for smallmouth bass. I could tell they were serious because they
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Fly Fishing in May
Fly fishing in May is wonderful because of all the different hatches occurring on the brookie streams. We just received some much needed
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Fly Fishing in April
The hatches of three important mayflies and one caddisfly make fly fishing in April a favorite for many anglers. The Mr. Rapidan Dry
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Strikes on Small Mountain Streams
Today I am going to cover two different strikes I experience on the small mountain trout streams. Pop Strike There were eight wild
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Casting On Small Mountain Streams
Let’s discuss some different casting techniques that I use on the small mountain trout streams. Slack Line Casting Expect to catch the largest
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Bass Nymph Fly Fishing
With the unusual warm weather, most of us are ready to do some bass nymph fly fishing on the Shenandoah River. As the
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Mountain Trout Fly Rod
If you want one fly rod to fish all smallmouth mountain trout streams, let’s consider the desirable features. I want accurate fly presentations,
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Fly Fishing in March
Fly fishing in March starts to pick up on the mountain trout streams. There are several things going on that will prompt the
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Solitude Trout Fishing
Trout Fishing in remote streams beyond the sight and sound of others is very rewarding. Often this includes visions of long hikes in
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