Large Bass
Many of the serious smallmouth fishermen back when I was growing up saved their vacation time for October. They would fish all day,
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Stream Levels
Watching the stream levels and planning ahead can help you when fishing the mountain trout streams. Often at this time of the year
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Fall Trout Fishing
During October, November, and December, Virginia and many surrounding states stock designated streams providing excellent fall trout fishing. These cool streams provide good
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Fly Fishing in October
Bass Fly Fishing in October Fly fishing in October for smallmouth fishing can be great. It is a transitional month for smallmouth fishing.
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Dry Fly Necks
How many top grade dry fly hackle necks does one need? When I started tying dry flies for trout I could afford only
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Away From Crowds
One of my guides fishes a great amount on his own and catches many fish. When asked how he does it…”I get away
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How Far To Cast
I am often asked in my fly fishing lessons, “How far do I cast?” Basically, I like to cast only far enough to
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Floating Minnow
Many years ago I hit on one of my most productive smallmouth tactics by accident. I was fishing the tail of a pool
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Fly Fishing in September
Bass Fly Fishing in September At dusk when the sun gets off the river many bass move onto the tails of the pools.
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Hellgrammite
When I was a youngster the natural hellgrammite was my favorite live bait for smallmouth bass. A hellgrammite is the larva of the
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Fly Fishing at Night
You can catch many large bass by fly fishing at night. Bass feed heavily at night on flies. I find I have my
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Fine Tuning Casts
There are times when regular casts on small mountain trout streams fail to give use the accuracy and delicacy needed. Even worse, the
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Nymphing for Smallmouth Bass
Some days smallmouth bass don’t seem to be interested in feeding on minnows and you can’t catch them on streamers. Other days they
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Fly Fishing in August
Harry Murray’s Podcast on what to expect when fly fishing in August for smallmouth bass and trout. Bass Fly Fishing The aquatic grassbeds
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The Challenge
The Challenge in Trout Fishing The trout rising to sip in natural insects on his feeding station a few feet upstream of me
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Change of Pace Flies
During the summer, many of our catch and release streams hold many trout. However, the angling pressure they have received all season means
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Murray’s Strymph
What is a Strymph? –A cross between a streamer and a nymph! Many years ago I was in the habit of fishing for
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Spotting Trout
Tips for Spotting Trout on Trout Streams When the hatches are sparse, many trout locate on feeding stations that easily let them capture
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Fly Fishing in July
Trout Fly Fishing in July on Mountain Trout Streams Our mountain trout streams are in excellent shape for this time of the year.
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Light Pattern
A large trout comes up and examines your Mr. Rapidan Dry Fly size 12 very carefully but at the last minute he refuses
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Escape Move
Did you every watch a small fish or minnow in an aquarium when a large fish made an aggressive move? They looked to
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Dry Fly Fishing
The dry fly fishing was very good as long as I stayed with small size 18 or smaller flies. Unfortunately I was not
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Bass Fly Action
Some days all of the normal actions you impart to your bass fly will catch only small bass. Recently, reflecting back on my
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Learn to Fly Fish
Recently a very nice gentleman came into my fly shop. He stated that he wanted to learn to fly fish for smallmouth bass.
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Fly Fishing in June
The June podcast includes Harry discussing the mountain trout fishing and techniques to use for smallmouth bass. Trout Fishing The mountain trout fishing
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Wishing all a safe and happy Memorial Day
Freedom isn’t Free.Thank you to everyone who has served this great country.God bless all those who made the supreme sacrifice. Remember them today
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Bass Surface Bugs
My Three Favorite Bass Surface Bugs There are many times that bass prefer one type action of hard head surface bug over another.
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Stream Log
The Advantages of Keeping a Stream Log According to my stream log throughout 2018, the mountain trout streams in Virginia held very good
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Sulphur Mayfly
The sulphur mayfly (Ephemerella dorothea) is one of the most fascinating hatches I fish. There are times when it changes the rules just
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Fly Fishing Podcast –May 2019
Fly Fishing Report for Trout and Smallmouth Bass Trout Fishing Fly fishing in May can be wonderful because we have many hatches occurring
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Bass Fly Line
My 3 Favorite Bass Fly Lines I live right beside the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. I find it very challenging to
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Trout Streamers
My 4 Favorite Large Stream Trout Streamers There is excellent action with large rainbows and browns now in the large streams by fishing
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One Cast
If I Had Only One Cast.. I’m standing below a beautiful pool in a mountain trout stream and there is no hatch and
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Back Eddies
Fishing for Bass in Back Eddies The smallmouth bass are starting to feed actively now that the rivers are slowly starting to warm.
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Mayfly Hatches in April
The mayfly hatches are excellent in the mountain trout streams in the mid Atlantic area. The stream levels are ideal, the water temperatures
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Back Country
Back Country Camping and Fishing This is a wonderful time to hike into the back country of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Appalachian
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Slack Line Cast
Your dry fly drifts over a trout’s feeding station and he rises to take. At the very last instant he turns away and
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Early Season Bass Streamers
Early Season Bass Streamers–My 5 Favorite Streamers Early in the season the bass feed very well on minnows. We can catch them on
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Feeding Station
The largest trout in each pool selects the feeding station which will enable him to capture the greatest amount of food. All of
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Fly Fishing in March
Trout Fly Fishing in March March can be a wonderful time to fish the mountain trout streams for wild brook trout. The Eperous
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MayFly nymph
Wake Up Time It is almost as if the wild brook trout in the mountain streams and the Epeorus pleuralis mayfly nymphs are
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A Delicate strike
Many of the small trout dry flies and nymphs we use in the winter are most productive if we fish them on fine
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Early Mountain Trout Fishing
When the mountain trout streams hold a water temperature of 40 degrees for four consecutive days the fishing becomes good. At this temperature
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Little Black Stonefly
As I stood beside the stream rigging my fly rod, I could hardly believe my eyes. The streams was very cold and there
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Fishing Midges
Many of the larger trout streams have a chironomid midge hatch that occurs on the flat part of the pools. They can hatch
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Trout Nymphs–My Six Favorite for Springtime
Today let’s discuss my six favorite springtime trout nymphs and why. Jack Sperry who taught me nymph fishing in the East and Charlie
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Reading the water
Reading the water is something we strive to help our students master in both our Mountain Trout and Smallmouth Bass Schools. The first
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