Deer Hair Bass Bugs
When the smallmouth rivers get low in the summer, I often fish deer hair bass bugs a great amount. Part of my justification [...]
fly fishing bass
What Smallmouth Bass Like
An abundance of natural foods such as minnows, hellgrammites, and crayfish are essential for smallmouth bass to live on and grow well. This [...]
Bass Under Tree Limbs
Often I catch some large bass that are on feeding stations along the banks where there are many tree limbs that hang down [...]
Fly Fishing Podcast July 2017
Fly Fishing Podcast July 2017 For this months fly fishing podcast I want to discuss some of the hatches that we are seeing [...]
New Scientific Anglers Fly Line, Part Two
Part Two Blog on Scientific Anglers Sonar Sink 30 Warm Fly Line The new Scientific Anglers Sink 30 Warm is an outstanding fast sinking [...]
Bass Streamers
There are times when fishing streamers along the banks when floating smallmouth bass rivers can be very effective. However, some anglers on our [...]
Simple Flies
Several years ago I stopped in a fly shop in Montana which was owned by a good friend. One of his employees was [...]
Smallmouth Bass Feed Heavily on Brown Drake Mayflies
Some of the most exciting smallmouth fly fishing takes place when they feed on natural Brown Drake mayflies. There are actually three different [...]
Switch Lines in Mid-River
You are standing in mid-river using a 9 foot rod and you decide you would like to switch from a floating fly line [...]
Murray’s Magnum Creek Chub
There are probably more creek chub minnows in most smallmouth rivers than any other single minnows. These are readily available to the bass [...]
Hot Spots
I always mentally mark a spot where I have caught or moved some large fish…any kind fish. This was the spot on the [...]
Popper Casting
When we make a back cast to pick a popping bug up off the stream to make another cast we may cause that [...]
Quick Water
Heavy rains that last less than a day but deposit two or three inches of rain definitely cause our rivers to become too [...]
Riffle Hitch
Last year at my son’s encouragement, we started experimenting with the “Riffle Hitch” technique for smallmouth bass which I used many years ago [...]
Cooling Bass Rivers
The smallmouth rivers are cooling and although I am catching nice bass throughout the rivers, I am aware that some of the largest [...]
Escape Technique
I had outstanding smallmouth bass fishing on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River with a method of streamer fishing I am calling, [...]
Night Smallmouth Bass Fishing
You just might catch your largest smallmouth bass of the year by fishing at night. They feed heavily in the low light levels [...]
Wary Smallmouth Bass
As the smallmouth rivers get low and clear I find that I can prevent scaring the largest bass by wading upstream and fishing [...]
Stream Approach
The most valuable angling skill you can master is learning how to approach the specific piece of water you plan to fish. Sounds [...]
Streamer Success
Here are two simple steps that can easily double the number of successfully hooked fish on your streamer fishing. (1) Always follow the [...]
The Best Action with Surface Bugs
In order to catch large bass consistently on hard surface bugs it is very important to be able to adjust the bug action [...]
Reading a Smallmouth River
The most valuable skill a smallmouth angler can develop is learning to read the water accurately. The few minutes spent analyzing a section [...]
New Angler, part D
“I am new to fly fishing and need advice on rods for freshwater fishing”. This question came in as email and I believe [...]
My Helpful Angler’s Calendar
My angler’s calendar is very large, having about two inch square spaces for each date. This allows plenty of space for me to [...]
Switch-Hand Casting
I have a good friend who injured his right shoulder badly. Since he cast with his right hand he was very disappointed that [...]
Refine Your Smallmouth Fishing
When I wrote my first book Fly Fishing Techniques for Smallmouth Bass an editor with Field and Stream Magazine was very impressed with [...]
Study Entomology
If you fall down in a shallow stream and anyone is watching, rather than splashing around while you embarrassingly try to stand up, [...]
Fix Those Line Wraps on a Fly Rod
Frequently the wind or an underpowered casts causes the line to form a knot around the upper part of the fly rod. When [...]
Fly Fishing Stream Report
Harry Murray discusses the best trout fishing in the Blue Ridge Parkway at this time of the year and what flies to use [...]
Large Bass Feed Heavily In the Shade
Large bass feed heavily in the shade – A normal part of summer to many of us but why? Negative phototropism is a [...]
Mini Smallmouth Bass Migration
Jeff Murray sets the hook on a large smallmouth bass that was holding in a deep pocket below a riffle he was fly [...]
Fly Fishing for Big Smallmouth Bass
This time of the year that next strike might be from the largest bass you’ll move all year and you sure don’t want [...]
Fly Fishing Bass in the Eddies
My son, Jeff, and I fished the North Fork of the Shenandoah River close to Edinburg, Va before the rain on Wednesday. The [...]
Large Bass
Large smallmouth bass frequently do not feed heavily in the bright sunny conditions we have now. However, you can get good action by [...]
Bass River Conditions and Tactics June 27, 2011
Harry’s discussion on the river conditions that we see from now until September. He covers fishing topwater, nymphs, and streamers, what flies to [...]
Fly Fishing to Selective Smallmouth Bass
I was floating the North Fork of the Shenandoah River on a beautiful evening in late May when there was a very heavy [...]
New Flies for 2011 at Murray’s Fly Shop – Micro Poppers
NEW for 2011 Micro Poppers (size 10) Black, Chartreuse, Frog & Yellow $3.05 These are extremely effective for sunfish and also smallmouth bass [...]
Smallmouth Bass and a Switch Rod January 2, 1011
Winter Smallmouth Bass Fly Fishing with a Switch Rod from JW Murray on Vimeo. We didn’t get skunked but the river is still [...]
Smallmouth Action
Great smallmouth action can now be had by dressing Shenk’s White Streamer #6 with Gink Floatant and fishing it upstream in the tails [...]
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 [...]
A Great Halloween
A great Halloween day fly fishing for Smallmouth Bass on the South Fork of the Shenandoah…. a little sprinkle, a lot of fish, [...]
Damselflies, Smallmouth and Poppers
Early mornings and late evenings have been quite productive in the Smallmouth Bass fly fishing department… Poppers on 3x tippet have worked great!!! [...]
Smallmouth and Trout… Fishing Galore!
Fishing Report: The local trout streams are all in great shape. Hike down from the Skyline Drive or Blue Ridge Parkway for your [...]