Fly Fishing in April
Fly fishing in April is wonderful on the mountain trout streams as the water levels and hatches are ideal. We have good hatches [...]
fly fishing in Virginia
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 [...]
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 [...]
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?” [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
Hellgrammites
As a kid I seined hellgrammites in the riffles of the river to use for bait for smallmouth. After college I tried many [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Fly Fishing Podcast – Winter Fishing
If you don’t mind the icy edges and cold temperatures then fly fishing in the winter can be productive. The VA DWR continues [...]
Fly Fishing in the Fall for Stocked Trout
In Virginia, fly fishing in the fall is always a favorite among the stocked trout fisherman. The Virginia DWR will start stocking rainbows [...]
Murray’s Sculpin Marauder
I designed the Sculpin Marauder as a big fly to catch the large smallmouth bass that feed heavily on the sculpin minnows. Sculpin [...]
Murray’s Stonecat Streamer
This stonecat streamer not only looks like the real minnow but when we swim it along the stream bottom it “acts” like the [...]
Deer Hair Bugs
The late H.G. Tapply, one of my angling heroes, got me into fishing deer hair bass bugs. When the rivers get low and [...]
Mr. Rapidan Skater
The Mr. Rapidan Skater is very effective in two entirely different situations. First it is a great match for the Hexagenia mayflies. When [...]
Fishing to Rising Bass
Standing in the middle of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, I heard a commotion downstream. Looking downstream, I discovered that there [...]
Fly Fishing with a Crayfish
While fishing in the Shenandoah River for smallmouth bass, I am amazed at how many crayfish there are. Fly fishing with a crayfish [...]
Fly Fishing in August
I try to do as much fly fishing on the native brook trout streams throughout the summer as I can. By this time [...]
Fly Fishing in July
Many people like to hike, camp, and do a little fly fishing in the Shenandoah National Park during the summer. The little yellow [...]
Fly Fishing for Trout and Bass in June
June is a wonderful month for fly fishing in the native brook trout streams and the smallmouth bass rivers. The Sulphur mayfly hatch [...]
Murray’s Fly Shop 60th Anniversary
In 1962 I opened my pharmacy right out of college and in the back corner of the building started Murray’s Fly Shop. I [...]
Fly Fishing in Virginia in November
Let’s discuss the fly fishing in Virginia on the stocked trout streams and smallmouth bass rivers. The Virginia DWR has been stocking streams [...]
Fly Fishing in September
Fly fishing in September can be excellent on the smallmouth bass streams. This is the time of year the Hexagenia hatch occurs. As [...]
Fly Fishing in August
Trout Fly Fishing in the Mountain Trout Streams The fly fishing on the mountain trout streams can be tough but not impossible in [...]
Fly Fishing in July Podcast
Let’s discuss the different fly fishing options you can expect for the month of July. In the mountain trout streams, there are many [...]
June Fly Fishing Podcast
June fly fishing on the mountain trout streams and the smallmouth bass streams can be very exciting. The Little Yellow Stoneflies and Sulphur [...]
Fly Fishing in May
The water levels and hatches are ideal in May providing some excellent fly fishing on the native brook trout streams. There are good [...]
Fly Fishing in April
Fly fishing in April is great for anyone that enjoys dry fly fishing. During the early part of the month there are still [...]
March Fly Fishing Podcast
I always look forward to fly fishing in March on the trout streams. Early in the month the Epeorus pleuralis nymphs become very [...]
Murray’s Fly Fishing Schools 2020
This year (2020) with some adjustments because of COVID we were still able to conduct our Fly Fishing Schools. Each spring starting in [...]