This June looks to be a great opportunity for fly fishing on the native brook trout streams and the smallmouth rivers. The steady rains have provided perfect water levels in the Shenandoah National Park for the trout. Hopefully that will last all of this month.



Let’s start this blog with the smallmouth bass rivers. The rivers are warm enough that the smallmouth are starting to feed on hard head surface bugs. Success here depends on selecting the bug which will produce the action you need in each area. The action you can get from each bug depends on the shape of the body and the cut of the bugs face.



The Shenandoah Chugger has a large fat body and a deeply cupped face. It can be made to create a loud chugging action. This will often pull bass up from very deep water and undercut banks. The Slider has a long slim body with a fine pointed nose. This type body design makes it easy to produce a gentle teasing bug action. Fish this in 2-3 feet deep water over cobblestone bottoms around shaded river banks. The Shenandoah Blue Popper has a straight body with an up-sloping face. It is very effective in the tails of the pools and around aquatic grass beds. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST>>>



Fly Fishing for Native Brook Trout



There are many little yellow stoneflies and sulphur mayflies hatching. These in conjunction with the terrestrials are providing a great source of food for the trout. The trout are more wary than they were in April so use a stealthy approach to each pool. I have tapered down to 6X leaders and use a slack line presentation so our flies will drift to the trout just like the naturals. I like to use puddle cast or a lazy-S cast to assure a good drift. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST>>>

Fly fishing for the smallmouth has really picked up over the last two weeks. The shallow gravel bars along the river banks hold large numbers of shiner minnows. The bass feed in these shiners in a hit and run manner. They literally crash into the shallows and grab several shiners then return to the safety of the deep water. Cast a Silver Outcast Streamer out in front of the marauding bass and strip it right in front of him. Often they will hit it on the first presentation. If not, then try several more cast in front of the direction the bass is cruising. Listen to the rest of the podcast.>>>



Fly Fishing for Trout



For great trout fishing in May, anglers need to be observant of the aquatic hatches and how the trout react to them. The March Browns, Little Yellow Stoneflies and Sulphur Mayflies are occurring this month. A Mr. Rapidan Parachute Dry size 14 or March Brown Dry size 14 are excellent for the March Brown hatch. The Murray’s Stonefly Dry (yellow) size 16 is excellent for the LYS hatch. I match the Sulphur hatch with a Murray’s Sulphur Dry or Shenk’s Sulphur Dry size 16. By this time of the year we are using a Classic Leader 7.5ft 6X or Mountain Leader 6ft 6X. Listen to the rest of the podcast>>>

Fly fishing in April is wonderful on the mountain trout streams as the water levels and hatches are ideal. We have good hatches of Quill Gordons, Blue Quill, and March Browns. All three of these start hatching about mid-day and continue until dusk. The spinners return at dusk. This means the last two hours of the day will have the greatest dry fly fishing.







The Blue Quill is one of the major mayfly hatches that occurs in the East






Fly Fishing for Smallmouth Bass



We are on the early edge of the smallmouth bass season but we picking up a few nice smallmouth. A dependable area to catch some large smallmouth is a seventy foot long ledge lying perpendicular to the flow of the river with a five foot deep cut right downstream of it. This deep cut extends sixty feet down the river and holds great numbers of bass that feed heavily on sculpins and hellgrammites. I start at the downstream end of this pool and fish a Murray’s Heavy Black Hellgrammite size 6 across stream with a swing nymph tactic which swims my flies right along the stream bottom. I can spend two hours in these areas. By studying the river closely, you will be pleased with how many of these spots you find.



Learn to Fly Fish — Summer 2024 Fly Fishing Schools at Murray’s Fly Shop

Fly fishing in March on the smallmouth streams can be productive in the bank bays. These are indentations which floods have carved back into the river bank. Some of these reach 10-20 feet back into the bank. These block major currents but hold a generous food supply for the smallmouth.



Wade or float down the river to 30 feet out from the opening. I begin my casts to the upper end of the bank bay with my flies reaching all the way to the deep part and strip it out 6 inches every 4 seconds until I swim it out into the main part of the river. The strike usually comes just as the fly enters the main current. Successive casts are made two feet further downstream until I’ve covered the whole bank bay. Then I wade on downstream to the next bank bay. Effective flies include Murray’s Marauder (olive or chartreuse) size 6 and Murray’s Heavy Hellgrammite, black size 6.



Fly fishing for Native Brook Trout



By now most of us have cabin fever and are ready to fish the mountain trout streams. March is a wonderful time to fish these streams. In early March the Quill Gordon mayfly nymphs are reaching full size and moving to the lower part of the riffles in preparation of hatching. Fishing a Mr. Rapidan Bead Head Nymph size 14 upstream dead drift into the lower section of the riffle will catch many trout. By mid March I start using a Mr. Rapidan Emerger size 14. When I will start seeing Quill Gordon adults riding the surface of the stream, I switch to a Mr. Rapidan Parachute. By mid to late March you can expect the Blue Quill hatch. Listen to my Podcast for more information.

Today let’s discuss the fly fishing on the large stocked trout streams. There are many streams that have an abundance of springs that produce great midge hatches. Big Stoney Creek, Mill Creek, and Hidden Valley of the Jackson are just a few that have great midge hatches.



At dusk there are often thick midge hatches in the tails of the pools bringing many trout to the surface to feed. Recommended flies include:




Birchell’s Hatching Midge





Mr. Rapidan Midge





Griffith Gnat




Fish these on a Classic Leader 9ft 7X. If I spot rising trout, I fish one on one to these trout using a dead drift. If there are only a few feeding trout, I fish these same flies upstream and impart a gentle twitching action.



Smallmouth Bass Fly Fishing in the Winter



The mouths of feeder creeks flowing into our smallmouth rivers can give us some early smallmouth fishing. These feeders are warmer than the rivers and they hold large populations of crayfish, sculpins, and shiners.



A good tactic is to wade into the upstream side of the feeder creek 30 feet out and cast down and across stream. Slowly strip the flies through the water flowing from the feeder into the river. Continue to wade downstream in the river as you move across the flow of the incoming feeder casting your flies broadside to the feeder so all of the bass will see your flies. We are still early in the season so don’t expect to catch a lot of smallmouth.

While most anglers don’t like fly fishing for bass in the winter, I know a few anglers that don’t give up. Realizing the bass seek the deep water at this time of the year, concentrate on the deepest pools. The locals usually choose a five mile stretch of the river that has many pools from 5-7 feet deep. Using a canoe or a drift boat they drift from one deep pool to the next. Anchoring 30 feet upstream of each pool, then fan their casts over all of the water they can reach. Next step is to raise the anchor and drift downstream, stopping at 30 foot intervals until they have successively fished all of the deep water.



The fly line to use depends on the depth of the water and the speed of the current. A Sink Tip III line is effective in most pools but if the current is fast I use a fast sinking head fly line. A Murray’s Tungsten Cone Head Marauder size 4 is excellent here. Listen to the rest of the podcast.



Fly Fishing for Trout



I’m always amazed as I walk beside a small mountain trout stream in the winter to see Little Black Stonefly adults sitting on the snow banks along the trail. Observing the stream closely you can spot several delicate dimple rise forms created in the slow eddy close to the bank as the trout take the naturals. Watch the slow eddies and small brush piles for other rising trout. I have great success with a Murray’s Dark Stonefly Dry size 16 fished on a 7X leader.



You might have heard the Shenandoah National Park is open to fishing after being closed for several months. The biologist did issue a statement that I want to pass along.



“Be gentle with the fish and the fragile environment they inhabit. The dry conditions likely reduced spawning success. Brook trout eggs spend the winter incubating in gravel in the streams, so it’s important to avoid walking through those areas to prevent trampling of eggs.” Anglers are also encouraged to minimize handling and time out of the water to reduce stress on the fish.



Another new thing for 2024. Beginning January 11, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. visitors who wish to overnight in Shenandoah National Parks backcountry must purchase a permit through Recreation.gov. The previous system of obtaining a paper permit through the park’s website or at designated locations in the park will be eliminated effective January 10, 2024. It is my understanding that the fee is $6 plus a $9 fee per person.



Learn To Fly Fish



Spring 2024 we are offering Mountain Trout Schools in the George Washington National Forest. These meet at Murray’s Fly Shop in Edinburg VA for a classroom presentation then off the stream for hands-on instruction. A full day of learning about the native brook trout fishing. Fly Rod and Reels are provided for the day.

Fly fishing in the deep pools between limestone ledges on our smallmouth rivers can be beneficial. The ledges can run all the way across the river, frequently 2-3 feet apart with many 5-6ft deep pockets between them. Before these pools become covered with ice, get out and try your luck. Approach the downstream ledge from below and stay below it. Then wading across the river, I fan my casts up and up and across stream. After my fly sinks deeply I strip it back downstream a little faster than the current pushes it. Frequently a 2-ft jigging action prompts a solid strike from a large bass.



Often I move to the shallow side of the river in order to fish all the way to the head of a specific pool. These boxed in pools are ideal cover for the bass at this time of the year and they hold an abundance of food. Over past years these special pools have given me good fishing that I will devote 2-3 hours to fish one which is half the size of football field. Dependable flies for these areas include: Murray’s Olive Strymph size 4, Murray’s Olive Marauder size 6, Murray’s Magnum Hog Sucker size 4, and Murray’s Magnum Bluegill size 4.



Trout Fishing



The rich springs flowing into our trout streams are slightly warmer than the main trout streams making them very appealing to the trout. The large populations of Cress Bugs, Shrimp and Sculpins are a wonderful food source. An excellent tactic for fishing the large streams is to start right at the spring and wade slowly downstream fanning your casts across all of the water downstream. Productive flies: Cress Bug size 14 & 16, Murray’s Shrimp size 14 & 16, Spuddler size 6. Listen to the rest of my podcast>>



On The Stream Fly Fishing Schools





Spring 2024 On The Stream Mountain Trout in the George Washington National Forest






* Spring 2024 On The Stream Mountain Trout Schools in the George Washington National Forest



* Spring 2024 On The Stream Mountain Trout Schools in the Shenandoah National Forest



* Summer 2024 Full Day On The Stream Fly Fishing Schools for June. Later dates will be posted on our website by February 2024

Let’s discuss the different fly fishing options for November. Many of the large bass move into the back eddies to take advantage of the great numbers of minnows that live here. This also provides protection from the full force of the river current. Some of these are located on the side of the river with the slow current below the strong riffles. These eddies may range from 20-60 feet in diameter and from 5-10 feet deep. They can be fished by floating or by wading close to the shallow bank. I find that by using a Sink Tip III fly line with a Fluorocarbon Sinking Leader works best. The Tungsten Cone Head Marauder size 4 works well. I strip these along the stream bottom by stripping them 6 inches every 5 seconds.



In order to hook these bass consistently I use a firm line hand strike simultaneously with a strong rod-lifting motion. Fish these eddies thoroughly so every bass will see the fly. I devote 1/2 hour to thoroughly fish a 50ft eddy. Listen to my podcast for more>>>



Fly Fishing for Trout



November produces some wonderful Blue Wing Olive mayfly hatches that really turn the trout on. Many of the rich streams in Pennsylvania give me such great blue wing olive fishing that they rival the wonderful days in Montana on the Yellowstone and Nelsons. I normally get my best hatches and fishing from 2 to 4. However on overcast or snowy days the hatch and fishing can be great all day. My favorite flies are the Mr. Rapidan Parachute Dry size 16 or 18, CDC Blue Wing Olive, and Mr. Rapidan Soft Hackle Nymph Olive size 16.



One day on the Yellowstone it was snowing heavily and the Blue Wing Olive hatch was very heavy. Standing in the middle of the river whichever way I looked there were over 20 rising trout within casting distance.



Days like the picture above produce heavy olive mayfly hatches and many feeding trout.

Many anglers save their vacation for fly fishing in October because they believe this is “big fish” time. Many of the bass leave their feeding stations along the banks and head for the deep pools and pockets. Hog suckers and madtoms rank high on important foods for large bass.



Except for the water behind the dams there are few areas on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River that are over six feet deep. However these 6-foot deep cuts attract the bass in October and you catch many bass in these areas using a Murray’s Madtom/Sculpin size 4 or a Murray’s Magnum Hog Sucker size 4. I use a sink tip line or a medium sinking head line to swim my flies slowly along the stream bottom in the pools up to 6-feet deep.



In order to fish the deep water behind the dams, I use a fast sinking head fly line which sinks about 7ips. A jigging action with the Madtom or HogSucker using this fast sinking head line will help you catch the bass.



Fly Fishing for Stocked Trout



The VA DWR will start stocking the delayed harvest trout streams and larger trout streams this month. A very effective technique for these rainbow trout is to fish a Mr. Rapidan Streamer size 10 with a size 12 Mr. Rapidan Soft Hackle (olive) nymph as a dropper below it. Fish these with a slow line hand stripping action right below the riffles and then slowly wade downstream. Make each cast across stream and swim it slowly back across stream. Make successive casts five feet further downstream as you wade all the way to the end of each pool.



To see the latest streams stocked, visit the VA DWR website.

Fly fishing in September can be excellent with chub and dace minnows. As the rivers get lower it opens the doors for smallmouth feeding on chub and dace minnows. This usually happens in the shallow water in the tails of the pools. At dusk you often see the wakes of bass as they chase these minnows in the water 1-2 feet deep. My favorite tactic is to enter the upper part of the riffle below the tails of these pools. I then slowly wade up into the tail of the pool. I watch the water closely for these chases and cast my Murray’s Floating Minnow out in front of the feeding bass.



If there are few bass chasing these minnows in the shallow pool tails, I wade slowly up into the pool as the depth of the water limits me. As I work my way slowly upstream I fan my casts ahead of me to cover all of the water I can reach. Then retrieve it back downstream using a strip-pause-strip motion that swims it slightly faster than the current is pushing them. Often by wading up the shallow side of the river I can fish all the way up to the next riffle.



Incidentally, some of my customers are seeing the Hexagenia hatch occurring on the Shenandoah River. If you see this hatch then put on a Mr. Rapidan Skater Dry. Listen to the rest of the Podcast>>



Fly Fishing for Trout



Shenandoah National Park is closed for fishing effective 8/31/23. The water levels are too low and the water temperature is too high which is stressful for the trout.



Update on store hours. Murray’s Fly Shop will be closed for vacation Sept 9-18, 2023. Online orders will resume shipping on September 19. Thank you for your patience!

A good approach to fly fishing in August is to use a popper with a dropper. A good friend of mine caught a nice smallmouth using a Bass Stonefly Nymph as a dropper below a Shenandoah Blue Popper size 4. We have used this ploy often with great success.



Over the past several years many smallmouth anglers have used this combination of a popper with a nymph dropper to catch many bass around aquatic grassbeds, on the edges of large trees that have fallen into the river, and along the banks. Listen to my PODCAST for more info.



I have experimented with different nymphs such as:




* Stonefly Nymph



* Bass Caddis Nymph



* Rubber Leg Nymph



* Dragonfly Nymph



* Damselfly Nymph




Try this the next time you are out and see what happens.



Summer is winding down and we only have a few spots in our Full Day Fly Fishing Schools and Half Day Lessons for Summer 2023. Reserve your spot today!



Trout Fly Fishing



The major aquatic insects are over so I turn to Murray’s Flying Beetle for the majority of my trout fishing. It floats well, is easy to see and will seldom let me down. Listen to my PODCAST for an interesting story on how the Flying Beetle came about.

Fly fishing on the smallmouth bass rivers can be excellent in July. This years young hog suckers are large enough to provide an easy meal for the bass. The last two hours of the day, these young hog suckers move onto the gravel bars where the water is 1-2 feet deep to do their own feeding. Here they are easy prey for the bass. The gravel bars which run down the river parallel to the bank hold great numbers of these young hog suckers. I can usually catch some large bass here.



Wade down the river close to the river bank and cast a Murray’s Magnum Hog Sucker 50 feet out toward mid-river and strip it 6 inches every 5 seconds to swim it right up the gravel bar. Pause every 5 feet to repeat this tactic. LISTEN TO MY PODCAST >>



Want to tie a Murray’s Magnum Hog Sucker? Get one of our fly tying kits.



Fly Fishing for Trout



The sulphur mayflies are still on the streams providing outstanding dry fly fishing. Admittedly as the streams get lower the trout become wary and very selective in the drift of our drys. In order to compensate for this, I use a slack line cast. LISTEN TO MY PODCAST FOR INFORMATION ON DIFFERENT CASTS. A Murray’s Sulphur Dry size 16 or 18 works well here.



Learn to Fly Fish



Each summer we conduct Full Day Fly Fishing Schools for smallmouth bass on the Shenandoah River. We still have a few openings for Summer 2023. We just posted the dates for our Mountain Trout Schools conducted in the Shenandoah National Park for Spring 2024. Fly Rod & Reel Outfits are provided for the schools.

The month of June can provide some excellent fly fishing on both the smallmouth and native brook trout streams. Let’s discuss the smallmouth bass fishing first.



Last year I did a video on matching minnows that the smallmouth feed upon. The shiner minnow is one of the natural foods discussed. There are many shiner minnows on the shallow gravel bars along river banks in water from one to three feet deep. The bass will not hold in water this shallow but feed here by charging up on the gravel bars to grab minnows before returning to the deep water close by. A successful technique here is to cast a Silver Outcast Streamer or Shenk’s White Streamer size 4 out in front of the bass when you see him cruising through the school of minnows. Listen to my entire podcast >>



WATCH MY VIDEO ON MINNOW MATCHING



We are already getting some topwater action on poppers this year. The Shenandoah Blue Popper and Chugger patterns are working well for us. Fish these along the shady banks in water 3 to 5 feet deep.



Fly Fishing on the Native Brook Streams



There are many Sulphur mayflies hatching along the trout streams. The duns start emerging in mid day and continue until dark. The spinners start returning to the stream to mate and deposit their eggs the last 2 hours of daylight and continue until dark. Recommended flies: Murray’s Sulphur Dry and Shenk’s Sulphur in size 16, 18 On many streams this is the heaviest hatch. Keep in mind that the last two hours of the day, you have both duns and spinners on the water. There will be many rising trout. The Little Yellow Stoneflies are heavy this month on the trout streams as well. Listen to my podcast for more info >>

Fly fishing in May is wonderful because of all the different hatches occurring on the brookie streams. We just received some much needed rain and the streams are in great shape. One of my favorite hatches is the Little Yellow Stonefly. Often you will see numerous drys drifting across the same pool and trout coming up to suck them in. The Murray’s Little Yellow Stonefly Dry is an excellent match for this beautiful natural. The real flies drift so delicately on the surface of the stream, it is important that we mimic this accurately if we expect to catch the large trout. In order to achieve this gentle drift, I always use a slack line cast. Listen to my podcast >>



Don’t overlook the March Brown hatch that will probably continue for another week or two. The Light Cahills and Sulphurs are occurring this month as well. A Light Cahill Dry size 16, Shenk’s Sulphur Dry size 16, and Murray’s Sulphur Dry size 16 are perfect to match these hatches.



Fly Fishing for Bass



The smallmouth bass is starting to take off. My son has been floating the Shenandoah River at least once a week for the last month. Last week was better than the week before. Why? The water temperatures are finally reaching a certain point prompting the smallmouth to feed.



There are great numbers of crayfish in the rivers and the bass are feeding on them. In 2-3 feet water over cobblestone bottoms along the river banks are choice locations for crayfish. The crayfish scurrying among these cobblestones are easy prey for the bass. Wade or float down the river 50 feet out from the bank and cast a Murray’s Crayfish straight toward the bank landing a foot from the bank. Strip it 4 inches every 5 seconds so it darts between the stones like a real crayfish. Strip it out from the bank in this way. Wade slowly down the river pausing every 5 feet to repeat this technique. The crayfish are most active at dawn, dusk and when the water is slightly discolored.



Learn to Fly Fish



Each summer we conduct Full Day Fly Fishing Schools and Half Day Fly Fishing Lessons for those wanting to learn more. The Full Day Fly Fishing Schools include a classroom and on the stream instruction for a full day of learning. The Half Day Fly Fishing Lessons are on the stream for a basic lesson of fly fishing. We supply the rod/reel outfits for the schools. See our website for the scheduled dates for Summer 2023.

The hatches of three important mayflies and one caddisfly make fly fishing in April a favorite for many anglers. The Mr. Rapidan Dry matches the Quill Gordon and March Brown hatch. The Mr. Rapidan Delta Wing Caddis matches the caddis hatch occurring this month. The Blue Quill Dry is a perfect match for the Blue Quill adult dun. NEW this year, we have added a Blue Quill Mr. Rapidan to help anglers see the fly while taking advantage of this hatch. Correctly matching our artificial flies to the hatching aquatic insects is important if you expect to catch the largest trout.



Most of the duns hatch about midday and the spinners return to mate and deposit their eggs at dusk. This means there will be many trout rising to feed on the natural flies in the evening and the dry fly fishing is outstanding. Listen to the rest of my podcast.>>



Smallmouth Bass



The feeder streams and springs entering our bass rivers are warmer than the rivers. This prompts the bass to feed below the feeder streams. Large populations of sculpin minnows live in and below these feeders and the bass feed heavily upon them. The Spuddler is very effective. A floating line is fine for fishing right below the feeder streams but a sink tip III line will help you get your Spuddler down to the stream bottom further out in the river. Listen to the rest of my podcast >>



Fly Fishing Schools



We only have a few openings left in our On The Stream Mountain Trout Schools in the George Washington National Forest for Spring 2023. Reserve your spot today!



Our On The Stream Smallmouth Bass Schools for Summer 2023 start at our fly shop in Edinburg for a classroom presentation. Then everyone heads either to the North or South Fork of the Shenandoah River for on the stream instruction. CLICK For more information and to register.

Fly fishing in March starts to pick up on the mountain trout streams. There are several things going on that will prompt the trout to feed.



The Epeorus pleuralis and blue quill mayfly nymphs are present in large numbers and are growing to full size. I match these with the Mr. Rapidan Bead Head size 14 and the Blue Quill Nymph size 16. The emerger of the Epeorus pleuralis mayfly is one of the few mayflies which pops its wings well underwater and swims to the surface of the stream. He stabilizes himself to fly to the foliage along the stream where he molts overnight to return to the stream the next day to mate as a spinner.



Knowledgeable anglers take full advantage of this emerger with his exposed wings because he is so easy for the trout to feed upon. The emergers come off the stream bottom at the lower end of the riffles and at the upper end of the pools. A very effective tactic is to cast a Mr. Rapidan Emerger upstream so it lands at the lower part of the riffle. Allow this to drift back downstream naturally. I have a indicator on my Trout Nymph Leader that I watch closely in order to detect the trouts strike.



The last half of March we get good dry fly fishing with the Mr. Rapidan Parachute Dry and the Blue Quill Dry as the duns drift along the surface of the stream and at dusk when the spinners return. If you have trouble seeing the Blue Quill Dry flies, then try our new Blue Quill Mr. Rapidan Dry Fly.



Fly Fishing for Bass



After a long winter, the warmer days in March will prompt the smallmouth to start feeding. This is the time of year to fish the bank bays. These are indentations that are carved in the banks from previous flood waters. They may reach from 5-20 feet back into the bank and extend from 20-30 feet down the river. Usually they are from 3-5 feet deep. Wade or float down the river 30 feet out from the bank bay and fan a dozen cast over each bay with a Shenk’s White Streamer for Murray’s Black Marauder size 6.



Learn to Fly Fish



We offer On The Stream Smallmouth Bass Schools starting in June through the summer. These meet at Murray’s Fly Shop for a classroom presentation then proceed to the Shenandoah River for hands on instruction. Fly Rod and Reel Outfits are provided for the school. Register your spot today!

Many anglers get the urge to go trout fishing in February-March even though the streams are cold. Serious anglers realize they will get their best fishing by using nymphs which match the underwater forms of aquatic insects.



Over the years of teaching to many students, I have found many anglers master this technique best by separating the tactics for the small streams from the large streams.



Good examples of the small trout streams are North Creek, Mill Creek and Passage Creek all of which are less than 30 feet wide. It is best to fish these streams by wading upstream because of the wary nature of the trout.



Upstream Dead Drift with Nymphs



Cast the nymph upstream and allow them to drift back downstream just like a natural nymph washed off the stream bottom. In order for me to detect when the trout takes my artificial nymph, I must SEE his strike. Using my Murray’s Trout Nymph Leader which has two indicators allows me to see the strike. By watching these indicators closely I can quickly discern when the trout takes my nymph. Set the hook quickly.



Nymphs to use in this situation:




* Mr. Rapidan Bead Head Nymph size 12, 14



* Murray’s Caddis Larva size 14, 16



* Bead Head Hare’s Ear Nymph size 12, 14



* Adams Nymph size 14, 16



* Murray’s Dark Stonefly Nymph size 12, 14




Some of the larger trout streams include Big Stoney Creek west of Edinburg, the Bullpasture and the Hidden Valley of the Jackson. The trout are not as wary in the larger streams and they are in the small streams so we are not restricted to the upstream dead drifting method. However, this technique can still be used effectively on the large streams with those same nymphs.



Swing Nymphing Technique



This is a very effective technique to use on the larger streams. It is easier to master and the trouts strike is easier to detect because we FEEL the strike. Swing nymphing enables you to get nymphs deeper than any method you can use with a floating line.



The cast is made up and across stream 20 feet at a 45 degree angle. The nymph is allowed to sink deeply then the slack line is recovered with the line hand. Listen to the rest of my podcast for more information on this technique.>>



Recommended flies for this technique:




* Murray’s Road Kill Nymph, size 8



* Casual Dress Nymph size 6



* Strymph, Olive size 8



* Murray’s Olive Crayfish size 10

Winter fly fishing for trout is tough but not impossible. I am talking about the brook trout fishing and not the stocked trout fishing. Even though the aquatic nymphs are not reaching their full spring size yet, they are growing. The trout will start feeding especially toward late February as the streams start to warm. The Epeorus pleuralis mayfly nymph–the first of our mayfly hatch–will move to the lower sections of the riffles. The Mr. Rapidan Bead Head Nymph are excellent matches for this natural nymph.



An effective way to fish this nymph is to stand 15ft downstream from the riffle and cast upstream to the lower part of the riffle. I use a Murray’s Trout Nymph Leader 9ft 5X with indicators pre-installed. Keep a tight line all the way down to the indicator allowing the nymph to drift back down through the pool. Cover the complete lower part of the riffle in this way then move on upstream to the next pool. This is a great way to start the season.



Smallmouth Bass Fishing in the Winter



If you are determined to get out and try the smallmouth in the winter, then I suggest waiting for a warmer day and go out. The only chance you will have of getting a smallmouth is to find the deepest pool, use a sink tip line, with a sinking Fluorocarbon leader and swim your fly right along the bottom. You just might entice a large bass. Listen to the rest of my podcast for more info>>



Learn To Fly Fish–Spring 2023We still have a few openings in our On The Stream Mountain Trout Schools either in the Shenandoah National Park or George Washington National Forest. These are full day schools with some classroom and on the stream instruction. Fly Rod & Reels are provided for the day.Not ready for the on the stream school yet? Then join us on February 11, 2023 at Murray’s Fly Shop in Edinburg at 10a.m. Harry Murray will be conducting a classroom discussion on the streams and brook trout fishing in the Shenandoah National Park.

If you don’t mind the icy edges and cold temperatures then fly fishing in the winter can be productive. The VA DWR continues to stock the streams throughout the winter. By now these trout are looking for natural foods in the streams. One of the richest areas to find large concentrations of natural foods are the springs. These provide many cress bugs and shrimp for the trout. A large spring flowing into a stream which is 30-feet wide may hold many trout for the next 100-feet downstream. The Cress Bug and Murray’s Shrimp in size 14 & 16 fished slowly across stream can be very effective.



A small spring flowing into a stream can be very exciting to fish by using a cautious upstream approach and fishing these flies upstream dead drift. These springs are easy to locate by the rich green weed growth in the stream and on the bank. Listen to my podcast for more information.>>



Fly Fishing Workshop



During the winter months, I conduct fly fishing workshops in my fly shop in Edinburg, VA. These are slide show presentations in a classroom setting–not on the stream.



Trout Fishing in the Shenandoah National Park 101 Class on January 7, 2023 at 10a.m.



Fine Points of Nymph Fishing for Trout Class on January 14, 2023 at 10a.m.



Fly Tying 101 Class on January 28, 2023 at 10a.m.

Since there is not much fly fishing going on in December except on the stocked trout streams and delayed harvest areas, let’s take a look at them. The large rainbows tend to live in the riffles and feed mostly on nymphs. The Dark Stonefly Nymph, Olive Strymph, and March Brown Nymph seldom let me down.



Start right at the riffles and cast across stream, stripping the nymph 4 inches every 6 seconds to crawl it right along the stream bottom. Then wade slowly downstream pausing every 5 feet to continue this technique as far as the riffles extend. If recent rains have cause the streams to be higher than normal, use a Sink Tip III line.



Fly Fishing for Browns



Drawing from my many years of fishing the Yellowstone River around Livingston, MT I came to realize the two brown trout hot spots are the head of the pool and the tail of the pool. Wade into the side of the pool where the riffle empties into the pool. Cast across the current and after the streamer sinks deeply swim it across the stream bottom. Strip it 6 inches every 5 seconds. Listen to the rest of my podcast for more tip and flies to use.>>



Smallmouth Bass



As the water temperature becomes cooler, the bass seek sections of the river with a slow current. These areas range from 4-6 feet deep and usually hold good populations of minnows. The back eddies which form along the stream banks opposite where the strong riffle enters the pool produce these Lazy Susans that have great appeal for the bass. Listen to the rest of my podcast for more tip and flies to use.>>



Learn To Fly Fish in our Spring 2023 Mountain Trout Schools