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!