When you are fishing nymphs or streamers deeply and feel a bump set the hook quickly. Sure it could be a rock, but it could be your largest fish of the season. Why take a chance on missing him.

For special savings on trout and bass flies as well as trout and bass tackle check our weekly smallmouth and trout fishing reports which you can locate by going to our home page and clicking on these reports on the right side.

Are smallmouth rivers too low to fish? Not as far as I’m concerned. The problem here is that the bass become wary so I adjust my tactics to these conditions. a) I wade and fish upstream. b) I make long casts. c) I fish mostly at dawn and dusk.

The maple trees along the river are pushing their buds and the crocus have arrived.  I usually think of  the first hatching Quill Gordon Mayfly’s in the Shenandoah National Park arriving about 10 days or so after the crocus in my yard.  The fishing continues to be slow due to cool stream temps as a result of the melting snow.  The best success on the mountain streams will be found in the lower stretches over the next week and if you can find a south facing area all the better.

Yes, you can fish dry flies when it is getting so dark that you can not see the fish take your dry fly. Since you must be aware of the strikes in order to set the hooks the easiest way to do this is to fish down and across stream with a tight line so you can feel the strike. I do this when fishing for smallmouths during the white fly hatch, hexagenia hatch and caddisfly hatch. It also works for trout on these hatches if the stream is large enough for a downstream approach not to scare the trout. It’s a great trout technique with the Neversink Skate like Ed Shenk’s ties.

When your fly becomes hooked on a tree limb several feet beyond your reach, there is a great temptation to stick your rod tip all the way up to the fly and try to twist and turn the fly until you free it. This is not a good practice because you can easily break your fly rod…..There is no fly worth risking breaking your fly rod.

We will cover the Needle Knot here for the line- leader connection.  I personally prefer a Needle Knot to the Loop to Loop connection because it is a smoother, low profile connection.  Both connections are quite strong and provide very similar results when the line and leader are matched correctly.  To tie the Needle Knot you will need to cut the existing loop off of your fly line if one is present.

Step 1

Tools needed: One large eyed needle for the nail knot, one small eyed needle for pulling the leader through the fly line core, sharp razor blade, pliers, leader and fly line.

Step 2

Shave down the butt of your leader (approximately 1/2 to 1″ long) with the razor blade. Â The butt of the leader needs to be small enough to fit through the eye of your small needle.

Step 3

Insert your small needle into the core of the fly line and out the side. Â I like to run the needle out of the core of the fly line approximately 1/4″ from the end.

Step 4

Place your leader in the eye of the needle and pull it through the core of the fly line.

Step 5

Once you have pulled the leader through the core of the fly line, snip the shaved part of the leader off.

Step 6

Nail Knot: At this time, you will tie a nail knot to finish your connection.  Place your large needle beside your fly line and wrap the butt of the leader around the needle five times. Once this is completed, run the butt of the leader through the eye of the needle.  Place needle as shown and wrap from the point to the eye.

Step 7

Pull the needle through the wraps you just made.  I like to hold the wraps snugly while I pull the needle out.  If your knot loosens up and looks like this, don’t panic, simply push the wraps together with your thumb nails as you gently pull on the leader and the tag end.

Step 8

Place your wraps (nail knot) close to the point at which the leader comes out of the center of the fly line. Once you are happy with your wraps, cinch down on the knot by pulling on the tag end and the leader.
Snip the tag end off and you are ready to fish.  I like to place Pliobond or Aquaseal to this knot to create a smooth transition from the fly line to the leader.
Carefully inspect your line-leader connection often throughout the season.  If you notice the fly line coating starting to crack at this connection, simply snip off the old connection and start over with step one of this post.
The Needle Knot is preferred by many anglers since it pulls through the center of the fly line and does not leave as large of a knot as just a Nail Knot alone.  This knot works very well for most types of freshwater fly fishing.  To tie an “Improved Needle Knot”, simply add a second nail knot above the first nail knot.  This improvement allows the leader to create more friction on the core of the fly line and therefore creates a stronger connection.  I prefer an Albright Knot or Bimini Twist in most saltwater situations and when targeting large salmon, steelhead or trout.
We, along with many guides and serious fly fisherman, strongly discourage the use of the barbed eyes, that are marketed for the line-leader connection.  These work by inserting them into the end of the fly line and tying the leader to the eye.
Another less than desirable line-leader connection is the Braided Loop connectors that work by cinching down (think Chinese Finger Cuffs) on the fly line as tension is applies to the loop, the problem is that they can fail completely without any warning.
With the Needle Knot, Nail Knot, Bimini Twist and Albright Knot you can easily inspect them for damage and replace when necessary.

This photo essay will cover the steps involved in placing a new fly line on your reel.
I already had backing on this reel. If you are starting with a new reel; tie your backing to the arbor (center) of the spool first then wind the backing on under pressure.
Step 1

After stripping the old line off the reel, check the backing for mold/mildew or any other undesirable damage like knots and knicks.

Step 2

You will find a pair of snips and pliers handy when rigging your fly reel/ fly line.

Step 3

Start with an Albright Knot to attach the fly line to the backing.  I cinch my backing down with a pair of pliers. You will notice that the backing cuts into the coating of  the fly line, this is okay since the strength of the fly line is in the core not coating.  This is a very strong knot and is sufficient for all but the largest gamefish (Tarpon, Large Permit) where you will need a Bimini Twist or something like it.

Step 4

This is a personal preference; I like to place Aquaseal or Pliobond on my line/ backing connection to make the connection pull through my guides smoothly. Â This may take more than one application. Â If you are in a hurry, skip this step or use UV Aquaseal.

Step 5

Wind the fly line onto your reel under constant and steady tension. Â If you are putting backing on your reel for the first time, constant steady and firm tension is very important. Â Should you place the line or backing on under loose tension, you run the risk of the line pulling itself into the line below it as it is being pulled off under pressure (i.e. a big fish pulling against the drag) and creating a tight knot. This knot will surely take more time to untangle than you will have when your fishing is pulling line at 30mph. Â An ounce of prevention…….

Step 6

Once you have all of the fly line on your reel, check to make sure your line is not rubbing the reel frame. Â If you find that it is close or is touching the pillars, strip your line off the reel and remove some backing. Â Then start over with step one.

Step 7

The loop to loop connections will work with any leader on the market. Â You will need to tie a double surgeons loop or perfection loop in the end of your leader if it does not already have one.

Step  8

Take the time to make sure your Loop to Loop connection looks like this. Â It should look similar to a square knot. Â I cinch it down tight and usually find that this will not slip out under normal fishing conditions. Â If you find yourself in windy conditions, at the end of the day check this connection for wear and to make sure it does not look like the photo below.

This is an example of an incorrectly connected Loop to Loop. Â This is a hitch and will allow the leader to cut through itself.
Throughout the season we check these knots several times. Â Normal wear and tear will weaken these knots over one season. Â Re-tie them when they start to show signs of wear or, obviously, if they break when you pull on them firmly. Â Replace your leader at least yearly or more frequently depending on the amount of fishing you do.
Clean and dress your fly line with a line dressing every 30 hours of fishing or more frequently if you are in a dirty environment. Â This will greatly prolong the life of your fly line.

We will have a blog up shortly that will cover the needle knot which is my preferred line – leader connection.

Winter seems to have settled in around the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Â The North and South Fork of the Shenandoah both have ice forming along the banks as well as running slush in the slower sections. Â The local trout streams continue to form ice along the banks and in higher elevations you will find ice on the bottom of many streams. Â The National Park Service has closed many roads along the Blue Ridge Parkway due to downed trees and dangerous road conditions. Â Nymph fishing continues to be my most productive method but even that is quite slow. Â I fished a local spring fed creek just west of Edinburg on Sunday for about an hour and I had one rainbow to hand and one refusal on #20 Mr. Rapidan Parachute. I snapped this picture on my way back to Edinburg.
Be sure to check out the Winter Classroom Schedule. Â Fly Tying Classes start January 30, 2010.

1000 Non-Toxic Dumbbell Eyes

These eyes will soon find a home on one of the thousands of Murray’s Hellgrammites or Marauders that our USA based fly tiers will tie for Murray’s Fly Shop to use during the upcoming 2010 fly fishing season.

Post New Years Party Fly!

Thank you to our valued customers and friends for allowing us to share the joy of fly fishing with them. Â We have been blessed with the opportunity to meet many new and wonderful people and to strengthen friendships along the way. Fishing, especially fly fishing for us, is not as much about how many or how big the fish are; it is about the journey and those we choose to share it with.
As for the new year, we would like to wish everyone a healthy and prosperous 2010. Â Whatever resolutions you may make, be sure to include some time for friends and fishing.
Tight Lines and God Bless,
The Staff at Murray’s Fly Shop and Jeff and Harry