Trout
Q: At what water temperature in the spring can I expect to start catching trout on dry flies?
A: At normal water levels brook trout start feeding on the surface at 40 degrees while rainbows and browns do better at 45 degrees.
Q: How do you feel about fishing for trout and smallmouths when they are on their spawning beds even though you plan to return them to the stream?
A: This is a decision for each angler to make, but I don't do it because I do not want to stress the fish.
Q: Can I expect to catch more than one trout in the same pool in a mountain trout stream?
A: In the spring when the streams are carrying a good water level I often catch more than one trout in some pools if I can fight and land the first trout away from the part of the pool I plan to fish next. However, late in the summer when the streams are very low and clear I usually have to be satisfied with one trout in each pool and frequently I feel very fortunate to catch that one.
Q: What is the worst thing that spooks trout that prevents me from catching them in the pool I'm about to fight?
A: If you don't count falling into the pool with them, it is movement. This could be your movement as you approach the pool, the flash of the fly line going over the trout's head or even a bird flying over the stream. The trout will not hang around to discern between movements that pose a threat and those that don't, he just heads for a safer location.
Q: If I drift my dry fly over a trout and he comes up and looks at it but refuses it, can I catch him if I keep drifting that fly over him?
A: Probably not. If it looked right he would have taken it on the first drift. I usually go to a smaller fly in a different shape. The Mr. Rapidan Ant in size 18 is a great "change of pace fly".
Q: If you had only one fly rod to fish all mountain trout streams what would it be?
A: Several years ago I was not satisfied with the accuracy and delicacy of the rods I was using and I contacted the Scott Rod Company to see if we could come up with an ideal rod for this fishing. Finally, after eleven months of testing and changing rod tapers we came up with the Murray's Mountain Trout Rod which is 6 ft. 10 inches long, breaks down to 3 pieces and balances perfectly with a number 3 line. This is by far the most delicate and accurate rod I've ever used at close range and it's short enough to cast under the tree limbs. It is by far the most popular trout rod we sell.
Q: If you could have only four dry flies for your trout fishing all season what would they be?
A: These are the four dry flies I use for 90% of my trout fishing because historically they have done the job for me. Part of this is because they match a broad selection of natural foods and they all show the trout a different silhoutte. They are the Mr. Rapidan Parachute size 14, the Murray's Flying Beetle size 16, the Mr. Rapidan Ant size 18 and the Baltz Para Nymph size 16.
Q: How early and late in the year do you fish the mountains for trout?
A: From mid March to mid November but be respectful of the brookies and brown spawning in October.
Q: My trout dry flies don't float well after I've used them for about a half hour even if I keep applying silicone cream, dry fly floatant or sprays. What's wrong?
A: Often the fly becomes so soaked that the floatant won't help. I use our Murray's Dry-A-Fly Patch to blot the fly dry when this happens then apply our Murray's Liquid Dry Fly Floatant. By doing this I can often fish for hours with the same fly.
Q: The natural March Brown Mayflies that hatch in the spring are close to an honest size 12. Can I use a size 12 dry fly when this hatch is on?
A: My favorite dry flies when this hatch is on are the Mr. Rapidan Parachute Dry size 14 and the March Brown Dry size 14. I get a lot of refusals if I use a size 12 dry. |
