Fly Fishing Articles & Fishing Tips

Welcome to the Murray’s Fly Fishing Articles collection. For more than 60 years, Harry Murray and the anglers at Murray’s Fly Shop have shared practical information about fly fishing for trout and smallmouth bass. These articles cover fly fishing techniques, seasonal fishing, fly selection, fly tying, and fishing the streams and rivers of Virginia.

Many of these articles began as answers to questions we hear from anglers in our shop. We hope they help you improve your fishing, whether you're learning to fly fish, preparing for a trip to the Shenandoah Valley, or looking for new ideas for fishing your favorite trout stream or smallmouth river.

If you have a question about fly fishing or would like to suggest a topic for a future article, give us a call at 540-984-4212 or contact us. We enjoy hearing from other anglers and sharing what we've learned on the water.

Virginia Trout Fishing Articles

Learn more about mountain trout fishing, native brook trout, seasonal hatches, nymphing, and reading small trout streams. These articles draw heavily on the waters of the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding mountains.

• Mountain Trout Fishing
• Early Season Nymphing in Small Mountain Streams
• Early March Mountain Trout Fishing
• Winter Trout Fishing
• October Trout Fishing on Big Stoney Creek
• Reading the Feeding Stations on a Mountain Trout Stream
• Fly Fishing Virginia's Passage Creek
• Fly Fishing Virginia's Stoney Creeks
• Fishing Terrestrials for Trout on Spring Creeks
• The Wonderful Trico Mayfly

Smallmouth Bass Fly Fishing Articles

Murray’s Fly Shop has spent decades fishing for smallmouth bass on the Shenandoah River and other Virginia rivers. These articles cover flies, river reading, nymphing, surface bugs, crayfish, minnows, grassbeds, and float trips.

• Bass Nymph Fishing
• Smallmouth Bass Minnow Matching Tactics
• My Three Favorite Bass Surface Bugs
• Catching Smallmouth Bass Around Aquatic Grassbeds
• Reading a Smallmouth Bass River Like the Shenandoah River
• Successful Float Trips for Smallmouth Bass
• Fishing a Crayfish for Smallmouth Bass
• Fly Fishing Critters for Smallmouth Bass
• Fly Fishing for Smallmouth Bass in Flat Water
• My Favorite Smallmouth Bass Fly Fishing Tackle

Fly Fishing Techniques & Tips

These articles cover practical fly fishing techniques and equipment, from choosing a fly rod and fly line to improving your presentation and taking care of your fishing gear.

• Selecting a Fly Rod - Let's Make Sense of It!
• Choosing a Fly Fishing Line
• Fly Fishing Tip: Are You Casting Too Much?
• Which Dry Fly Floatant Works Best? A Side-by-Side Comparison
• Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Fly Fishing Gear
• Standard Fly Line Weight Charts
• Winterizing Fly Tackle

Fly Tying Articles & Information

Learn more about fly tying materials, fly patterns, and techniques from Murray’s Fly Shop. These articles are useful whether you're learning to tie your first flies or looking for ways to improve your existing patterns.

• How to Fish and Tie the Murray's Hellgrammite Fly
• The Wonderful Mr. Rapidan Fly Family
• Fly Tying Material Weight Chart
• Brushes & More Brushes: Choosing a Fly Tying Brush

Harry Murray's Fly Fishing Articles & History

Harry Murray has been teaching and writing about fly fishing for more than six decades. These articles provide a look at his approach to fly fishing as well as the history behind some of Murray’s most recognized flies and techniques.

• The Beginning of Murray's Fly Shop
• 1985 Flyfishing Magazine Article: "Murray's Hellgrammite"
• Virginia's Ten Best Flies for Bass & Trout

More Murray's Fly Fishing Resources

Our articles are just one way to learn from Murray’s Fly Shop. We also offer fly fishing schools, classes, and workshops for anglers who want hands-on instruction. Our Nuts & Bolts Fly Fishing Videos provide additional instruction, and our Fly Fishing Podcasts cover a variety of fly fishing topics.

For anglers who want to learn while fishing Virginia's trout streams and smallmouth bass rivers, we also offer On-the-Stream Fly Fishing Schools and guided fly fishing trips.

Have a Fly Fishing Question?

If you have a question about fly fishing, fly tying, trout fishing, or smallmouth bass fishing, we're happy to help. Call Murray’s Fly Shop at 540-984-4212 or email info@murraysflyshop.com.

We enjoy talking fishing and helping anglers spend more time catching fish.