Murray's Flying Beetle
Fly of the Month 07.22 - Murray’s Flies (Part II, see RRTU FOTM 01.22 for Part I)
Harry Murray has been operating his drug store and his Virginia fly shop in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley since 1962. Murray’s Fly Shop is the home of the Mr. Rapidan series of fly patterns created by Harry Murray in 1971. The fly shop is also the home of the Murray’s series which is an extended mix of smallmouth bass fly patterns. But they can work well for trout as well
Smallmouth bass waters are found throughout the Southern Appalachian mountains along the altitude range from 1000-1200 feet, the highland foothills areas. Many of the Delayed Harvest streams are portions of smallmouth habits. For example, the lower section of Elk Creek contains native smallmouth mixed with the stocked trout. Fly fish these waters during the summer months when most of the stocked trout have been harvested and you will catch a mix of sunfish and smallmouth bass
The Murray’s Series
These fly patterns can be highly effective in our Delayed Harvest waters of North Carolina for trout during the fall, winter and spring delayed seasons and for smallmouth during the harvest season or summer months.
Murray’s Bass Cicada
Murray’s Bass Cricket
Murray's Bass Hopper
Murray's Dying Chub
Murray’s Floating Minnow
Murray's Flying Beetle
Murray's Hellgrammite
Murray's Madtom/Sculpin
Murray's Magnum Bluegill
Murray's Magnum Creek Chub
Murray's Road Kill Nymph
Murray's Shiner
Murray’s Bass Cicada, Murray’s Bass Cricket and Murray’s Bass Hopper were developed for bass but work well for trout in the smaller sizes.
Murray’s Flying Beetle was developed by Harry Murray from the encouragement of the late Charlie Fox. Harry considers the fly pattern a “go to” fly on Western Spring Creeks when ther is no hatch. He uses size 14 in June, moves on to size 16 by mid-July and then to size 18 in late-summer when the water is low and the trout are tougher.
The hellgrammite is the larva stage of the Dobsonfly which is one of the predominate insects in our larger gravel bottom southern rivers. The eggs of the dobsonfly appear to be splats of white paint on tree leaves along the stream. When the eggs hatch, the nymphs fall into the water and sink to the bottom and become a primary food source for fish. The larva pupate by crawling out of the stream on land to soon after hatch into adults. Murray’s Hellgrammite is a highly effective dobsonfly larva imitative fly pattern, built for durability.
Murray’s Road Kill Nymph is a very durable version of a dragon fly nymph.
For imitating forage fish trout and smallmouth bass waters, the Murray’s Dying Chub, the Murray’s Floating Minnow, the Murray’s Madtom/Sculpin, the Murray’s Magnum Bluegill, the Murray’s Magnum Creek Chub and the Murray’s Shiner each provde a slightly different approach to streamer fly fishing for smallmouth bass throughout the water column from fast water, to slow water, to stillwater.
Smallmouth bass waters may be successfully fly fished with larger dry fly patterns such as the Chernobly Ant by targeting the slow, shaddy waters along the banks. Smallmouth bass are ambushers, so be very patient and let the dry fly sit and slowly progress downstream. Wait for it! Wait for it! Yep, keep waiting...then bam, a smallmouth will surface to take it. Sometimes, in the slow, shaddy waters you will have immediate strikes from sunfish. They are fun to catch and after you have pulled in a few, the smallmouth will rise next. Even a holdover trout from the Delayed Harvest program may strike.
For fly fishing the wet fly and stream fly patterns in the Marray’s series, fly fish the deeper pools and runs by casting across, allowing the fly to sink and stripping back. The hook set action is much the same for both trout and smallmouth. We present the Murray’s Flying Beetle with its highly visible diownwing.
Murray’s Flies (Part II)
Murray's Flying Beetle
Fly of the Month 07.22
Tom Adams and Alen Baker
Harry Murray has been operating his drug store and his Virginia fly shop in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley since 1962. Murray’s Fly Shop is the home of the Mr. Rapidan series of fly patterns created by Harry Murray in 1971. The fly shop is also the home of the Murray’s series which is an extended mix of smallmouth bass fly patterns. But they can work well for trout as well
Smallmouth bass waters are found throughout the Southern Appalachian mountains along the altitude range from 1000-1200 feet, the highland foothills areas. Many of the Delayed Harvest streams are portions of smallmouth habits. For example, the lower section of Elk Creek contains native smallmouth mixed with the stocked trout. Fly fish these waters during the summer months when most of the stocked trout have been harvested and you will catch a mix of sunfish and smallmouth bass
The Murray’s Series
These fly patterns can be highly effective in our Delayed Harvest waters of North Carolina for trout during the fall, winter and spring delayed seasons and for smallmouth during the harvest season or summer months.
Murray’s Bass Cicada
Murray’s Bass Cricket
Murray's Bass Hopper
Murray's Dying Chub
Murray’s Floating Minnow
Murray's Flying Beetle
Murray's Hellgrammite
Murray's Madtom/Sculpin
Murray's Magnum Bluegill
Murray's Magnum Creek Chub
Murray's Road Kill Nymph
Murray's Shiner
Murray’s Bass Cicada, Murray’s Bass Cricket and Murray’s Bass Hopper were developed for bass but work well for trout in the smaller sizes.
Murray’s Flying Beetle was developed by Harry Murray from the encouragement of the late Charlie Fox. Harry considers the fly pattern a “go to” fly on Western Spring Creeks when ther is no hatch. He uses size 14 in June, moves on to size 16 by mid-July and then to size 18 in late-summer when the water is low and the trout are tougher.
The hellgrammite is the larva stage of the Dobsonfly which is one of the predominate insects in our larger gravel bottom southern rivers. The eggs of the dobsonfly appear to be splats of white paint on tree leaves along the stream. When the eggs hatch, the nymphs fall into the water and sink to the bottom and become a primary food source for fish. The larva pupate by crawling out of the stream on land to soon after hatch into adults. Murray’s Hellgrammite is a highly effective dobsonfly larva imitative fly pattern, built for durability.
Murray’s Road Kill Nymph is a very durable version of a dragon fly nymph.
For imitating forage fish trout and smallmouth bass waters, the Murray’s Dying Chub, the Murray’s Floating Minnow, the Murray’s Madtom/Sculpin, the Murray’s Magnum Bluegill, the Murray’s Magnum Creek Chub and the Murray’s Shiner each provde a slightly different approach to streamer fly fishing for smallmouth bass throughout the water column from fast water, to slow water, to stillwater.
Smallmouth bass waters may be successfully fly fished with larger dry fly patterns such as the Chernobly Ant by targeting the slow, shaddy waters along the banks. Smallmouth bass are ambushers, so be very patient and let the dry fly sit and slowly progress downstream. Wait for it! Wait for it! Yep, keep waiting...then bam, a smallmouth will surface to take it. Sometimes, in the slow, shaddy waters you will have immediate strikes from sunfish. They are fun to catch and after you have pulled in a few, the smallmouth will rise next. Even a holdover trout from the Delayed Harvest program may strike.
For fly fishing the wet fly and stream fly patterns in the Marray’s series, fly fish the deeper pools and runs by casting across, allowing the fly to sink and stripping back. The hook set action is much the same for both trout and smallmouth. We present the Murray’s Flying Beetle with its highly visible diownwing.
Murray’s Flies (Part II)
Murray's Flying Beetle
Fly of the Month 07.22
Tom Adams and Alen Baker
Murray’s Flying Beetle
Recipe :
Hook : Dry fly Tiemco 100 or equivalent , size 10,12,14,16,18
Thread : Black 8/0
Body : Moose Mane
Wing : Bleached Elk Hair
Underbody : Peacock herl
Directions :
Recipe :
Hook : Dry fly Tiemco 100 or equivalent , size 10,12,14,16,18
Thread : Black 8/0
Body : Moose Mane
Wing : Bleached Elk Hair
Underbody : Peacock herl
Directions :
- Debarb and mount the hook. Attach thread two eye lengths from eye and wrap in tight touching turns to the bend. Let the bobbin hang.
- Select a portion of moose mane (about a pencil thickness) and cut away from the hide. Stroke out the underfur and place in a stacker with the tips down. Stack firmly and remove by the tips. The length for the tie in will be such that the very fine part of the tips will protrude past the eye and allowing for the tie in at the hook bend. You will be tying in the thicker part on top of the hook shank with the tips past the bend at this point. Some will add a fast drying glue at this point to prevent the moose from spinning as you wrap. Your choice. Begin wrapping at the hoo bend using your finger on the far side to maintain the moose on top of the hook shank. I find it easier to make open wraps that are somewhat loose but still binding up to the two thirds mark and then return to the bend with tighter turns to flatten out the moose but keep it on top. Trim the thicker moose mane at the two thirds mark at an angle to make a smooth transition.
- Select a peacock herl of sufficient length to travel to the two thirds mark. Tie in at the bend with the long barb side up and begin tight and touching turns to the two thirds mark. Secure and trim the waste. On very large hooks it may be necessary to use two herls.
- Bring the moose forward to the two thirds mark and keeping the bundle on top make several wraps to secure it. Select four or so tips on the side closest to you and bind the to the hook shank with wraps in between them and the hook eye. Repeat on the opposite side. These will be the legs. Trim the moose left to a leg length and make sure the eye remains as clear as possible.
- Select a portion of elk and cut away from the hide. Clean the underfur and place in a stacker. Once stacked remove by the tips and tie in at the two thirds mark with the tips about the same length or slightly shorter than the moose. Trim the waste at a forty five degree and make several whip finishes at the two thirds mark. Whip finish and trim the tread.