Trout Stream Fly-Fishing Instructional Book
Harry Murray on Everything Anglers Need to Know About Trout Fishing
Sep 4, 2009
Harry Murray is the owner of Harry’s Fly Shop in Edinburg, Virginia. A veteran fly-fisherman, Murray also conducts clinics on fishing for trout and smallmouth bass. He has written numerous articles on the topic for national outdoor magazines, and his books, Trout Fishing in the Shenandoah National Park (Shenandoah Publishing Company, 1989) and Fly Fishing for Smallmouth (The Globe Perquot Press, 1989) are known as classics. His pocket-sized instructional book, Trout Stream Fly-Fishing (Frank Amato Publications, 2003) is filled with so much useful information that it requires several careful readings. Ideally, these readings will be interspersed with sessions in the trout streams, with each outing more successful than the last as the angler implements Murray’s lessons.
Preceded by a foreword by legendary angler, Bob Clouser, the book begins with a detailed but easily understood description of tackle required for trout stream fishing. Murray proceeds to an explanation of the knots used in fly fishing, and he includes a handy chart to make it easy to match tippet to fly size. He explains that fly size and desired presentation dictate line and rod selection.
“Simply stated, the fly size governs the line size and the line size governs the rod weight, but the length of the rod is governed by the closeness of the overhead canopy.”
Matching Fly Patterns to Natural Trout Foods
Chapter Four is titled, “Natural Trout Foods.” This section describes the primary insects trout feed upon, in addition to small minnows. He outlines the types of flies that mimic these foods, along with their usual seasons and locations. Full-color charts illustrate Murray’s recommended Eastern, Midwest, and Western fly selections. A set of three graphs indicate which flies correspond to specific hatching periods in the three regions.
How to Spot Trout and Catch Rainbows, Browns, Brook Trout, Cutthroats
Having outlined in detail the rods, reels, lines, flies, and other equipment necessary for successful fly fishing, Murray turns to methods. In the books remaining chapters, he describes the nearly indescribable. How to read water, locate trout, and present the fly to them successfully could easily demand years of instruction, but, amazingly, Murray covers these subjects in fewer than 100 pages. This is where his vast experience really comes across. Murray knows just where the trout are holding, and he knows how to write clearly and descriptively. Colorful illustrations combine with photographs to show the reader exactly what the text describes. Covering small, medium, and high-mountain streams, he overlays location with fly choice and presentation. Techniques for presenting nymphs, dry flies, and streamers in a wide variety of waters cover most situations an angler will encounter. Murray also advises readers on the types of water most likely to hold all kinds and sizes of trout.
In all, this little book is one of Harry Murray’s best. Small enough to tuck into a pocket and read in the tent or cabin during afternoon lulls, this book is easy to take along on fishing trips. Despite its small size, any reader who sets out to put all the book’s lessons to the test can spend years in the process. In the end, such an angler will be sure to become an expert fly-fisherman, and have a great deal of enjoyment in the process.
As Murray puts it, “Basically, you’ll learn to accurately evaluate all of the stream conditions from a trout’s point of view. Yes, you’ll learn to think like a trout.”
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