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Ceder water flies

A Polinger

Just finished a River Runs Through it!
Now that I'm living in the south jersey i find myself throwing a lot of flies at bass in lakes filled with cedar water. What colors do people find works bess, I've tried everything from white to black and I have not found one thing to work. Any tips would be great.

Thanks,

AP
 
I haven't fish for bass in a while and never in South Jersey. However, I have fished in shallow lakes in North Jersey that had a tannic look to it, probably from decaying leaves and had good success with the color purple on the subsurface (long bodied streamers and wooly buggers should work). I also used very simple cork poppers that I made myself, some painted orange and others just natural cork color.
 
Black and orange used to be a classic color combo for tannic water. Was a favorite of the old timers on the Black R (the Hacklebarney one).
 
I've always been partial to frog imitation colors (mix of green/yellow/white) and only during early mornings until maybe 10 am and again as the sun sets in summer months. Bass won't often take on the surface in the heat of the day unless it's overcast or otherwise cooler than what we've had lately.
 
I have caught pickerel...be it a LONG time ago in Batsto creek..I used turquoise and white..they seemed to like that....good luck.
 
I've always been partial to frog imitation colors (mix of green/yellow/white) and only during early mornings until maybe 10 am and again as the sun sets in summer months. Bass won't often take on the surface in the heat of the day unless it's overcast or otherwise cooler than what we've had lately.

I believe many bass anglers would disagree with you, we are NOT talking about trout or cold water fish here. :) If your having trouble getting bass on such days then your spooking them.

The big key to getting a take on the surface is the retrieve. Keep on trying different retrieves until you get a response. Give a nice long strip a try, and just let the fly sit for a while. Unfortunately you will always have the trial and error, but once you figure it out, they come easier. Color has little to do with it. However the best colors are (not in any particular order) white, black, yellow, and green.
 
I'm partial to erratic striping followed by a long pause. They usually slam it on the pause. Bass on top water is dirty fun too. All you see is a whirlpool, then hang on!
 
Pretty sure you live in my area. +1 on poppers... bass love them. Buggers work pretty well too. In the heat of the summer, I prefer to sink them towards the cooler water on the bottom.
 
You can also give a popper dropper rig a shot. Popper to get there attention and the drop to get the take.
 
Now that I'm living in the south jersey i find myself throwing a lot of flies at bass in lakes filled with cedar water. What colors do people find works bess, I've tried everything from white to black and I have not found one thing to work. Any tips would be great.

Thanks,

AP

Cork poppers near lilly pads work very well in all colors. Big BH wooly buggers work very well, either stripped in rapidly, or stripped in a few feet at a time letting the weight of the bh drop it down near the bottom. Earlier this week i did well fishing a #16 light cahill about 4" below the surface slowly stripping it in.
 
Now that I'm living in the south jersey i find myself throwing a lot of flies at bass in lakes filled with cedar water. What colors do people find works bess, I've tried everything from white to black and I have not found one thing to work. Any tips would be great.

Thanks,

AP

AP,

I live near Great Adventure and am using dragonflys on the bass, dark brown, black and white are working for me once the dragonflys start moving around. Also hoppers in dark brown, light and dark green, and black are working. In the muddy pit that used to be Prospertown Lake anything shiny, like the goldie, jr,, and minnow patterns get them biting when nothing else seems to work.
 
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