Week of July 12th 2025: Bass on the Fly

Week of July 12th: Bass on the Fly

It’s been another hot week in New Jersey and the river temps are consistently in the 70s.  The bass action has been steady, as we point our attention downriver, out of the Piedmont section of the state and into the Points where the rivers conjoin, widen, and allow the small and striped bass to migrate, searching for the right temperature and amount of food.

The key to finding bass in a river is moving - keep your fly moving and keep yourself moving.  If the fish aren’t enticed after several casts, don’t spend ages on them.  Switch from streamer to popper to jig in particularly deep spots, but for the most part, I like a small streamer which can be run through on the stretches between the pools.  On ponds I like top water flies, including mice and cicadas, but largemouth bass are pretty voracious and will eat terrestrial patterns, like crickets, hoppers, and foam patterns, too.  You may want to bump up to a bass or 4x trout leader for the sudden strikes, especially if you find a striped bass in or around the Delaware River. I say “around” because they are migrating further up both the Musconetcong and Upper Delaware. 

New from the shop is our new selection of Saluda Beads!  Saluda beads are fantastic because of their quality and economy.  The colors pop and the fit is perfect.  We now carry slotted and conehead tungsten beads to sink your nymphs and zonkers down fast.

See you out there, Roy B.