Cedar Tree Fishing Patterns

[Bill Babler]

With the lake continuing to go down, lots of the cedar-tops are coming into view. A very popular and excellent Fall and Winter pattern is fishing these visible trees, using various methods. Some cedar's are also still to deep to see, but their tops are now extending with-in 10 feet of the surface. These are very good hangouts if you know their locations.

Wind is as usual always a help on the rock, and a light chop when fishing these trees is most often a blessing. Here are some of the methods used to take very nice for the most part LM from the tangled limby webs of wood.

Topwater. Don't for the most part care what topwater racket maker you are using, only on your precission as a caster. For trees that I know are there, but not visible, I just love running a fin over these fishy spots. Move the bait as slow as it will travel and maintain its wiggle-diggle. Visible trees. I have heard much about the windy sides, or the shadey side. For the most part a cedar does not have or produce much shade. I just look the tree over and see how I can get my bait when retrieved to get as close to the main body of the tree as possible without hanging up. The tougher the fishing is, the closer to the middle of the tree they want it. I could get nothing going out past the limbs, it had to be retrieved thru the middle of the tree. If a hardwood is present or near the cedar, this is most often a plus.

Main lake vs cove or creek channel cedars, or just fishing points is not the answer either, as you just flat don't know what tree will hold fish. You just got to hit em all. On Saturday Mine came off a mid-bluff bank. I had a stretch of nothing, then Bang two trees in a row with nice 3.5 pounders and then I missed a couple of more, One of them was Big!!

Spoon Fishing the Cedars. Capt. Rick LaPoint is very good at this and has made lots of money spooning the cedars. If you are good, you can vertical jig the trees or just flutter your spoon outsided the limbs. Don't believe it would have worked this weekend, as they were so tight to the trees. Another pattern is deep jigging the deeper cedars, going just into the tops and above to lure bass out of the tangles. Better have good electronics, and know how to read them.

Spinnerbaits. Without a doubt the Number 1 bait for fishing cedars. Wind is more than your friend with the SB and working it thru the limbs can get violent strikes. Try killing the bait just as it comes thru the tops, letting its blades flutter just a bit. Sometimes they want it burned thru the tops, somethime a slow roll.

Jigs are very good fish catchers out of the cedars, but be prepaired to loose a many. 3/8 and 5/16 are the best, with a good fiber weed guard. Gently pull the jig over the limbs, and know it on the tree as much as possible. After the bait comes over a limb, allow it to fall and repeat. You will loose some baits. Bluegill patterns with orange or yellow are very good offering when making these kind of presentations.

Drop-shotting the submerged tops. Ask Bill Beck. Bill has won thousands of dollars doing this in the Kimberling area. Again good electronics and GPS are valuble tools.

When fishing the trees for active fish, it seems that the number one asset you can have is accuracy on your presentations. Hanging up in the tree and missing the tree to far with your first cast are most often doom. This year so far I have not caught a fish with a topwater or spinner, that has not been on the first cast at that tree. After catching one multiple cast to the same tree has produced nothing, although in the past I have caught several fish in a tree.

Won't get into it here, but my favorite cedar pattern is December thru April and we all know thats Stickbait time.

Hope this helps and good luck out there.

[Cody Smith]

Always enjoy your posts. Very nice read~

[Whack'emGood]

Thanks Bill! Wow. Top notch, as always. I asked for clarification (because I have only targeted the cedars with the last technique you mentioned in Winter-- the stickbait) and you gave us all a great educational post in return. You have proven once again that you are a great asset to OAF-- especially to all of us who need "a little help" now and then!

Thanks again and good luck on the water!

Whack'em

[crappiefisherman]

While you are fishing the cedars , do you every once in a while coax a big ole crappie out of them????

[MOBass]

I should print this off and stick it in the glove box of the boat. I was really trying to resist going fishing this weekend. After reading this I am already day dreaming about putting on fresh line and tying on baits.

[getfished]

I should print this off and stick it in the glove box of the boat. I was really trying to resist going fishing this weekend. After reading this I am already day dreaming about putting on fresh line and tying on baits.

Copied

Pasted

Printed

PRICELESS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GETFISHED !!!

[gabe]

Thanks for the post Bill. As usual, very thorough and informative.

[Bill Babler]

Crappie, The Finny Critters I have caught out of cedars boarders on the insane. I'll give you a couple of examples. Off a Long run-out bluff end up at Shell Knob, the Locals call Wood Duck Point, I was working a fin thru a small cedar, and "Wack" I stuck a fish. The fish did not boil the bait, but it just kind of went down. The fish immediatly started to spin, and there you have it a 1.5 pound channel cat out of a cedar top on a fin.

Same location, during the heat of the Summer, early one morning just at first light. More concerned with the good deep to shallow water location, which always holds fish, than the cedars, but they never hurt. Again thru a cedar top and this time a very nice blow-up and pretty good fight. 24 inch walleye. Thru back to the same tree and again a nice tag. 17 inch walleye.

Both on a broken back fin.

This Spring, fishing another Shell Knob point, the bluffend just past Pizza Hut on the oppsite bank. A nice cedar lives there just under the surface. a client was fishing a spook and caught an 8 pound Rainbow. It jumped at least 4 times and was just a blast. It's like Forrest Gump, You just never know.

Guiding here full time since the early 90's and fishing the lake since the early 70's, my best and my clients best fish have come from cedars. 4 LM all at 9 pounds. 1 on a buzz-bait, 1 on a spook, 1 on a fin and one on a stickbait.

As far as the crappie, yes I have caught some very nice ones from the cedars. Never on top, but have captured a few on a blade, and better yet on the suspending rogue.

Give the cedars a whirl. I mean a good chance, don't fish them for an hour of two and say, Heck, they arn't there. Fish them 1/2 a day and see what happens. If I catch 1 out of 25 I feel pretty good. I figure I goof up at least 1/2 of the ones I try and fish, by poor casting. I am kind of like the fly fisherman, looking for the perfect presentation and the correct drift.

When it all comes together you have a shot at your Table Rock fish of a lifetime.

[Spinnaker]

Thanks for this post. I plan to come down in Nov. and I will try the trees for sure.

[BlueWave]

Great Post. Do you think this pattern will work on Beaver? When you talk "stick baits" are these devils horse type baits?? Thanks for all the info!!