New to creek fishing

[JWall14]

So I am primarily a largemouth guy but have always wanted to try for smallies. I have a creek (Salt Creek) close to my home that reportedly has a decent smallie population. It is usually about 30’ wise and no more than 5-6’ deep. It is Surrounded by woods so it had quite a few lay downs. I am in the Chicago burbs so this place can receive pressure in one spot- the dam. It isn’t a very big dam but received pressure because someone caught a few pike a few years back under the dam (although most people throw night crawlers on a bobber). Last week my brothers friend caught two largies (1lb, 2lb) above the dam in some slack water on a 6’ crank. Another one caught a smallie (8”) on a small jig below. I would really like to give this place a shot.

 

Should I wade? How to I know what to pass up and what to fish? Anyone have any recommendations for lures as the water temps have started to drop a bit? Should I fish around the dam or go a mile below? I’m thinking crank and TRD. Also if anyone has any tips that would be great. The primary forage is crawdads, gills, and creek chub. Thanks!

[Log Catcher]

I also fish an area like this although there are areas 10 feet deep. I am fishing from a boat and struggle to catch fish there. It has largemouth and smallmouth both in it. My best luck has been on a bluegill color DT4, finesse worms on a shaky head or Texas rig, and a Zoom grub in rootbeer pepper green.

[JWall14]

Thanks!

 

Just some information- I am only able to wade or fish from the shore.

 

Thanks!

[roadwarrior]

Lure suggestions:

Rage Tail Menace & Baby Craw, Sworming Hornet/ LFT Live Magic Shad and BPS Tender Tube #71

 

[Krux5506]

Sounds like a spot I would wade and fly fish using streamers, particularly wooly buggers. If fly fishing isn't an option then try Ned rigs or even just a nice marabou jig bounced around. I tie steelhead jigs and creek and canal smallies love them. 

[JWall14]

I love fly fishing so I’ll try but it might be too wooded.

[The Bassman]

I tried fly fishing in creeks in central IN but couldn't buy a strike  in the tree branches.

[Scott F]

Salt Creek probably has the lowest density of smallmouth of any river in the Northern half of Illinois. If you really want to catch some river smallies, drive a few more miles west and hit the DuPage or Fox Rivers.

[JWall14]

@Scott F do you know of any good access points that are wadeable or have bank access? 

 

Thanks!

[Scott F]

I know lots of them but I don't want to give them out on an open forum. PM me and I'll tell you anything you want to know.

[Turkey sandwich]

Keep it simple.  Bringing out the fly rod would be my first choice (because it presents well, but also because it's way more fun hooking into a smallie on the fly), but Ned rigs, grubs, and tubes will also be consistent producers.  Just like with trout, smallmouth are going to relate to the bottom, current seems, changes in bottom composition, etc.  Hopefully you get more clearance.  Hooking a good smallie on a deer hair popper or big streamer is a blast!

[Further North]

If your fly fishing budget can stand it, consider the Rio Single Handed Spey line for smallie fishing on heavily wooded water.

 

You can easily roll cast your way through most of the day without ever having to get the line behind you...and when you do get the chance to overhead cast the lines do a great job there too...as long as you keep your line speed up.

[Further North]

2 hours ago, Further North said:

If your fly fishing budget can stand it, consider the Rio Single Handed Spey line for smallie fishing on heavily wooded water.

 

You can easily roll cast your way through most of the day without ever having to get the line behind you...and when you do get the chance to overhead cast the lines do a great job there too...as long as you keep your line speed up.

Just to be clear...the Single Handed Spey lines are not for Spey or switch rods.  They are for "regular" single handed rods...they just give us the ability to do some of the things folks do with Spey and switch rods...like get a good amount of line out on a cast when we're backed up to brush, or a tall bank.

 

Lots of good videos out there about the lines, and Rio is not the only maker offering them.

 

Here's one video from Rio:

 

[Further North]

...and while I'm at it...

 

Flies work great for largemouth:

 

...and smallmouth:

 

Those fish were caught about 5 minutes apart inthe same bay...

[Turkey sandwich]

5 hours ago, Further North said:

Just to be clear...the Single Handed Spey lines are not for Spey or switch rods.  They are for "regular" single handed rods...they just give us the ability to do some of the things folks do with Spey and switch rods...like get a good amount of line out on a cast when we're backed up to brush, or a tall bank.

 

Lots of good videos out there about the lines, and Rio is not the only maker offering them.

 

Here's one video from Rio:

 

This is how I spend money...

[JWall14]

Any fly recommendations- I’m thinking bugger and clouser.

I just caught about 7 largies this weekend without a sign of smallmouth which I’m ok with. They’re good practice and have a good population.

Nice fish by the way!

[Further North]

18 hours ago, Turkey sandwich said:

This is how I spend money...

Happy to help... ?

14 hours ago, JWall14 said:

Any fly recommendations- I’m thinking bugger and clouser.

I just caught about 7 largies this weekend without a sign of smallmouth which I’m ok with. They’re good practice and have a good population.

Nice fish by the way!

Woolley Buggers and Clousers are a great place to start...watch out for the weight of the Clousers though...they'll need more line speed to cast well (and stop you from wearing them).

 

Tons of other choices out there, depending on how you want to fish.  The pics above show a baitfish pattern and a deer hair diver...I also like Decievers...

 

Here's a couple of hollow tie baitfish patterns I use:

 They are on a 5/0 EWG hook and run virtually weedless.  That they take about 10 minutes to tie but still have a big profile are a bonus.

 

Look up the "Ol' Mr. Wiggley" fly for subtle topwater, and poppers for less than subtle topwater.

[Turkey sandwich]

Like anything, conditions dictate.  Woolly buggers (especially Tequealy versions), clousers, and deceivers are always good options and they have a million variations that cover a lot of conditions.  Zoo Cougars and Drunk and Disorderlies are killer jerkbait substitutes on the fly rod.  I've also had a lot of success with deerhair poppers, Sex Dungeons, sculpin patterns, and lots of unweighted baitfish patterns (fished on sinking lines and sink tips). 

[Further North]

12 hours ago, Turkey sandwich said:

Like anything, conditions dictate.  Woolly buggers (especially Tequealy versions), clousers, and deceivers are always good options and they have a million variations that cover a lot of conditions.  Zoo Cougars and Drunk and Disorderlies are killer jerkbait substitutes on the fly rod.  I've also had a lot of success with deerhair poppers, Sex Dungeons, sculpin patterns, and lots of unweighted baitfish patterns (fished on sinking lines and sink tips). 

Great advice.

 

Re conditions dictate: think about weighted flies, sinking line and sinking (fluorocarbon) leaders relative to the water you'll be fishing.

 

One of my most painful (and expensive) early experiences was fishing weighted flies on a sinking line in water way too shallow for either.

[Turkey sandwich]

@Further North yep. Especially in 3' or less.  A sink tip and unweighted baitfish pattern can be killer. Also, really consider leader lengths with sinking lines.  Short 2-6' leaders save you TONS of tackle and keep the flies in the strike zone well. 

[Further North]

9 minutes ago, Turkey sandwich said:

@Further North yep. Especially in 3' or less.  A sink tip and unweighted baitfish pattern can be killer. Also, really consider leader lengths with sinking lines.  Short 2-6' leaders save you TONS of tackle and keep the flies in the strike zone well. 

I didn't think to mention leader length - you are spot on.  With all the toothy fish around here a lot of rods set up for subsurface are rigged with about 4' - 5' of heavy mono or fluoro and a foot or two of tieable wire.  Seems to be the best way to not donate flies to the Esox Fly Collector's Club.

 

You'd love ow I have my H3 leader rigged right now...3 ft. sections of co-poly stepped from 30# to 20# to 10#, with a two foot hunk of 7# co-poly tippet to the fly.  It'll flutter an Ol' Mr. Wiggly down like a leaf on a pond.

[Turkey sandwich]

7# copoly is brave in the land of hammer handles.  I have tons of different streamer leaders for different things at this point, but for my 8wt, I'll generally step down from 40lb Big Game in the butt down to 10-12lb Copoly, 1 or 0X. 

[Further North]

15 hours ago, Turkey sandwich said:

7# copoly is brave in the land of hammer handles. 

It's OK for poppers and topwater like the Ol' Mr. Wiggly...even little pike don't often go after them below certain sizes.

 

15 hours ago, Turkey sandwich said:

I have tons of different streamer leaders for different things at this point, but for my 8wt, I'll generally step down from 40lb Big Game in the butt down to 10-12lb Copoly, 1 or 0X. 

We think very much alike.

 

I wanted to try the leader above to get a softer presentation...something less than a "splat"...and got it dialed in after few tries.

 

I have not been a long leader guy in the past...I definitely have some things to learn about them.

[Todd2]

Been pitching jigs in wood on rivers and creeks all summer. Without a doubt, I catch more fish doing this than pitching to the same stuff on the main lake. If there is visible current, it's even better it seems.

[Further North]

 

13 minutes ago, Todd2 said:

Been pitching jigs in wood on rivers and creeks all summer. Without a doubt, I catch more fish doing this than pitching to the same stuff on the main lake. If there is visible current, it's even better it seems.

There was just a piece...either on Midcurrent or on Gink and Gasoline...about this.  I'll post a link if I remember.

 

But yeah, you're spot on.