Creek Fishing

[KickingFish]

I live in the midwest and was wondering if it would be worth fishing a creek by my house. The creek is about 8 feet wide and goes down to a max depth of 3-4 feet. What should I use and is the creek even worth fishing this time of year. Thanks!

[Gundog]

I think if you give more info on where you live, your current temps and what creek you are fishing some of the forum member will be able to help you with your question.

[KickingFish]

15 minutes ago, Gundog said:

I think if you give more info on where you live, your current temps and what creek you are fishing some of the forum member will be able to help you with your question.

Ok thanks I live in Southern Wisconsin and the creek does not have a name and the water temperature is around 50.

[Scott F]

About the only way to tell if an un-named creek, in an un-named location has any bass, is to fish it and see.

[ohboyitsrobby]

Why of course it is. It's a body of water that may or may not have fish. Why not fish it? Can't hurt. Me personally, I would pick up a rebel wee craw on a ul spinning setup and hammer down. Does it have wider spots?

[flyfisher]

i love fishing those types of creeks.  Some have been killer and hold bass, others hold mostly sunnies but all of them are fun to fish,  My best success has always been with the fly rod instead of conventional gear.  

[Derek1]

I would grab some ultra light gear and have at it. It might be a ton of fun no matter what kind of fish they are. 

[KickingFish]

11 minutes ago, ohboyitsrobby said:

Why of course it is. It's a body of water that may or may not have fish. Why not fish it? Can't hurt. Me personally, I would pick up a rebel wee craw on a ul spinning setup and hammer down. Does it have wider spots?

Yes the creek has slightly larger spots thank you for the suggestion

[J.Vincent]

If it's a drainage creek 3 to 4 feet deep without a connection to a deeper body of water, then that far north, you can almost guarantee winter fish kill. So bass populations would be small or non existent in that type of scenario.....now if it's a creek arm on a main reservoir or lake that meanders out until it gets super narrow and shallow, or if it's a connector creek between two bodies of water, then I would bet on a better population being present. All of this being said, I've seen bass in the most unlikely of places after high water seasons and they can end up trapped in roadside ditches or creeks without any way of getting back to deeper water.....so I think the key is to look at an aerial map through google maps; really try and decifer how the water gets into the creek first, and determine if bass have access to deeper water from the creek and then make a decision based on logic. 

[Tennessee Boy]

I’ll cast another vote for the Rebel Wee Craw.  By far my favorite creek fishing bait.  I’ve never completely understood why some creeks have bass and other do not in Tennesse.  I’ve caught good smallmouth in the puddles of creeks that were almost dry in the summer.  Other beautiful creeks that you would sware would have bass do not.

[Gundog]

My opinion would be to use inline spinners (the size used for trout) rebel wee craws and, if those 2 didn't work, the ned rig. Keep your gear light and use 6# line. 

[soflabasser]

Yes I would fish that creek with a Ned rig, crankbaits, swimbaits, spinnerbait, inline spinner, etc. Choose the correct size for the place you are fishing in.

[Steveo-1969]

I grew up in Wisconsin and had a small creek the size of yours running through my hometown. In the summer when I was a kid I fished that creek almost every day with just a hook, small splitshot and piece of nightcrawler. And caught all kinds of fish and crayfish. I never fished it this late in the fall but give it a try!

[Allaroundfishing]

When i was younger i used to fish small creeks all the time in Nw Pennsylvania. the best success i had was a berkley atomic tube (any tube will work). I would just cast towards bigger boulders in current and let them fall behind it. I caught everything from rock bass to small catfish and carp. If there is little current or your fishing a pool just cast and drag slowly across the bottom. I loved fishing like this and wish my area had a better selection for creeks but its a blast even if you dont catch anything just the scenery is beautiful.

[Koz]

Use a downsized bait and light tackle. More than likely there will be some sort of bluegill, perch, or trout in the stream.

 

We had something similar where I grew up in Connecticut. It would be shallow in some areas and deeper pools in others. One of the deeper pools was at the back of our property and as kids we used it as a swimming hole.

 

One day I went out there wearing a swim mask to go look around under the water.  While I'm under the water I turn around and there's a 6" fish just a few inches from my mask. I nearly pooped my pants, then went running out of the water.

 

I never did fish there, though. We had a few ponds nearby with tons of yellow perch and fished those instead.

[EGbassing]

14 hours ago, KickingFish said:

is the creek even worth fishing this time of year.

In my experience, definitely. The creeks near my house are all packed with sunfish and bass.

[EGbassing]

Forgot something, be careful with those bluegill. If you're not fully focusing on detecting a bite they just swallow the lure in a second.

[greentrout]

 

 

 

[the reel ess]

I would have already fished that creek. If there are any ponds upstream, it probably has every species they have plus chubs, suckers, etc. Whatever species are native.

[lo n slo]

6 hours ago, Steveo-1969 said:

I grew up in Wisconsin and had a small creek the size of yours running through my hometown. In the summer when I was a kid I fished that creek almost every day with just a hook, small splitshot and piece of nightcrawler. And caught all kinds of fish and crayfish. I never fished it this late in the fall but give it a try!

i remember those days as a kid. we would catch small grasshoppers and june bugs, whatever we could find. some of those fish were so little they would just steal our bait, but every now and then you’d snag one.

[greentrout]

5 hours ago, lo n slo said:

i remember those days as a kid. we would catch small grasshoppers and june bugs, whatever we could find. some of those fish were so little they would just steal our bait, but every now and then you’d snag one.

i'm still a kid...still go to creeks and forget all about sophisticated bass fishing...and enjoy His creation and catch fish...

 

good fishing... 

[KickingFish]

I went to the creek today and I was able to catch about five small bass on the Rebel Wee Craw and also caught a couple of small bluegills on a hook and splitshot with a piece of worm on it. Thank you for all of the advice, next time I go I think I will try an inline spinner.

[the reel ess]

8 hours ago, KickingFish said:

I went to the creek today and I was able to catch about five small bass on the Rebel Wee Craw and also caught a couple of small bluegills on a hook and splitshot with a piece of worm on it. Thank you for all of the advice, next time I go I think I will try an inline spinner.

That craw is an awesome creek bait. Also, try a crappie tube jig and/or small grub as well. Venture up and downstream and look for some deeper holes or slacker water and you might find some bigger bass.