How do I find fish in a new creek?

[thedilettantedad]

My in-laws home has a creek at the back of the property line. My son and I have tried fishing it a few times with no luck and we were hoping maybe you all would have some pointers in searching to see if there are some catchable fish. The creek is like chocolate milk and has a pretty good current. Depth changes with the amount of rain in the area. We have pulled some crawfish out of it and have found some bluegill fry recently. The creek runs between two small lakes. 

 

So I have tried a few lures, worms, creature baits, etc with no success. I am thinking of throwing a small drop shot to see if there are any decent panfish in there. Not looking to break records, but given the location it would be fun to can anything out of there.

 

Thanks all.

[Scott F]

Is the creek always the color of chocolate milk? If a stream usually runs clear and gets dark after a rain, it usually shuts down the bite until the water clears.

[thedilettantedad]

It has been muddy every time I have gone back there.

[Catt]

Rat-L-Trap tight to cover  ?

[thedilettantedad]

24 minutes ago, Catt said:

Rat-L-Trap tight to cover  ?

Thanks. Ill try it.

[Catt]

41 minutes ago, thedilettantedad said:

Thanks. Ill try it.

 

1/8 oz Tiny Trap Chrome Back Back ?

[thedilettantedad]

2 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

1/8 oz Tiny Trap Chrome Back Back ?

I'll try it too.

[Alex from GA]

1/8 oz spinnerbait is what I use in really brown water.

[ohboyitsrobby]

Louisiana craw rebel wee craw. The 1/5 ounce one

[scaleface]

The creeks I have fished did not hold big bass . So I would just fish after  small fish like crappie and bluegill. If there are bass there , you should catch them also . So all the small lures listed above  are good along with crappie jigs .

[fishwizzard]

I fish a lot of tiny creeks and a good search bait for muddy water is a weedless inline spinner.  Take an 1/8oz inline and snip the treble off. Using a tiny split ring, add a #1 EWG hook or something like that.  Then take a litttle trout worm or other super thin plastic and rig it on the hook.  This gives you a loud and flashy presentation that you can fish close up to cover and the flooded bank without many snags.  The hook up ratio isnt great but it will let you know if there are fish in the creek and you can cover a lot of water with it. 

 

Now for “normal” conditions, my favorite “are there catchable fish in here?” lure is a GP or Black 3” stick bait, t-rigged on a 1/0 EWG hook.  You can throw it anywhere and stand a good chance of getting it back and you can dead-stick it or work it like a tiny jerkbait.  If I start getting hits I will switch it up but for reconnoitering a new creek I have found nothing better.  

[Mobasser]

19 hours ago, Catt said:

 

1/8 oz Tiny Trap Chrome Back Back ?

I agree! The Tiny Trap would make an excellent " search" lure.

[Catt]

On 11/24/2018 at 10:48 AM, thedilettantedad said:

The creek is like chocolate milk

 

Bass in off colored water are lateral line feeders!

 

Ya want lures that move a lot of water and/or have rattles.