I can’t seem to find creek chubs in any of my little creeks, do they die every winter?

[Ohioguy25]

I am not talking rivers, I’m talking tiny shallow little rocky streams you can walk across without getting more than the bottom of your shoes wet. I find deep holes in those where minnows congregate and drop minnow traps.
 

If they die do I have to wait for them to be reborn every spring and then to grow? If so wouldn’t it be like the middle of the summer before I have any decent sized ones? 
 

That’s strange because I distinctly remember pulling some big chunkers out of my minnow traps last summer, I can’t imagine those were only 3-4 months old.

 

If not, where could they have gone? Do they hide, or just have yet to make their way downstream when it rains heavily all spring?

[The Bassman]

The chubs are just fine. They're just not where you are at the moment.

[Ohioguy25]

50 minutes ago, The Bassman said:

The chubs are just fine. They're just not where you are at the moment.

[Spankey]

They will be back. 

[TnRiver46]

Chubs cannot die and be reborn.....,,

 

when the water is cold most fish will sit still and not move much or eat

[Ohioguy25]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Chubs cannot die and be reborn.....,,

 

when the water is cold most fish will sit still and not move much or eat

Yeah I didn’t mean come back to life I thought maybe they only survived the season then died and new ones were born.

[TnRiver46]

43 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Yeah I didn’t mean come back to life I thought maybe they only survived the season then died and new ones were born.

I was just busting your chops. Creek minnows that respawn would be wonderful, unlimited bait for every body!!

[Ohioguy25]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I was just busting your chops. Creek minnows that respawn would be wonderful, unlimited bait for every body!!

Haha gonna start petitioning Elon Musk to fund a minnow cloning project. 

[Luke Barnes]

That's one fish I'm clueless about is creek chubs. I know they are good bait but I don't know if they are in oklahoma or not. Let alone which creeks they are in. All ive ever seen/caught in small creeks were sunfish and saw minnows.