# Racoon Creek=Smallmouths



## FishJunky (May 20, 2004)

Went out to Raccon Creek yesterday and took my mountian bike and got on the bike trail that follows Racoon. Fished all the rapids I could and had great results. Fished alot of new water in Newark also. Ended up with 17smallies and 4rockbass. I was using a 2inch pearl w/white tail power bait grub on a jig head. The biggest was 14inchs and a few 12 to 13 incher thrown in. Had a blast!!! Also saw probley 15deer in the creek. Always see deer down there. Here are a few pics.

 
14incher

 
12incher

 
12incher


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

The last time I was at that creek a guy told me about the lunker he caught there during the spawn. He said he threw it back because she was full of eggs. He had a bait can that day, and I don't think he was planning on throwing anything back. Neither was his wife. 

Nice little creek--hope it stays that way.


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## acklac7 (May 31, 2004)

Back a few years ago when I was involved with the fisheries community I got a chance to shock a small reach of that purdy lil creek' I reasoned it held some nice fish if you patterned it well enough. BTW is R.Creek a Trib to the Licking R? 

Nice fish/post. Pattern that creek all the way through Nov. and Im bettin you will get a hog


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Yup. You might want to keep that one under your hat. 
Nice, tiny little stream.

Sounds like a great day, BTW. Very nice indeed.


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't there a gas spill (an 18 wheeler I believe wrecked but not all the gas spilled) into that creek about 3-4 years ago? Sounds like a nice little creek.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

JamesT said:


> correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't there a gas spill (an 18 wheeler I believe wrecked but not all the gas spilled) into that creek about 3-4 years ago? Sounds like a nice little creek.


Yes, I remember reading about that. However, I think it was only 2 years ago or so.


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## BingeAndPurge (Jul 20, 2010)

I fished it by Lake Hope, very briefly, and only once. A buddy and I hit it just to hit it one afternoon while camping there. The ranger stopped on the bridge and told us the creek had been dry for years. This right after we watched a 2 or 3 pounder follow my friend's lure.


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## SgtBone (Apr 22, 2010)

No, there are absolutely no worthwhile fish of any kind in Racoon Creek. Yes, it is a tributary of the South Branch of the Licking River. There aren't any fish in the Licking except catfish and carp.


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## Shaun69007 (Sep 2, 2009)

SgtBone said:


> No, there are absolutely no worthwhile fish of any kind in Racoon Creek. Yes, it is a tributary of the South Branch of the Licking River. There aren't any fish in the Licking except catfish and carp.


you are out of your freaking mind. I fish the Licking River and the North Fork quite often and ALWAYS walk away a bunch of nice rock bass and some real pigs of small mouth. You sir must not know how to catch them


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

either sarcasm sometimes doesn't translate well over the internet or the jokes on me


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## Klinger (Nov 15, 2006)

Evidently we have two Raccoon Creeks. The one that FishJunky is talking about that flows in to the Licking. The second in se Ohio flows from Lake Hope all the way to the Ohio. Anyone know of a third?


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## JamesT (Jul 22, 2005)

Raccoon Creek in Pa. It holds some steelhead.


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## BingeAndPurge (Jul 20, 2010)

Sandusky apparently has a raccoon creek reservoir


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Racoon Creek in S. Ohio is known as the "longest" creek.

Is it random Racoon Creek info day?


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

crittergitter said:


> Yes, I remember reading about that. However, I think it was only 2 years ago or so.


The egg mega-farm in Croton also had a few horrendous spills in there back in the 90s.


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## kmb411 (Feb 24, 2005)

But the Croton spill did not reach the creek enough to really hurt it. I use to wade it in Granville and along the bike path. We also use to bow fish the carp. But that was before the land owner got bad about tresspassing. 

Enjoy it and use that little creek well.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

I know not everyone does things the way I do and I'll probably get some slack for saying this, but here goes. Just as an educational thing:

On fish handling, if your intent is to catch and release, there are things that you can easily change to dramatically help the fish survive once you release them.
First, fish have a protective slime coating. That coating can easily get removed when you place fish on the ground, the bottom of a boat, etc...Most guys who are avid catch and release guys also make it a point to wet their hands when handling fish as to not remove this slime layer.
Once the slime layer gets removed, the fish can very easily aquire some kind of parasite or bacteria that could injure or kill it.

And on holding fish, it's usually best to do it in a strictly vertical position. That bottom picture is a way of holding fish that has a tendency to break or injure a fishes jaws. Unfortunately, it's the way many bass pros hold their fish.


I hope you don't think I'm busting nads. I'm not. Just trying to let you know in case you didn't know.

Good luck and tight lines.


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## jimbotheconflictor (Oct 12, 2009)

My understanding is this creek (in the Newark/Granville area) started to get healthy again after a chicken farm that was dumping shxt into it got cleaned up. There are some real nice holes along the bike path, but you have to walk to get to em. Lots of wildlife too. :-D


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## webwarrior (Feb 15, 2009)

Great pics FishJunky. Glad to hear Raccoon creek is still doing well. Haven't been there in years myself (and I live only about 3 miles from it). I used to fish a hole just north of 21st st in Newark (before the dam came down) and always took a few really nice smallies, rock bass, and carp. Always a good looking river that holds several great pools. Reckon one of these days I'll take my son there to do some catch -n release on the smallies & rockbass.


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