# Creek Chubs and such



## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

With my recent acquisition of a 1wt fly rod, I've started thinking about fishing VERY small creeks - I'm talking long winding creeks - maybe 2 or 3 feet wide that usually meander over to larger rivers, like the Scioto or the Walnut or whatever. I know when I was a kid I could fish these streams here in Central Ohio and catch big creek chubs and yellow bellies and the occasional smallmouth, and I fondly remember the satisfaction I had from doing this. I will try to reproduce this fun on the fly.
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Does this sound insane? Of course I won't give up fishing larger rivers and streams, but when I only have 45 minutes or an hour to slip away, this might be a way to find refuge into nature.


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## toobnoob (Jun 1, 2010)

Not insane at all, I enjoy fishing very small secluded streams when I can get the chance. On a 1 wt rod a good size creek chub will put a bend in it. Also you never what you might catch either, I've found some nice little pool on some of these creeks that I've caught 4 or 5 different species out of.


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## ARReflections (Jan 7, 2011)

I do the same with my 3wt. Just be careful. Many of a time have I lost track of time due to "the next bend" and I forgot I had to walk back.

Toonoob, I like your icon pic better than mine. Yours has a fish  .


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## toobnoob (Jun 1, 2010)

ARReflections said:


> I do the same with my 3wt. Just be careful. Many of a time have I lost track of time due to "the next bend" and I forgot I had to walk back.
> 
> Toonoob, I like your icon pic better than mine. Yours has a fish  .


Lol, ya got that one between christmas an new years, not the biggest fish (27 in) but man did he have some nice colors.

I'll second the "next bend" thing. I've gotten a few calls from the wife.... "where are you at?" "uhhh..... like 2 miles from the car......." It happens


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## jkurtz7 (Jan 17, 2008)

Fishing small streams is my specialty, along with the whole UL thing. Chubs can get up to about a foot long in the proper habitat, when they get big they are fun. Large Stripped Shiners are fun too. I caught a large Log Perch in my creek last year, that's one you don't catch on any kind of regular basis. That's the first one I've ever caught.

I prefer fishing for panfish in the streams though. You never know what a stream has in it till you fish it. Some may only have minnows, other may have bluegill, greensunfish, pumpkinseeds, warmouth, rockbass, longears, etc.

Your Orvis will be a great rod for small waters/fish, but in some cases it can be too long for the real tight areas.


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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

I love catching chubs and shiners. Some people think of them as a nuisance because they're targeting something else, but its better than getting skunked! 

One of my goals this year is to explore a bunch of little creeks within a half an hour from my house. I found this EPA thing that had electrofishing results, and I was amazed by the variety of fish in these small streams I drive over once in a while, just never got to fishing them yet. Most of the species found were minnows of some sort, but there were also panfish, bullheads, bass in some, and even redfin pickerel in just about all the creeks surveyed. 

I checked out 3 of the creeks this afternoon. The first one wasn't really a jump across stream, but still small. Made a few casts here and there without a nibble. I stopped by two more but didn't fish, but they looked really good. This summer I definitely want to explore all of them with my 3wt.

The only problem I found with all these small streams, not just the ones I looked at today, but other ones I happen to drive over, is there's no good access. Its either in someones backyard or there's no place to park on the side of the road because of a ditch or guardrail or something. I have a lot of exploring to do!


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## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

ARReflections said:


> I do the same with my 3wt. Just be careful. Many of a time have I lost track of time due to "the next bend" and I forgot I had to walk back.
> 
> .


LOL... yeah, that "next bend syndrome" hits every angler eventually, doesn't it? And then you realize that you've walked from Loudonville to Denver.

"Pick me up at the airport honey... I'll be at Hopkins on the 9:45 arriving from Missoula."

FWIW, I love smaller streams. They can be a tough nut to crack when it comes to casting or drifting your flies, but some of the nicest brookies I ever caught were in PA on streams that were not much wider than the average single lane driveway.


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## zachxbass (Jun 23, 2011)

It's been a while but i used to fish in a little creek that runs through Cloud Park in Huber Heights. My buddy and I used to go to this big deep hole that we found and catch all kinds big creek chubs, blue gill, even the occasional bullhead cat. That was years ago but i think it'd be a fun time still... You won't have to worry about other anglers taking your spot. Also, the fish should be easier to catch since they're not used to people fishing for them.


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## LilSiman/Medina (Nov 30, 2010)

Little creeks are the best. I'm doing the same thing and targeting smallies behind my house. Apple is a good place to go in the summer even if your not looking for trout. Last summer me and a buddy caught smallies, a large mouth, a 13'' pickerel, green sunfish, creekchubs, bluegill, and we saw all kinds of fish like suckers, koi carp, a monster smallmouth probably close to 5 pounds (unbelievable), a rainbow trout, bullheads, more pickerel, and a grass carp(i think). Pretty amazing day on the water.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

I crossed over a nice stream that I would love to fish...it's in Canal Winchester, and Gender Road crosses it....I believe it is right on the inskirts of Canal Winchester, and it runs along what appears to be either a walking path or golf course - I cannot tell. Anybody know of this stream, or if it is fishable?


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Sounds like blacklick...lots of fish...er....shhh

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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

Mushijobah said:


> Sounds like blacklick...lots of fish...er....shhh
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Thanks Mushijobah! It looks like it's a park there to my left on Gender - Chatterton Park. Do you know if the entire 12 miles of stream along that trails are fishable (meaning no private party permissions are necessary)??


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Much of it downstream of reynoldsberg is public...metro parks has a great trail system.

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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

I just google earth'ed it, and it looks like to the west side of Gender it is a golf course, and it winds along thru and around the edge of the said golf course. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't want me tromping thru that portion of the creek.  I'm considering checking out Three Creeks Park some time.


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## SweetFeet (Aug 7, 2006)

We have a 4' wide creek behind our house. My 3 yr old could stand there with me all day catching chubs on dries with my 2wt. Love it.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

*THIS* is the type of fishing I'm talking about.


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## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

Thanks for posting that Breech, that was an awesome little video!

There have been times where I've crossed and passed by those small creeks, some not much more than a trcikle...mainly because with a 8' 4 wt, I'm just not good enough at casting to be able to fish them correctly. I do know for sure that I'd be able to catch my limit in branches without much effort. LOL

Although after viewing that video, I've now got the itch for a 1 or 2wt, maybe a 5 or 6 footer, something that I could actually be able to cast.

It never ceases to amaze me the types and sizes of fish that are found in the little trickles like those shown in the video.

I've fished big water where I haven't caught fish as nice as those.


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## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

That video is awsome! I fish a bunch of creeks the same size as the one in the vid in PA, but the average fish is only like 5in, not 10-12! 

I tried fishin creeks that size(but with more trees and such, and more tangles) with a 7.5 footer, but I think thats too long imo. I usually use a 6ft 3wt.


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## ThunderHawk7 (May 3, 2004)

Very cool Video...Thanks for Posting


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

Thanks for the words gentlemen, but I really wish that were ME fishing that stream! I really love the action, the scenery, the quality of that video, and it would be awesome if I could get some fly fishing videos of myself up on the web like that.

And did you see his kikass Abel reel?


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## ThunderHawk7 (May 3, 2004)

sbreech said:


> Thanks for the words gentlemen, but I really wish that were ME fishing that stream! I really love the action, the scenery, the quality of that video, and it would be awesome if I could get some fly fishing videos of myself up on the web like that.
> 
> And did you see his kikass Abel reel?


I just bought the Go Pro Hero Camera and have one trip out with it...It takes really nice videos...I would love to capture me catching a steelhead this weekend but I imagine the first fish that will be caught on Camera will be a panfish...LOL.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

ThunderHawk7 said:


> I just bought the Go Pro Hero Camera and have one trip out with it...It takes really nice videos...I would love to capture me catching a steelhead this weekend but I imagine the first fish that will be caught on Camera will be a panfish...LOL.


Better take the 1wt then!


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## ThunderHawk7 (May 3, 2004)

The only rods I currently have are a 5wt, 2 8wts, and a 13 foot 8wt Switch/Spey Rod....I will eventually start building a "lighter" collection...but I do have too many hobbies already...and I have yet to get into tying...which is I am sure coming soon!!!


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

Tying is fun and relaxing, and I'm probably the WORST fly tyer ever - but I'll tell you what - what I make catches fish.  To be honest, I consider fly tying to be the bad weather portion of fly fishing. If it's nice enough to be outside, I'm outside.

2 8wts? Sounds like you need to trade one for a 2 or 3wt.  I have 2 5wts, and I'm selling the one in the market here... I'd like to use a little of the proceeds of that to go toward a 6wt...one of these days. I'm looking at a Sage to give a home to my FWx 5/6 reel.


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## ChromeBone (Oct 3, 2011)

I got into fly tying this past fall. I tie a few before I go to bed almost every week night lol. Man you can really tell from my first ones to my most recent. But hey, even in the worst conditions I have landed a fish on one of them. I have a creek next to my house, no trout but I have caught many monster carp and bass in that little thing.


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## ThunderHawk7 (May 3, 2004)

The sisters and I bought my Dad a 5wt combo for xmas and I am keeping the spare 8wt in case he really gets into it and wants to chase some "larger" species..including Steelhead...He may not be into the winter fishing as much as I am...but I would not be surprised if he joins me for some spring action...I will of course give the spare combo to him if that happens...


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

ThunderHawk7 said:


> The sisters and I bought my Dad a 5wt combo for xmas and I am keeping the spare 8wt in case he really gets into it and wants to chase some "larger" species..including Steelhead...He may not be into the winter fishing as much as I am...but I would not be surprised if he joins me for some spring action...I will of course give the spare combo to him if that happens...


You're a good man!


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## zachxbass (Jun 23, 2011)

That video was great. I liked the relaxing music that went with it.... makes me wish spring were here even more. 

I agree that tying is very relaxing. I haven't even started fly fishing yet (just got my first rod) but i've been tying for about a year or more. I usually tie 2 or 3 5 nights a week as long as my son goes to sleep at a decent time.


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## copperdon (Jun 3, 2011)

ChromeBone said:


> I got into fly tying this past fall. I tie a few before I go to bed almost every week night lol. Man you can really tell from my first ones to my most recent. But hey, even in the worst conditions I have landed a fish on one of them. I have a creek next to my house, no trout but I have caught many monster carp and bass in that little thing.


My very first fly was an elk hair caddis. It was the size of a small chicken and it came apart on the very first cast.


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## ChromeBone (Oct 3, 2011)

Girl friend left the house early today... SO I left to cast the fly 2hours away 
Caught 3 Huge chubs around 10+ and 1-3 Trout... The water was so cold.. I couldn't tell if there was a bite or nothing until a strip.. The one trout I did land, was very nice, thought it was a big sucker. 

She had a single egg stuck to her belly, with 10 inches of line attached.
\\


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I fish for whatever is biting! fun to hit small creeks. I do with my 3 wt all the time!


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