# Smallies with fly rod



## guppie (Mar 12, 2018)

_Has anyone fished the creeks for small mouths the last few days of low water? I fished Raccoon creek near Alexandria, Ohio today and did not get a single strike._


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

It all depends on how you fishing it. Low skinny water is a lot harder to fish especially if you in the water wading. I don't have low water at the moment because we keep on getting all this rain. Put some camo clothing on and be stealthy and use smaller streamers and crawfish pattern flies. 3-5wt is the highest I go for a softer presentation and key on deeper pockets and steeper bank edges. Eliminate all false casting as every time you do you just spooking them.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

I'm not familiar with raccoon crk but I sure wouldn't give up on a crk because of one off day.
I've actually been on streams struggling and instantly the bite changes from terrible to fantastic.
Any chance you were fishing behind someone ? I've been in that situation also and it can make the bite really tough to non- existent, especially in small water or low clear conditions
One other thing I've seen is the complete absence of bait = absence of fish. Last season two or three of the streams I normally catch fish on had 0 crawfish, also almost zero bass, carp, catfish or even sunfish and it made for a couple frustrating trips.(luckily the scenery is great)
I'd give it another shot soon especially if it's a stream that has produced in the past.
Good luck and good fishing !


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## Yakphisher (Jul 9, 2013)

Keep on fishing that creek because its got some nice fish in it. Watch out for them dang snakes though. They are most likely in spawning mode right now. Got to hunt them in shallows.
Garhr I love playing clean up after some people not catching because they didn't fish it properly IMO. Do it every week and every time I get a big fish on I get them guys fishing around me but they never get em! Proper presentation is the key cause sometime a slight change flies and retrieve rates will fire them up.


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## Sonder (May 9, 2020)

This spring has been bizzarre to say the least. The bite has been off its record pace with all the high water and the unstable water temps from the Great Lakes on down the old dirty "Ohio River". Also with the bite being off the bait fish and other forage that the fisg eat have been acting strange also. I have been skunked everytime I have been out and its not from lack of trying...lol...


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

I've noticed bass on beds the last 2 weekends at a small lake I fish at. That is about 2 weeks later than when they were on beds last year. They were also a bit deeper in water. Not sure what all this means, but keep trying.
Rickerd


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## noahdoak (Nov 26, 2019)

Raccoon Creek has a lot of issues with acid drainage from those damn coal mines that has impacted fish populations. It’s gotten better in recent years, but certainly isn’t at the top of my list for smallies. The Hocking and the Licking are far better smallmouth streams i can name off the dome that in that general area. There’s far more in the area that are probably worth fishing, i can only speak on those two from experience. My PB was a 21” from the Licking that i caught on a black sex dungeon streamer a year or two back.


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