# Smallmouth Creek Fishing



## BCHooked (Jun 20, 2012)

Sorry if this has already been asked, but can someone tell me when SMB typically move into the creeks? My creek dumps into the GMR. I catch a lot of SMB and panfish from this creek. I waded it last night and only saw some carp and suckers. There were a few minnows and crawdads, but no panfish and no SMB. I am guessing the water is still too cold and the fish I am targeting are holding up in deep pools in the GMR and waiting for the water to warm to move into the creek to spawn. Does that sound logical? Is there a target water temperature they are looking for? Thanks for your help!


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## maynard (May 19, 2007)

Great Question. I personally haven't caught a smallie before April, but I haven't tried too hard. My 7 year old nephew caught a 14" beauty out of a small crick last Saturday near Columbus! I doubt water temp was more than 50. My wife wasn't as thrilled as I was to hear about this life changing event.


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## Tazmanme (Jul 5, 2017)

My thought is 50 and the bite usually changes, that not to say the water got up to 50 , but more like the water temperature dropped to 48 overnight and say went up to 56, then it seems like they come more out of a deep hole pattern, that’s not to say you can’t catch some, just when I think you start to see stronger movement and feeding patterns, I mostly only fish rivers now , so instead of driving myself crazy , I usually don’t hit it hard till May, but I in no way want to discourage someone, I try to fish for trout right now so I can catch good, my thought any way Good luck


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## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

This is a great time to catch SMB. I do really well in the deeper, slower holes. Find the right hole, and you can get into a bunch of them. I throw a lot of swim baits, grubs, and suspending jerk baits. They are starting to wake up but just started moving. A number of them still have leeches on them from sitting on bottom all winter.


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## STRONGPERSUADER (Nov 5, 2006)

Jointed cranks/swim baits slow in the deeper holes right now. Below some good current. They are waiting for the meal right now as to chasing. Once the water temp gets up a little they will be more aggressive. 50-60 deg water temps and the crawdads, leeches, and hellgramites, for those central/southern creeks, get really active, then it’s on big time. Try late afternoon on warm sunny days right now.


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

Drag hair jigs or tubes through deeper slower pools. Soak them on the slack side of current . You will get bit


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## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

I would think after this warmer week and the little bit of warmer rain Saturday, once it warms back up next week they will be on the move. You know its "on" when you start getting them in the current below riffles dumping into the holes. They are on the feed hard then.


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## STRONGPERSUADER (Nov 5, 2006)

28 and snow like a mofo right now. The next 2 weeks are looking really good tho.


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