Trout

[Doc Marshall]

Hey Y'all,

I caught one 3-pound largemouth this morning at a local lake and fished until 1 pm. I called it a day but on my way home I got a bit lost and stumbled on a creek.

I checked it out and I could see dozens of large fish just sittin' there, side by side, facing the same way. I assumed they were trout.

I put on a small hook and some meal worms/wax worms but didn't get a bite. They completely ignored the bait. I did manage to score some bluegill but the sight of all those trout in there, ignoring my bait was too much to bear! I even tried some spoons.

Does anyone have any tips? Should I get some powerbait or fish eggs? I don't fly fish, but is it absolutely necessary to snag them with flies?

Any help would be appreciated.

[txnative]

How sure are you that they were trout ? From your description of their behavior, it sounds like you may have come across a large school of suckers.


Chris

[Travis C.]

Sounds like suckers too.

Next time catch a crayfish and use that.

[bd-]

Yup, sounds like suckers - or maybe more likely, buffalo. They like creeks and they have a tendency to suspend just under the surface in schools during the day to sun themselves. They are pretty much impossible to catch when they are sunning themselves. If you see them actively feeding on the bottom you can sometimes catch them on worms, crawfish, corn, or small jigs or flies.

bd

[creeksmallie]

Yep suckers or buffalo but sometimes if it is a deep hole 5 to 10 ft deep (in my home water). The smallie will be there and and ly on the bottom under the suspended fish. bd caught a pig in a spot that had good cover and shade lots of buffalo and drum it .This fish was closer to the root ball rather than in the deepest part of the hole. We also caught a few in the deeper sections where the buffalo roamed.

[Doc Marshall]

Thanks, everyone. I had to google "suckers." That makes sense.

Too bad, it was nice little creek. I may try deeper parts of it next to see if I can snag a bass.

[bd-]

Creeksmallie is right about the smallmouth - they often hang out in the same pools where the buffalo are.

Also, in bigger creeks it's not unusual to find a handful of nice channel cats hanging around with the buffalo.

bd