Creeks??
 

I am dying to catch some smallies. Can anyone recommend a creek in middle tn that i can hit? i will be bank fishing. i live in Dickson Co. I am fairly new to the sport. well, i have always fished, but more recently i have been taking more interest than ever. Any help would be appreciated. thanks.

Get a gazetteer. Look for creeks that flow into good smallmouth water. It takes a little work but it is well worth the effort.

thx. where can i find that?

You'll even find them in very small creeks, ankle deep in most places with a deeper hole here and there. You'll catch numbers, not size. I do it and have caught 50 fish in an hour that way. Mostly smaller panfish with the 8" smallie and redeye thrown in the mix. Use 2lb test and you'll have a blast.

yeah, i just need to know where to find them. how will i know if im not just wasting my time wetting a line in some creek or hole when they arent even there?

Trial and error....you won't know if you don't try!

They are in most of the small creeks as others have mentioned

Books A Million, Barnes and Noble for a invaluable Gazetter and my go to for all fishing spots is the Middle Tenn Fishing Map guide see www. scmaps.com

I have waded many of the creeks first located in the Tennessee Atlas and Gazetteer. I keep the map and my rods in the truck and when Im out anywhere I'll stop and check out the creeks. Some I fish some I don't. I passed my favorites to and from work 3 or 4 different streams, all good.

I doubt anyone would commit to a creek and guarantee you'll catch but if the creek looks good it probably is. Its up to you to figure out how good.

Keep in mind there is a lot of disagreement as to the trespass laws and many people do not want strangers on there property and if your wading your probably trespassing. If you don't make a pest of yourself most seem tolerant. Some will have you arrested. I have had great luck and if in doubt I dont unless I ask first.

I'll give you a place to start with an understanding..its a catch and release stream. Take a fish out and your no longer in harmony with the stream and you wont be welcomed back, there are holes so deep if you fall in you'll sink to the bottom lost forever. Its how the stream protects itself from anyone out for a cheap thrill.

Under the bridge in Wartrace, under the power lines. Leave no trash or signs that you were there return the fish to the water.

Dont think for a minute you dont need a felt sole on your shoes. Overlook that one thing and your going to take a bath. I can guarantee that much ...twice

i dont keep fish. i do it just for the sport of it. i just want to have fun catching them.
ANd Wartrace is a little bit too far for me right now. but i def appreciate the tip.

The Duck river under the bridge in Shelbyville is good for LM and parking and a nice picnic area. Good luck and try Walter Hill Dam below you can wade a long ways and make long casts.

I prefer the smaller creeks though any of them.

Not to turn this into a catch and release vs catch and eat debate but that was a bit dramatic. It's just a stream. It doesn't purposely gobble up fishermen who dare to take a fish home.

Lol, I thought the comment was pretty funny :D

What I found really fun was catching fish in a creek that you'd normally not look at twice. I probably exaggerated a little about the creek gobbling you up.

(Redeye are delicious, but I know where the deep holes are and I don't get too close. If its a Smallie I just play it safe LOL).

yeah i have lived in TN for 6 months now and i still have never caught a smallmouth.

There seem to be plenty of creeks around the Nashville area, but very little or no public access.

Look for Seven Mile Creek that runs through Brentwood. It's very tiny, ankle to knee deep and loaded with fish. Nothing large. Biggest Smallie I've found is about 8". Go with ultralight and trout magnets and you'll get a fish almost every cast. I've been there and caught 50+ fish in just over an hour of fishing. Mostly smaller panfish but you'll find smallies and redeye bass in rocks and under those sheets of rock. They'll come out and grab it and head back in, it's pretty cool.

Easy access at Wentworth Caldwell Park and another park just south of it on Edmonson Pike, I forget the name of it.

Thanks for the info. Thats actually about 5 minutes from my work. I will check it out soon.