****** Creek

[Doc Marshall]

Hi Guys,

Looking at a map I decided to check out ****** Creek. I found a few places to access the bank at ******. Tossed a bunch of rooster tails, my go-to river lure, and didn't get a single hit.

I'd heard that the water was pretty polluted, but it was clear and there was a good current. As clear as the water was, I didn't see anything swimming in there - not even a single bluegill hovering near the shore. I hear it used to hold some smallmouth....are there any fish in there?

I might give it a try with nightcrawlers just to get the confidence up.

Anyway, it was scenic (the trash notwithstanding) and relatively close to home, so I thought it would be a decent place to cast on a warm day. Does anyone have any info?

[white95v6]

I used to fish it between *******. I caught both largemouth and smallmouth. And lots of bluegill.

[creeksmallie]

There are no fish in creeks in Middle TN. They were once a treasured fishery that could be easily fished out. Now there are no fish in creeks because people started naming the creeks on the internet and they became fished out. Pollution is an excuse please thank that all creeks and small rivers are polluted. If a longtime member of this site wants to know about a small body of water/creek just pm me. Sorry to be a smart!@!#%#$@. But I have seen some great waters fished out because of the bucket brigades. I still have many creeks that produce 20 inch smallmouth on a regular basis but I do not share the name on a public forum.
Mike

[Tennoutdrsman]

Doc,
Ok,The area ******* is good and fishing is pretty good all the way to Harding place..Flukes are a fav of the bass,they LOVE them.Bluegill fishing is great too.Good luck!

[bd-]

I really don't believe in "naming names" on small creeks - maybe the people posting here believe in catch and release, but there are plenty of "meat hunters" out there who view but don't post, and they can take more fish out of a small creek than it can sustain.

But I'll let this thread stand since ****** is an urban stream and gets a lot of traffic anyway. I'll say two things:

1. Since the Greenway was built, ****** isn't the creek it used to be. It has been impacted significantly by the "meat hunters" referenced above, taking bass out on stringers.

2. I wouldn't bother with ****** or any other small creek in the winter between November and March. Some of the fish migrate out into deeper waters, and others take cover and almost go into a state of hibernation, but either way, my experience has been that fishing in small creeks stinks in the winter. If you can find a very deep "wintering hole" you may catch some fish, but generally speaking, the payoff isn't worth the effort.

[tkwalker]

Originally Posted by bd-

I really don't believe in "naming names" on small creeks - maybe the people posting here believe in catch and release, but there are plenty of "meat hunters" out there who view but don't post, and they can take more fish out of a small creek than it can sustain.

But I'll let this thread stand since ****** is an urban stream and gets a lot of traffic anyway. I'll say two things:

1. Since the Greenway was built, ****** isn't the creek it used to be. It has been impacted significantly by the "meat hunters" referenced above, taking bass out on stringers.

2. I wouldn't bother with ****** or any other small creek in the winter between November and March. Some of the fish migrate out into deeper waters, and others take cover and almost go into a state of hibernation, but either way, my experience has been that fishing in small creeks stinks in the winter. If you can find a very deep "wintering hole" you may catch some fish, but generally speaking, the payoff isn't worth the effort.

Folks, bd and Mike Dial (CreekSmallie, prof. Guide) know what they are talking about ... Your sweet fishing hole may be in Jeopardy ... There are fisherman, legal lic. , and illegal no lic,(state or Federal) that could care less about limits, or trashing our environment ... In this day in time "It is all about Me !!" <'TK><

[jad2t]

As much as I love talking to and getting to meet and fish with the awesome people on this forum, I really wish you guys would give it a rest already with the "meat hunter", "bucket brigade", etc. references. It's a bit obnoxious.

[tkwalker]

Originally Posted by jad2t

As much as I love talking to and getting to meet and fish with the awesome people on this forum, I really wish you guys would give it a rest already with the "meat hunter", "bucket brigade", etc. references. It's a bit obnoxious.

So, You don't believe they are out there. Since you are a 30 year old fisherman who has a Middle Tennessee knowledge of our fisheries ... tell me your experinences why they are not out there and that We are obnoxious !! <'TK><

[jad2t]

It's the double standard that's annoying. Either you are ok with people eating fish or you're not. Picking and choosing what bodies of water and what species of fish are acceptable is not a logical argument. BD commented about people taking a stringer of bass. Well the limit is 5 isn't it? Taking a stringer of 5 bass is within the legal limit so it's not an issue. Pollution probably has a lot more to do with the fish population struggling in local streams than does harvesting fish. Nature has it's way of replenishing the source unless you have hundreds of people a week pulling a limit out of a small stream which I'm pretty sure isn't happening. The trash being dumped into the rivers, being left behind by sloppy fishermen I think is a lot more destructive to the fishery than the occasional limit being pulled out of the stream.

[tkwalker]

Originally Posted by jad2t

It's the double standard that's annoying. Either you are ok with people eating fish or you're not. Picking and choosing what bodies of water and what species of fish are acceptable is not a logical argument. BD commented about people taking a stringer of bass. Well the limit is 5 isn't it? Taking a stringer of 5 bass is within the legal limit so it's not an issue. Pollution probably has a lot more to do with the fish population struggling in local streams than does harvesting fish. Nature has it's way of replenishing the source unless you have hundreds of people a week pulling a limit out of a small stream which I'm pretty sure isn't happening. The trash being dumped into the rivers, being left behind by sloppy fishermen I think is a lot more destructive to the fishery than the occasional limit being pulled out of the stream.

Jimmy, you have been a great member since 2009 with 384 post ... Good point taken ! ... I don't think the issue here is a double standard ... the true Tennessee fishermen here will do what is legal, and will keep the legal limit ... No problem there ... I know you have followed my philosophy on catch and release if it is legal so be it ... It is the Illegals that bothers me ...

Here is the rub ... All of the above bd, and Mike over the last two decades plus myself ... Have witnessed (since I am not a politically correct person, I will get to the point) have witnessed Asians catching a limit and taking them to their car, and returning many times to do the same... In fact turned them in and they were found guilty and had to pay $100 ea. for every over the limit fish !! ... As well as Latinos, on all of the creeks and streams that has been mentioned above as well as the Caney Fork, Stones river etc... And trash city when they leave ... If you want your Honey hole rapped .. go ahead and advertise it !! <'TK><

Jimmy's Quote "Pollution probably has a lot more to do with the fish population struggling in local streams than does harvesting fish. Nature has it's way of replenishing the source unless you have hundreds of people a week pulling a limit out of a small stream which I'm pretty sure isn't happening. The trash being dumped into the rivers, being left behind by sloppy fishermen I think is a lot more destructive to the fishery than the occasional limit being pulled out of the stream." Jimmy.... You have got your head in the sand !! ... <'TK><

[MNfisher]

I strongly believe those small streams can easily be fished out by legally taking limits with consistency. I keep fish, my wife and I love eating fish, but there are some waters I fish that I will NEVER keep fish. If I want a meal, I don't fish those areas. They are just too fragile.

[nomad60]

I think I've mentioned this before, but I too have seen what careless fishing can rapidly do to a body of water. I started fishing this lake in Korea back in 2003 or so

https://maps.google.com/?ll=37.12063...90895&t=h&z=14

It's not a huge lake, nothing like the ones here, but it was pretty good size. This was before bass fishing became popular over in Korea. I could go to that lake and catch anywhere from 10-20 bass in the 1-3 pound range per day, almost every day I went and this was all from shore. I could also walk the shore with an ultralight and a 1/16 oz rooster tail, and catch 25-50 slab-size bluegill. This was all catch and release.
Then, bass fishing became popular over there, and within 3 years, I was lucky to catch a 1-pound bass or 2. Every now and then, I'd luck out and catch a nice one but more or less, the lake got fished out because along with finding out about the sport of bass fishing, people also found out that bass taste good (and bluegill too). And with no creel limits or conservation laws, folks kept everything they caught.
Now having said that, I have nothing against those who choose to fish and keep their legal limits. If I ever figure out the danged crappie, I'll be doing the same whenever I can. But the ones who think it's their right to keep every single fish they catch, regardless of size, laws or regs, they sicken me.

[Travis C.]

This is one of those chicken and the egg topics that go around year after year.

I agree with bd/Mike on naming names for the smalls streams but that is my view point due to seeing it happen on one of my favorite streams.

I agree with Jimmy on legal is legal no matter how you chalk it up. But, for every stream that is being out fished there are other bodies of water that with some leg work are in need of fish to be taken out because of population control.

There is common ground in there somewhere it's just up to the individual to find it. Next time you fish that little body of water think about the impact pros/cons or try to get a map out and see if you can find a new one. A bunch of farm ponds are full of fish that never get attention. All it may take is the courtesy of just asking or offering a hand to do something for them in return.

[jaycee]

Legal vs illegal

Fifteen or so years ago the stripe/white bass were so thick in the Stones Rivers, East and West Forks, they could be caught on a shiney hook in the spring.

Then came the illegals. Below Walterhill Dam and Nices Mill Dam in the spring. I have seen cast nets, trap nets and seine nets that reach almost across the river as well as fishing and no culls.

Stripe population is way way down.

Don't believe me? Follow some of the guys that park on Florence Road into the woods down the path that leads to West Fork narrows. Near Nices Mill Dam on road behind Nissan.

Good thing is they also keep yellow bass.

Oh, and by the way, I am firm belielver of keeping fish to eat. And I not only keep fish but help feed others at the Walterhill Country Club. Crappie, Bream and Catfish caught in the large rivers and lake, not from the small creeks.

[jad2t]

You guys are getting off topic. Of course we all hate the Asians and Mexicans that keep small/too many fish they caught using nets. Hey TK, how's that for political correctness haha.

Certain people on this forum, who will remain nameless, absolutely hate the thought of someone keeping a trout or a bass from any body of water. Don't believe me? Look up the thread where a member posted a video of a guy fishing below a huge dam (I don't remember where it was) and caught a 4lb smallie and put it in the cooler. People wanted to burn him alive for doing such a thing. That was no middle TN stream was it? I'm so sick of those kind of people whining about fishermen who want to keep their legal limit. Guys like me, who hold a valid license every year and absolutely never break the rules. If I want to keep a big smallie, I'm doing to do it. I don't care if I catch it in Center Hill Lake, or some tiny stream in Smyrna, it's mine.

TK - You claim my head is in the sand about fish population being more heavily affected by pollution. Is it? Check out the scientific articles about birth control hormones in our water causing fish to undergo sex changes from male to female. How can a stream full of female fish repopulate?