Creek fishing in the heat

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Over 100 degrees out today, and I had a rare opportunity.   Wife and children were swimming at a friend's house in St Charles, and I just got off work and went home.  I live south of St Louis, and they were an hour or so away.  I decided to take the opportunity to go to a local creek and try to learn some more casting techniques.  No way the fish were going to bite.  I had a spook on the line front he last time I fished.  Went down to the water and tried to "walk the dog" as it seems to be the rage.  I don't think that I really did it right, but a small sunfish didn't seem to mind.   I decided to take a walk down the creek.  Tried for a while, playing in the riffle, tossing around some boulders, nothing else.   Seen a couple flashes on the bottom.  Decided to try Ned. I did not pack my Ned equipment! Ahh, the horror.  How will I catch anything.   Decided to try further down the creek.  Found an area where a large black tailed fish was lurking.    Steep bank, and lots of vegetation separated me from the creek. I have read on this forum many times that stealth is not an option, but a requirement.   I did my best, but would have been laughed at by most humans.   The large fish was not startled, or aware.  Good job by me.  I casted my lure out past him not wanting to spook it with my spook.  So far so good.  Long story short, not interested.  At all.  Went baked up an easier path.  To bad I didn't see it first.  Continued down the stream.   I know of an area that has lots of rocks. I found another path that allowed access to the creek, so I went down.  Found some great area.  I fished the area that I thought would produce.   Nothing.   I went to a root wad. Thanks Smalliebigs.   The wad did not produce,  but the area around it gave me the BEST day I have had in years.  Nothing of size,  but I had a 14 fish day.  2 sunfish, handfuls of small spots, a couple greenies, one approximately 15 inches.  A gar about 18 inches, he got off on his own at the bank. A couple others that I am asking identification on.  I will update.  My phone died on me, so I don't have the big ones' pictures. I know, no pictures, it didn't hapen.  I also seen a deer go into the creek and it looked like a female dog relieving itself in the creek.  It was interested in me, but kept it's distance.   Finally it ran away snorting.  Watched me fish for a good 5 minutes.   I also caught a wounded fish.  Only seen pictures before.  

[Johnsfolly]

Daryk

Great way to beat the heat with a close fishing trip. Glad you found some that were interested in the spook. Whenever I would rush to get to a spot to be there at the right time or condition a friend of mine used to say that you catch the fish that are ready to bite when you are fishing. So don't worry about things you can't change. Catch the ones in front of you. Congrats.

[Mitch f]

Assuming the big black tailed fish was a carp!

[Pat Magee]

On 7/25/2016 at 7:05 AM, Mitch f said:

Assuming the big black tailed fish was a carp!

I fished a small creek on Sunday and I would get all boned up seeing them from a distance....then after countless "perfect" casts I would finally walk upstream to see I was casting to a carp. I guess I am better off throwing a few casts on the off chance that is actually a big bass but boy does it suck.

[MOsmallies]

Best way to tell the difference between a carp, drum, and bass in the water if you are not familiar with them is to look at the shape of their tail... A carp's tail will be forked, the tip of a drum's tail will be rounded, and a bass will look pretty much straight from top to bottom

[Pat Magee]

I know how to tell the difference when I am up closer but when you are trying to tell the difference from 30 plus feet away, you could be casting do a darn log for all you know!

[MOsmallies]

45 minutes ago, Pat Magee said:

I know how to tell the difference when I am up closer but when you are trying to tell the difference from 30 plus feet away, you could be casting do a darn log for all you know!

Oh I've done the same thing! That's how I caught my biggest buffalo ever... Thought I was sight fishing to a cruising bass and it ended up being a 20-25 lb buffalo that I snagged under the chin!

[Pat Magee]

My first fly fishing trip I was so scared that I was going to spook what I thought was a nice brown, that I made probably 20 drifts before I finally waded into the water to see it was a really nice brown...............................................................rock.

It is just so tough to tell if the water is stained or the wind is blowing that I would rather be safe then sorry.

[Flysmallie]

I waded downstream about a mile in a small creek west of Springfield with nothing to really show for it. I was headed back upstream to the car when I came across this pool of suckers. I had ignored them on the way down. It's jungle fishing in this creek so it was hard to really see anything. Threw a little crawdad fly pattern at the suckers just to see if I could get one to take it. Scooted it along the bottom a bit and it was attacked almost immediately. That sucker turned out to be a 17 inch smallmouth. In a hole about the size of a pickup bed. You never know what is about to happen. 

That was probably close to 15 years ago and I haven't been back to that spot. I doubt anyone has. 

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

I have had my bloopers, not sure what fish this was, but it's funny that you guys mentioned objects vs fish.  While tracking down the hill, I would lose the fish.  There were some logs and I had to see which one moved.  The fish tail resembled a bala shark's  (tropical aquarium fish)  color wise.  I will pay attention to the shape next time.   I was just excited to see one.  Lol