Creek fishing for smallmouth?

[RKenney]

Isn't this a little bit like hunting and stalking? Several years
ago, I used to fish creeks with a buddy and he always wore camo.
I ask him, why do you do this, and he said.........we are not
just fishing, we are hunting also.

He said do you see how clear this creek is. I said yes, I can see
my feet and we are standing in nearly five foot of water.

He said........."I rest my case".

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

He is 100 percent right. I also wear a camo shirt while wading the creeks.

 

[Football Hunter]

gotta sneak around

 

[Winchester]

Its a ton of fun!!!!!!!!!

 

[bowriter]

Yep...it's a must :)

 

[trealtree]

I wear a ghillie suit with 500 sq in of blaze orange.




Seriously I try to wear natural colors.


Bowriter, just think how many fish you could have caught without that red hat on. ;)

 

[spitndrum]

I love it and I don't even wear a shirt!!! :D

 

[bowriter]

Just tell me this: What are you trying to blend in with? How do you mask the motion of casting? How do you know what a fish sees and how does it react?

Craziest dam thing I ever heard.

 

[RKenney]

Maybe the trees over hanging the bank or the vegatation on the
bank. I guess it might be "crazy", but you know what?.........
sometimes "crazy" things work. Whether you believe they do....
or not.

As far as the "motion of casting" goes, maybe one might be
drifting a black sucker minnow, a craw fish, or maybe even a big
hellgramite.

 

[4onaside]

I wear subdued colors, but I also try to cast as far away as I can in gin clear shallow water. I suppose if you do that, flame orange probably wouldn't matter.

 

[bowriter]

A few years ago, a company that specialized in bowfishing, went all out with a camo pattern for bowfishermen. They also went all broke trying to sell it. I talked with one of the owners and he told me...the problem was, it didn't work.

 

[Kimberman]

I wear subdued colors, but I also try to cast as far away as I can in gin clear shallow water. I suppose if you do that, flame orange probably wouldn't matter.

Thats the way I do it, and I always seem to catch fish. I think the main thing is approaching "fishy" waters with a little stealth, without wading hard, and making a good cast without splashing too much. Some people try to make things harder than they really are.

 

[RKenney]

Don't most bow fishermen hunt/fish from a boat on more open
water? I can understand why the bow fishing camo company went out
of business. What good does camo do, when your in a boat and not
too close to vegatation.

Most of the creeks I fish in are not that big. The water is clear
and there are trees, weeds, and all kinds of plant life all
around the bank. Even above the water, alot of the time, there is
a tree canopy.

 

[bowriter]

RKenney-I don't know if most hunt from a boat today, but not many years ago they didn't, they waded. In fact, at some of the competitions, boats were not allowed.

But you bring up a very interesting point. If camo is so important, how do they shoot so many fish from a boat? And how do so many of the "Big Money" tournament fishermen do so well sight fishing wearing those clown suits fishing from those flaming paint job boats. If you can see the fish, can't they see you?

My boat is red and silver, hardly blends in. But I would hate to see the smallmouth in one pile I have caught from some lakes in Canada that were as clear as vodka.

Until we are able to analyze exactly how a fish sees, camo for fishing just doesn't compute. It isn't colors that spook fish, it is movement and water disruption. Very much like deer hunting. You don't need camo to bowhunt deer. You just have be still.

Now---if you feel better wearing camo or for that matter a camo thong...go for it. Do whatever suits you.

 

[Headhunter]

I have caught many hundred smallmouth and redeye not wearing a shirt, some right under my feet, not sure how important camo is. I have also caught smallmouth in Canada shirtless from a boat in a foot of water, but I will say it is almost for sure those fish may not have seen many lures in their lives.

 

[RKenney]

bowriter,
Thanks for the good information. I didn't know that about bow
fishing. I never knew there was was wade competition in bow
fishing. I have mostly learned alot from your deer hunting
writings over the years (and seminars).

By the way, I quit wearing the camo thong, as it seemed to scare
most of the older smallmouth.....away (ha,ha)!

 

[bowriter]

RK- There was a time that in some of the Midwest states, especially WI, they had some serious weekend gatherings on some of the lakes that were wading only. I'm talking 20 or more years ago. I covered one for a magazine and I wish I had kept the article with the picture of the pile of carp. It was well over my head. There also use to be a major event on KY Lake that was wade only.

 

[XxBlack_CloudxX]

Yep...it's a must :)

Nice pic that looks like one heck of a swimming hole not counting the fishing.

 

[Velocity kills]

I am a Fly Fishing guide, and I agree that stealth is the key. The larger fish within a hole are there for a reason... they know how to survive. They learn to detect the vibrations in the water and the disturbances. In my opinion stealth, and a good accurate cast to a likely spot is the key.

 

[thor3030]

If they are hungry, they'll bite!! Throw one of those big black sucker minnows like they said and let swim/float down a big hole and hold onto your pole. Those smallies love 'em in the creeks and small rivers!!!!! Keep your throw net with you in case you run out and get some more!

 

[RKenney]

Anyone ever used a big black helgramite?

 

[bowriter]

Helgramites and sucker minnows are good.

NOTHING BEATS A CRAWFISH.

 

[RKenney]

bowriter,
Does the size of the crawfish make a difference on the size of
the smallmouth one might catch? I might guess no difference, but
what do you think, with your experience.

 

[bowriter]

I can't say it makes much if any difference. However the size of the crawfish will effect the number of bites. I prefer a small to medium size, don't like em much over 2.5 to 3 inches. BTW- In LA we often baited yo-yos with small crawfish for crappie. Plumb deadly when the gators didn't eat all the crappie.