Mill Creek in Hickman County (Trout)

[gil1]

Anybody know anything about this tiny stream? I have a hunting lease a few miles away and thought I'd take off mid-day to fish it between morning and evening turkey hunts.

 

[antelope280]

I have fished it a lot years ago, great fishing but the access can be tough. I used to go in from Hwy 48 and fish up from the first crossing off a gravel road. It got to be that the land owners would run everyone off (in TN the landowner controls the stream and can post it as "no tresspassing). I wondered why TWRA would stock a stream with so little public access?

 

[catman529]

I fished there once during deer season on a rainy cold day. The deer hunting and fishing were both bad. I caught a shiner though. :D

I think I wasn't far off from hwy 48. Where I fished the dirt road rossed the creek and there were TWRA signs posted that said "fishing allowed" or something like that. Nice looking creek, just didn't work out for me that day. There are some trout in the Piney too just not sure if they survive the summer or not.

 

[imograss]

I have caught them in both Mill & Piney. I agree Mill Creek is tough to access due to property owners.

 

[Mudbone]

If u walk a good long way from the bridge upstream there are several decent holes. The trout seemed
Extra small but that was many years ago.

 

[woodchuckc]

I used to fish it quite often 20-25 years ago, a couple of miles downstream from the bridge at Hwy 100. Several landowners were pretty cooperative back then about allowing access, but I would guess it is more difficult to get permission now. I have caught a few up to 15" way back then, but most were 7-10".

 

[gil1]

I went yesterday. I caught and released seven rainbows, all maybe 11 inches. I caught a few other species and had some fun. I didn't realize it's open enough to fly fish, so I'll get on that bandwagon next time.

Man, there are some pretty funny (and dead serious) No Trespassing signs on that creek. I was very careful to access in the public areas only.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[catman529]

:D I love those signs. Too bad they come from people causing trouble fishing the creek. Did you fish that public access where the gravel road crosses the creek not too far from 48? If I'm out there I'd rather fish the piney but I may have to try it again. Oh and you didn't use fly tackle? I thought you forgot how to use anything but a fly rod... :grin:

 

[gil1]

I was off of 48, but there may be several spots where you drive through the water, so I'm not sure where the heck I was. I was within a mile of one of those drive-thru spots, though.

I hadn't fished it since I was in high school, so I had thought it was too narrow and overgrown for fly fishing, but I was wrong. I luvs me sum fly flinging, but I'm always up for just about any method.

 

[catman529]

Is that stream navigable meaning you can float it without trespassing? I guess the water would have to be swollen a bit for you to even float some parts of it lol

 

[gil1]

Nah, it's barely navigable by a topwater bait, much less a boat. :D

 

[turk870]

whats bad is its in my backyard (almost.my property dosent touch it)and i have never fished it

 

[B.D.]

Mill Creek is an awesome stream. In good years it will hold over some fish - not many, but a few will make it. Every once in a while a 2 or 3 pounder will come out of there. Most of the fish will be stockers, but the possibility of a bigger fish always makes it fun.

The landowner situation is absolutely ridiculous though. The locals treat it like it's their own personal stream, stocked by the state, that nobody else is allowed on. I haven't gone back in a few years because the locals have just gotten so nasty.

I go up to a few stocked trout creeks in Kentucky like Trammel Fork, and I never have that problem. The landowners understand that the creek is stocked for public benefit, and as long as you stay on the creek and don't leave trash behind, they're friendly and welcoming.

TWRA needs to figure out a way to get a long-running agreement from these landowners to leave people the hell alone on the stocked streams, or they need to stop stocking them. I don't buy a trout stamp to fund a personal trout supply program for a handful of landowners who happen to have a plot of land on a TWRA stocked creek.

bd

 

[catman529]

Mill Creek is an awesome stream. In good years it will hold over some fish - not many, but a few will make it. Every once in a while a 2 or 3 pounder will come out of there. Most of the fish will be stockers, but the possibility of a bigger fish always makes it fun.

The landowner situation is absolutely ridiculous though. The locals treat it like it's their own personal stream, stocked by the state, that nobody else is allowed on. I haven't gone back in a few years because the locals have just gotten so nasty.

I go up to a few stocked trout creeks in Kentucky like Trammel Fork, and I never have that problem. The landowners understand that the creek is stocked for public benefit, and as long as you stay on the creek and don't leave trash behind, they're friendly and welcoming.

TWRA needs to figure out a way to get a long-running agreement from these landowners to leave people the hell alone on the stocked streams, or they need to stop stocking them. I don't buy a trout stamp to fund a personal trout supply program for a handful of landowners who happen to have a plot of land on a TWRA stocked creek.

bd

sounds like the south harpeth river. good fishing, controlling landowners. Probably had something to do with stupid people fishing and leaving trash around or trespassing or stealing things.

 

[HUNTTNKY]

Well said BD...maybe we need to get an online petition going or something and see if TWRA will take some action or stop stocking what the public can't access...

It's been 13 or 14 years since I was last out there, and it was the first time I was "a little concerned" about my safety while trout fishing...

I've fished several KY trout streams, and landowners are nothing but pleasant...like a different planet, nevermind state...

 

[HUNTTNKY]

I sent this thread link to a buddy who trout fishes in KY...this is what he sent back:

"You know Ky does a land use program with land owners so fisherman can cross their property to fish the trout streams. They even have a local liaison that works on creating this access with landowners. Pretty cool deal."

 

[gil1]

I sent this thread link to a buddy who trout fishes in KY...this is what he sent back:

"You know Ky does a land use program with land owners so fisherman can cross their property to fish the trout streams. They even have a local liaison that works on creating this access with landowners. Pretty cool deal."

Sounds like a plan. There are areas here where you seriously fear for your safety. On the other hand, some fishermen abuse the privilege, making it hard for landowners to roll out the red carpet.

 

[catman529]

I sent this thread link to a buddy who trout fishes in KY...this is what he sent back:

"You know Ky does a land use program with land owners so fisherman can cross their property to fish the trout streams. They even have a local liaison that works on creating this access with landowners. Pretty cool deal."

Sounds like a plan. There are areas here where you seriously fear for your safety. On the other hand, some fishermen abuse the privilege, making it hard for landowners to roll out the red carpet.

Heard a story down the vine a bit so it may not be super accurate. Fishing buddy of mine told me about a guy who had fished the South Harpeth river upstream where it is private not navigable. A landowner came out and asked him nicely to leave (surprisingly) and explained why the landowners wouldn't let people fish. He (the landowner) said that one time he had watched some fishermen from a distance and noticed they didn't have anything tied onto their lines and appeared to be faking it... well turns out they had most likely been up to no good, scouting the area, because not too long after, there were break ins and theft on the properties.... then the landowners decided to keep everyone out of the river. I don't know how much truth there is to that, but it sounds possible. Irresponsible fishermen or other people can be the reason landowners get mean... just my guess...