Scarcity of creek minnows?

[duvhntr]

I have a creek in front of my house.. 10 feet wide, ankle deep.. has 3-4 good holes for creek minnows.. went to drop the trap in today.. not a single minnow anywhere… creek never goes dry.. jas always had hundreds of minnows.. drove a few mile to a different creek where I used to catch them.. same deal.. not a single one.. never seen this in my lifetime.. finally found a few in a 3rd creek…

 

[killingtime 41]

You taking about stone rollers or creek chubs? Some call them creek minnows is why I ask.

 

[duvhntr]

You taking about stone rollers or creek chubs? Some call them creek minnows is why I ask.

I had a mix of both.. now .. zero.. nada.. nuffn

 

[JCDEERMAN]

On the bright side, atleast you don't have 1 square mile of land without one bit of running water through it. No creeks, nothing.

I do understand your frustration, as across the street from our place is a creek and it's had less minnows each year the last 5 years we have been trapping with permission. Didn't look where you're located, but I think middle/west TN and the droughts we've had the last few years probably have something to do with it

 

[rifle02]

Have a small creek on property that I own that went dry in 2024. It always had lots of minnows before that. It has taken most of 2025 to repopulate. There are a few now but not many like before.

 

[CATCHDAWG]

@duvhntr Are there otters in said creeks?

 

[duvhntr]

@duvhntr Are there otters in said creeks?

Yes

 

[CATCHDAWG]

Yes

There's the answer as to why there's no fish left.

 

[CATCHDAWG]

Thanks to my son, there is one less on my property this morning. Unfortunately, there were three more with it.

 

[duvhntr]

Thanks to my son, there is one less on my property this morning. Unfortunately, there were three more with it.
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Nice!!! I had 5 in my pond one evening back in the summer.. only got 1..

 

[Deck78]

Those 4 legged pests have been decimating our creek so bad the last few years. it gets stocked by twra and by end of summer last year, there wasnt a fish to be found:mad::mad::mad:

 

[MickThompson]

I always struggle to catch minnows this time of year. Seems like they fall back to the deepest holes they can find.

 

[redblood]

do you use the minnows for crappie fishing?