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For many people creeks are the only available option to fish in. And that is not bad at all, you don’t need one of the largest lakes in the world to fish in. Smaller creeks and streams can be much more enjoyable and more fun to cast your line. In smaller spots like rivers streams and creeks the size of fish is way more tastier but smaller in size. One of the things many people like the most is the challenging way to find and catch larger fish in a creek. To attract them more effectively fishermen usually like to use different creek fishing baits.
However it is not easy to select the right live bait for the spot where you usually fish. Even the famous and good creek fishing baits will not work for if they are not matching the habitat of fish in the water.
There are many factors to consider while selecting the bait that is going to be used in creeks. As the average size of fish is much smaller comparing with lakes and rivers. The amount of bait on the hook will also decrease, using smaller bait is beneficial in creek.
Small size minnows, leeches, night crawlers and somewhat bloodworms are the best performing baits for any species in creeks. And then there are some baits that work for specific species like live crappie bait work pretty good for catfish.
Here is the detail guide for selecting better creek fishing bait to lure out the fish from their safe haven. But keeping the size smaller will help a lot as the fish in creeks would not be able to bite a larger thing than their mouth. These are the best types of baits one can expect to use in the next creek trip.
Bottom feeder creek fishing baits
If you want to catch bottom some bottom feeder fish you are in no trouble. It will be much more easier to collect the exact bait that you need to use at the bank of water. The reason behind that is the open nature of bottom feeders. The habitat of bottom feeder fish is always simple to understand.
Bottom feeders like to eat whatever they can eat and fits in their mouth. They eat smaller in size fish, they eat crabs and shrimp and anything that seem food to them.
Carps, suckers, catfish and sometimes bass are the best bottom feeding fish. When you find out that the creek you are fishing in has bottom feeder fish. Just take some minnows, parts of crappie or leeches or anything that seems bait. Break our cut them in smaller pieces if they are large and you are good to go. Bottom feeder fish have no problem with any bait they will bite it for sure.
If you want to be a little more tricky with the fish you can cut crappie in smaller pieces and hook them. They will be crushing the catfish for you if there is enough amount of them. Anglers using crappie as their live bait have incredibly great fishing catching creek catfish.
Bigger size stripers are also going to feed at the bottom but selecting a line for stripers is crucial.
Top water bait for creek
Using minnows as live bait at a smaller stream is always great. But how about artificial bait? Do they really work that well and succeed to hook a fish? The answer is yes they can be pretty good for many species including largemouth bass and other bass species. Again keeping the size smaller is a key to have more and more fish hooked to your line.
Artificial lures
So what are the best top water baits for small creeks and streams to catch plenty of fish. The following are the best artificial baits that will never disappoint you.
- Nikko hellgrammite: This is a small lure is just a magic of streams. The efficiency of this little plastic piece is not limited to one species. It can bring you many types of fish using it will bring you bluegills, bass and almost anything in the water. And a single piece of this bait is enough to bring you lots fish and you will have very fun fishing with it. Not only it is efficient it is the favorite luring substance for many creek anglers. If you want it to sink it a little for the middle feeders you can add a little bit of weight or a smaller sinker. And again this looks small but it is the perfect match for smaller spots.
- Rooster tail: Silver color rooster tail lure is just the enemy of all types of bass. Bringing a 6 pound striper is not uncommon, it just work as fine for panfish, catfish and other bigger species too. Gold color of this bait just hipnotize the fish and they can’t resist with it. This is of course one of the best creek fishing baits I have ever used before.
- Bass assassin: It is smaller than all, I prefer it a lot of the times. It can be the source of you live bait (minnows) in the creek.
- Creek hopper: This is my favorite of all time, it can catch up bluegill and other panfish. It is basically a top water thing but if you add a little weight it will sink slowly. Compared to the previous lures this one is more efficient and reliable.
Crankbaits
Crankbaits are not usually the best thing to fish with creeks and rivers. They are pretty much the same as the surface but they don’t stay afloat all the time. These baits are not as efficient as the live bait neither for bottom feeding fish nor for those which feed at surface. Because crankbaits remain in the middle of creek away from both bottom and top.
Despite the fact that crankbait aren’t very good type of bait they are still valid for several types of fish. Almost all types of bass feed both at bottom and top as well as in the middle of water.
When there are species like bass or minnows at a creek then crankbaits can be useful. For bass they work great, as good as the live bait or top water baits. There is a lot of potential in crankbaits if they are combined with the right line and other equipment.
There is another great use of crankbaits that every angler love. If you want to use minnows as the most powerful bait at the creek you can use smaller size crankbaits in the creek and get a handful of minnows and start fishing with the new live bait. Its smallest size can catch minnows and other smaller fish like shiners easily which can be your live bait later that day.
Creek fishing power bait
It is just another good and handy thing to keep in your gear bag. It can support you at times when you have non of the other types to fish with. It is a substance which is not usually similar to fish food by shape or color. A good combination of luring substances is behind the power which attracts fish by its smell and color.
There are several types of power baits for creeks the best of which are two types. We recommend to keep both of these in your bag to benefit anytime when there is no luring substance available.
Crappie nibbles are small bite size round shape food item specifically for crappie and bluegill. It is however often the one of the top power bait substance for all kinds of fish in creeks.
The other is my all time favorite pack of bait for creeks and rivers. The Berkley little minnow shape bait substance that is just an amazing power bait pack for creeks and it can be extremely successful most of times.
