Bass in Big Creek.

[weagle]

I decided to skip the deer hunting this weekend and went fishing on Big Creek instead. I ended up catching 6 and got a couple on video. I was fishing a neko style plastic craw and a chatterbait. Fishing Big Creek is almost like fishing a tidal creek given the way the Chattahoochee level fluctuates and it will turn muddy red in a heartbeat if there's any rain due to the construction run off around Roswell. Luckily, it's 5 minutes from the house, and I can go when the conditions are right. Yesterday it was down and clear and the bass were hitting pretty good.

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[jocko755]

Nice, I bet many people pass that bridge and are unaware you could catch bass there. Nice job. Fun size fish.

 

[killabig1]

Way to go! Sometimes those "out of the way" places can be a good secret spot to fish.

 

[doenightmare]

Very cool weagle - I am less than 3 minutes from Big Creek and Grimes Bridge. Never even thought about fishing it.

 

[weagle]

Thanks. I had a nice 4ish lb fish swirl at my plastic craw bait right at the kayak. My best in Big Creek is about 2 1/2 lbs.

 

[jocko755]

Is the water cold like the main river? If so, I doubt the bass would grow to any significant size. But 4ish is nice.

 

[weagle]

Is the water cold like the main river? If so, I doubt the bass would grow to any significant size. But 4ish is nice.

The creek maintains a positive flow into the river, so I've never noticed the cold river water more than 50 yards or so up in the creek and that's only when the river is rising fast. I fish some lakes and ponds where a 4 lb bass would be ho hum, but I would consider a 4 lb bass in the Big Creek a real trophy.

There's a shoal a couple hundred yards up the creek that is too shallow for the Kayak. One of these days I'm going to take my float tube just below the mill dam in Roswell and work all the way down just to see if there's any water above the shoal worth fishing. I'm sure there are at least some small bass and a ton of redbreast in there.

 

[jocko755]

should be plenty of shore access.

 

[weagle]

The banks are pretty steep and grown over. You could fish it from a float tube. Here's another short video from a couple weeks ago. The only chain pickerel I've had on in a couple of years comes unhooked right at the kayak. I used to catch one or 2 of them on most trips, but they have been non existent for me the last few years.

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[Browniez]

Is the water cold like the main river? If so, I doubt the bass would grow to any significant size. But 4ish is nice.

I wouldn’t be so sure about the main river bass. There’s a few nice ones lurking.

 

[Philhutch80]

Is the water cold like the main river? If so, I doubt the bass would grow to any significant size. But 4ish is nice.

Going off experience or assumptions here???

 

[weagle]

Dropped in down at Morgan Falls park this afternoon. Caught one nice bass:



There's a really nice Kayak launch at Morgan falls park.

 

[jocko755]

Don't get defensive about the cold water comment. I'm not a biologist. It's possible that a big one could be swimming around eating small trout, but it's hardly an environment to grow a trophy size LMB. It's not the kind of water that leans toward bass fishing. As Weagle admits, a 4 lb is a big bass for that water. Lower Big Creek, Morgan Falls, is cold muddy water. Constant rise and fall. About the only sizable fish are the Carp. Plenty of fun size bass, but I wouldn't expect the environment to produce a BIG bass, due to forage, cover, water quality. It's a rough environment with the constant rise and influx of cold muddy water. Just my opinion from my own experience fishing there. A big bass would be a unicorn. I would not expect an angler to catch a 10 lbr there. I just don't think they can grow that big there. Maybe, but rare. Not going to catch big bass consistently.

That's a nice one Weagle! And I love the Kayak launch! It makes it so easy to launch and take out.

 

[Philhutch80]

Don't get defensive about the cold water comment. I'm not a biologist. It's possible that a big one could be swimming around eating small trout, but it's hardly an environment to grow a trophy size LMB. It's not the kind of water that leans toward bass fishing. As Weagle admits, a 4 lb is a big bass for that water. Lower Big Creek, Morgan Falls, is cold muddy water. Constant rise and fall. About the only sizable fish are the Carp. Plenty of fun size bass, but I wouldn't expect the environment to produce a BIG bass, due to forage, cover, water quality. It's a rough environment with the constant rise and influx of cold muddy water. Just my opinion from my own experience fishing there. A big bass would be a unicorn. I would not expect an angler to catch a 10 lbr there. I just don't think they can grow that big there. Maybe, but rare. Not going to catch big bass consistently.

That's a nice one Weagle! And I love the Kayak launch! It makes it so easy to launch and take out.

It's not defensive, it's a serious question that you answered by getting defensive rather than saying you do not fish the river enough to know. Let me ask you this, do you believe bass can only be caught that far down the river channel?

 

[weagle]

My camera battery died before I got any fish catching on video, but you can see the weather and water conditions and my "big water" set up with the trolling motor. I'd rather not deal with the trolling motor but it sure is nice to cover the water going up stream and save more time for fishing.

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[jocko755]

It's not defensive, it's a serious question that you answered by getting defensive rather than saying you do not fish the river enough to know. Let me ask you this, do you believe bass can only be caught that far down the river channel?

I have fished Morgan Falls enough to know, the constant rise and fall of cold muddy water makes it a harsh environment for bass growth. I didn't say anything about the river channel. I only asked Weagle if the creek was cold and muddy like the river. Maybe the question I should ask is " What do you consider a nice one?" And how many nice ones have you caught in Morgan Falls?

 

[weagle]

My best (that I actually weighed) from Bull Sluice / Lawyers lake is 7lb 11oz. I caught one more that I think beat it by a half pound or so, but I didn't have my digital scale. There's probably a double digit bass in there. Even though it's only 5 minutes from the house, I only fished Morgan Falls / Lawyer's lake a few times up until this year when I got a cart so I could take advantage of the kayak launch at Morgan Falls.






Big Creek; my best is 2 1/2 and Willeo Creek probably close to 4lbs. I've seen some a bit bigger, but nothing I think would go over 5lbs in the side creeks.

I love to fish, and I'll fish all day to catch one little dink if that's all that's biting. I don't specifically target big fish, but I have caught a good many and I give myself a chance by throwing baits that big fish will hit in areas that big fish hang out. I always have it in the back of my mind that there may be a "nice one" in the area whether I'm fishing a bream bed, bass pond, watershed lake, creek, river or saltwater.

As far as "trophy" bass in that stretch of the Hooch, I would skip it and head to some of the watershed lakes, or a couple of private lakes I have access to for a good chance at a double digit bass.

 

[jocko755]

Well, I stand corrected! Those are NICE fish! I guess the rising and falling cold muddy water doesn't affect bass growth as I thought. I had written Bull Shoals off as a dink factory but maybe that was done in haste. My only experiences led to small catches leading me to skip it. Seems like I have misjudged it. I need to give it another shot and rethink my distain of cold muddy water. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[JJJSDAD]

Phil you are a very intelligent person and I think the best thing for you do is keep your thoughts to your self and don't AGITATE AND QUESTION PEOPLES RESPONSES. We are common people who express opinions but do not question them.

 

[Browniez]

You guys all make good points.

I caught these two a couple weekends back in the main stem of the river very close to Buford dam.

It is MOST DEFINITELY not a trophy bass destination, but if you can figure out a couple of secrets there are some kicker fish available sometimes that are very fun.

As usual the reality of the matter appears to be squarely between the two viewpoints.