Bass movement in creeks

[tstooge26]

Hello I have a question about bass movement in medium size creeks that feed into a main river...there are many different creeks I fish in western pa for bass some sections 40+ miles upstream from main river...these sections hold good numbers off fish but I’m not sure if there is deep enough water for them to winter...are these fish going all the way down to the river or traveling to a better wintering home...I never tried these sections in the spring but just wanted to see if someone had some input on the movement....these waters are 20 -30 feet across and holes aren’t much deeper then 5/6 feet...thanks for any info

 

[Dave_W]

I fish a lot of creeks in the size range you describe and, in my experience, smallmouth bass move in and out of most of these creeks seasonally.

I have some theories about this and am not sure about how far downstream they move in various watersheds.... But these fish definitely move. Most fish are out of small creeks around first frost and are back by June. In some creeks, only some of the fish move (typically bigger ones over 12" in length) whereas in other creeks it is almost all the bass. I have also seen what I think is a correlation - although not an especially strong one - with the numbers of fish I see in summer and the flow levels in late spring early summer: In years with low flows in May/June there seems to be fewer bass later in the summertime.

Do some exploring during different times of the year and see what you see in your neck of the woods.

 

[jifigz]

I'm going to suggest that if you have streams with holes that are 5-6 foot of depth with minimal current or some kind of current break that the bass are there year round. Look for those fish to be stacked in those 5-6 foot deep holes in the winter and then they will move throughout the stream according to the seasons. Bass most certainly move seasonally and they may totally abandon lengthy stretches to find wintering water. If the creeks that you fish have the holes that you are suggesting then I will guarantee that fish stay there year round. I have a lot of experience chasing smallmouths year round in the Juniata and and smaller streams like the Aughwick and Tuscarora. If you don't catch them the first time or two you're out in the winter don't think that they aren't in there. It could be a combo of lure/fly, weather, temps, etc.

 

[Solitariolupo]

Smallmouth bass will move into the creeks to spawn. They can swim 6 miles in one day. If they have to they can go up to 60 miles in one migration. Largemouth bass do not. so what you are seeing is spawning smallmouth bass coming from out of the rivers or lakes for summer then going into the rivers or lakes for winter. Surprisingly from what I see, catch, and read about is it's just not trout that swim out of bigger waters to spawn. Other fish do it as well.

 

[KGStine]

Does anyone have information about the affect on the bass spawn, of this years prolonged periods of high water?

 

[jifigz]

KGStine wrote:
Does anyone have information about the affect on the bass spawn, of this years prolonged periods of high water?

As you know Ken I'm right on the Juniata and I'll be scoping it out as soon as the water drops. I'll let you know my insight into what I see as far as spawning activity is concerned and disruptions etc. I think that things will be fine though..here, at least, I don't think bass were on their beds when the high water hit so that would prolong them. Either way, nothing that we can do about mother nature.

 

[Solitariolupo]

From what I read is that smallmouth bass are very picky and won't spawn if conditions are not right. Largemouth bass are not very picky at all. So if your getting a lot of water in your area then yes to smallmouth bass are not spawning. Hope that the temps aren't right for them to spawn yet cause it could push the males off the nests.