What is meant by the "back of a creek" and when do you fish those?

I'm curious what this term means. Is it a given depth or is it simply as far back as you can take your boat before you get stuck? Or something else? Also, when do you fish visible creek channels (i.e. not the submerged channels that are in the coves and main lakes)and what water depths are you looking for?

Thanks!

I have always referred to the back of the creeks as the spot where the creek enters into the main lake in the back of the cove.

I would agree somewhat to this description. A lot of folks have been to Birch Creek at Fork and gone to the second set of powerlines. They thought that was the back of the creek and even I have referred to that area as the "back of Birch" in conversation. In reality Birch goes another mile further back.

So check out this picture of Birch Creek at fork. I have always divided a creek in thirds. So when I am talking about the back of a creek I am always referring to the back 1/3. Typically early in the spring this is the first place the fish will start making their beds. In the back 1/3 of the creek. This is the first part of the lake that warms due to the shallow water and protection from the North wind. Does that make sense?

I always considered the backs as where it usually flattens out into spawning flats with just the channel going thru. Basically the same as Ken

Is birch where the last bouy is at the power line? I have went back and some past but it seems to go way back and nothing but trees. I thought maybe there were Lilly’s way back there but I didn’t try cause it’s like trying to got through a rugged obstacle course

The back of the creek to me is the farthest point you can get your boat to.

Many creeks and rivers wind around for miles through the country side. Many of these are very shallow at the mouth where the cove narrows down into just the creek or river channel. As you go farther back you are looking for two physical things to happen.
- Hopefully the creek will get deeper as you get past the silted in section at it's mouth. The creek may play out to real skinny water then once a half mile or so into the creek it will begin to get deeper.
- Hopefully the water will begin to clear up the farther back you go.
I usually start fishing when the water depth in the middle of the creek or river gets to 10 ft. deep. Work the creek as far back as you can go; looking for those two physical things to take place. Getting back to the heavily wooded tree lined banks is the key. Target the lay-downs off the banks once you get into the wooded area of the creek. This is where the banks are lined with trees. Lay-downs form wind blowing them over and beaver doing some cutting will provide the fish with ambush spots that are a little off the bank. Running form one to the next will tell you really quick if the fish are back there. I like to run a small 1/4 oz spinner bait down all sides of the lay-downs then work the tree tops with a 5" Black/Blue Flake with Blue Tail Lizard; using a 1/4 oz. Trig..

If your not kicking up mud with your trolling motor you are fishing too deep.

Back of a creek is a relative term. Typically it comes into play during the Fall and Spring, when baitfish move back (Fall) and when bass go to spawn (Spring). The back could be the very back or just the last 1/2 of the creek. How far back depends on where the fish are in the creek.

Hmmm.....not sure we have much of a consensus here, but thanks for all the input. Best I can tell at this point, the "Back" is somewhere between going aground and where the creek empties into a lake cove (which I would have thought was the "Front" of the creek but I've got lots to learn, yet). Ideally, it is at least 10 feet deep and lined with lay downs that are covered up in spawning and/or feeding fish. Good to know, and again, thanks!

Good points Donald. I think those fish that far back are resident fish too. I believe those fish are born, live & die in that same small stretch of creek.

What do you think?

I wouldn't expect there to be a consensus on this. It is more of an individual angler's perception. I could take you to an area in Birch Creek that you would call the "back of the creek" when in reality we are still TWO Miles from the back of Birch.

Look at Ken’s pic. See all those little feeder creeks. Go in each one right now and you will catch some fish and they each have some of the features all have described. One creek on the east side past the power lines you can go way back into it, others have shallow flats with the creek running through and some make deep coves that you break down into 3rds again as ken describes. I have caught better fish out on the shallow flats next to the channel and drain intersects versus going all the way to the back in the spring. But I always hear the those stories of guys who catch a 13 plus making a long cast way back where they can’t get the boat.

They are resident fish. They have everything they need back there. Their down fall is a couple of years of drought. Another point to make here is find access way up the rivers and creeks. Put in up there and work back out toward the mouth of the creek. I use to have a smaller boat just for those adventures and learned to fish where no one else would go, which would be several miles off the lake and many times untouched waters.

If im not jumping logs im not back in far enough.

Do you just find a spot where you can put in off the road or an actual launch?

From the mouth of the creek where the boat lane splits from Lake Fork Creek to the back is all Birch. There are a ton of feeder creeks and pockets back there, but if you run under the power lines to the right heading back, you can cross at the 3rd dock to the other bank. Then idle along the east bank to the second broad point, and that is where the pad field was before the floods in 2015; there is much timber up there, yes. I haven't been up that far in a while, I started stopping and fishing the hydrilla and coontail beds, but haven't really had much luck up there lately. So it is time to change things up!

I uses the satellite views to find roads that cross the creeks and river for these access spots. Some are well used and you can put in off a gravel area, some have ramps; but most require a two man boat that a couple of guys can handle through some rough shoreline areas to get to the water. It is not easy by no means. Some times a power line work road will get you to the water when the area is dry enough to drive in. I have drug an alum. 12 ft. boat many a mile across fields and through the woods to get to these creeks that no one else will do. Once you find the fish in that creek or river and you want to be able to use it during a tournament then you will have to do your home work to learn the route into it from the lake side, as many tourns. will not let you trailer. Just put your smaller boat in at the closest ramp to the mouth of the creek and learn the access route form the lake side to your best spots that you have found form your practice days of fishing from the other direction way up the river.

Good info

for me it's about as far back as you can get your boat. I spend a lot of time in the backs around this time of year and definitely in the fall