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..

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?