You’ve been studying up on your freshwater fishing tips and you're aching to bend a rod, but you've only got half a day to burn? Do yourself a huge favor: go jump in a creek! That’s right, throw on some old jeans, a pair of sneakers, and toss your favorite ultralight rig in the back of the truck. Then wind your way down an unpaved back road and pull off near that bridge you’ve been meaning to fish at.
The Where of Wet-Wading
Throughout much of the Mid-Atlantic region large river systems have multiple smaller tributaries that rarely get any angling attention. But even these smaller streams can hold large populations of red breast sunfish, green sunfish, and long eared sunfish. Many of these overlooked creeks have rock bass and smallmouth bass, too, but more often than not the ever-present sunfish make up the bulk of the daily catch for those willing to hop in, wade the creeks, and pursue this most simple angling pleasure.
Many of my favorite panfish streams are actually lower sections of stocked trout water where rocky, mountainous stretches transition to slower, farmland flows of the meadow stream. Deeper pools and undercut banks often hold high numbers of creek sunfish that may be in various stages of their spawning cycle, offering easy, fast-paced action. Access points may be few and far between, but bridges can often hold fish with deeper pools adjacent to these man-made structures. Fallen trees, root balls, and large eddies can draw multiple species adding to the spice.
To reach the best stretches of any creek you will likely have to wade and hike up or downstream to remote sections where angling pressure is minimal. Some creeks are seldom, if ever, fished at all. With the help of Google prior to heading out there’s plenty of exploring to do. And keep your eyes open as most of us are driving over creeks every day that have dynamite panfish opportunities few anglers pursue.
How to Go Wet-Wade Fishing
Wet-wading gear can be simple or elaborate. As mentioned, the old jeans and sneakers are the budget option here, but you can opt for quick-dry clothing and wading shoes to help with the footing on stream bottoms. A wading staff is not a bad idea either, as some creeks are particularly rocky and slick. Long pants are best due to briars, poison ivy, and insects, but there are areas where shorts will do. In any case, use caution and common sense when venturing into the creeks.
A “don’t leave home without it” item would be a good pair of polarized glasses. Not only do they help you spot pockets, boulders, and logs, but they also enable you to see bedding red breasts or aggressive rock bass that follow your lure right to the rod tip. Coupled with a brimmed hat, the glasses ease the eye strain of going in and out of sun-lit stretches and shady, wooded areas.
One of the beauties of creek panfishing is that the rods, reels, lures, and lines do not have to be top-line or expensive. I have always used shorter ultralight spinning rods in the 5’ to 6’ range, which allow casting under overhanging trees where longer rods may conflict with the vegetation. Size 500 to 1000 spinning reels like a Pflueger President or Shimano Sienna with four-pound test monofilament like Trout Magnet SOS or Stren limp mono work well. Lure selection will vary day to day but cooperative panfish seldom are picky. I like to keep a selection of small crankbaits, some panfish-sized hair jigs, and a few spinners to cover the bulk of the wet-wading bases. On most summer outings the classic Rebel Wee Crawfish and the smallest versions of the Rapala Floating Minnows will catch all the red breast and long ear sunfish you’ll want along with larger gamesters such as smallmouth bass or on occasion even catfish.
If fish do not respond to these mini crankbaits with a surface or sub-surface retrieve then try tossing a Mepps or Panther Martin spinner in blade sizes from #0 to #2, and use a slow retrieve allowing the lure to travel deeper in runs and pools from two to four feet deep. Gold and silver blades are standard but I have had good success with black blades like the #1 Mepps Black Fury. Perhaps the most versatile lure option would be the use of hair jigs or a jig and plastic combo of 1/32nd or 1/16th of an ounce. Stick with crappie-sized 1.5” to 2.0” minnow-profiled baits. I like Crappie Magnet trailers in lighter metal flake hues and the classic Crème Mini Tube Tails. Select brown, orange, or red plastics to imitate crayfish for rock bass and you may encounter smallmouth bass in the mix. Another great option is the mini-Ned Rig jig heads and plastics from Mule Fishing Tackle.
This year when you have a few hours to burn check out your local stream sunfish smorgasbord—and don’t be afraid to get wet.
Creek Sunfish Species
While we all hope for the strike of a smashing smallmouth or a raging rock bass, sunfish are usually the most plentiful species you’ll encounter including:
- Red Breast Sunfish – The dominant species in many creeks, this is a willing biter that routinely reaches 7” to 8”. Spawning male red breasts possess a deep red or orange breast and an elongated opercular flap. For their size they have a larger mouth than most sunfish species and will frequently attack lures that seem too large for them to handle.
- Long Eared Sunfish – With large, brilliant opercular tabs that are edged with an orange, red, or yellow crescent, and flanks that are speckled with greenish blue lines and fins that are often tinged in red, their colors can vary from one creek to the next. An 8” long ear is a giant but what they lack in size they more than make up for in beauty and coloration.
- Green Sunfish – Another abundant and aggressive species, they will sometimes attack a lure one third their size. With their huge mouths, greenies have no problem chasing down crayfish or larger forage items. The spiny and soft dorsal fins are tipped and highlighted with yellow to orange edgings and the blue cheek lines are another visual clue. Larger males will run 7” to 9”, but most are smaller.
- Hybrids – Many creeks will have populations of sunfish hybrids that will be challenging to identify. Most days will result in a multi-species effort with brilliant, beautiful sunfish.
Jim’s Favorite Fillets
Although many small meadow creeks have good populations of delicious sunfish, it pays to harvest wisely by keeping just enough for a meal from time to time. Indeed, a half-dozen hand-sized red breasts can offer scrumptious fillets. Here is my favorite recipe for pan-fried sunfish.
- 8 to 12 sunfish fillets from the local creek
- 1/3 cup of pancake batter, your favorite
- 2 tablespoons of Old Bay seasoning, salt and pepper to preferred taste
- 1/2 cup of whole milk
- Peanut or vegetable oil
As you prepare to heat a pan with the oil, place the fillets in a bowl of milk for several minutes. Mix the pancake batter, Old Bay seasoning, and any other spices (to your taste) in another bowl. Place the milk-coated fillets in the dry batter, and place them gently in the heated oil. Be careful not to have too much oil in the pan but just enough to cover half the thickness of a fillet.
When the edges of the fillets curl up and turn light brown (usually around three minutes), turn them gently and allow them to cook for approximately two more minutes. Remove and drain the fillets. I can smell them now—enjoy!
-By Jim Gronaw