If you ask a fish angler, they will tell you that, more often than not, they catch a creek chub by accident while trying to fish for some other species. However, if you are interested in catching creek chubs, you do not have to rely on accidents. You can very well catch creek chub on its own. You just need to know how to do that.
Well, that’s where this article will prove to be useful to you. We have done our research and are well-equipped with the knowledge on the best way to catch creek chub. And in this article, we plan to share our knowledge with you. So, read along to find the best way to catch creek chub as well as some other facts regarding this fish.
What Is The Creek Chub?
Scientific Name: Semotilus atromaculatus
Maximum Size: 12 inches
Lifespan: 7-8 years
The creek chub is a meaty minnow species. You can find this fish in abundance around the water bodies of Canada and the Eastern US. They are mostly found in small to medium-sized streams. You can even find this fish in lakes as well, though it is quite rare.
The most common place to find them is any small warm water creeks. They are also common in any water body, where they can become the dominant fish species. This fish species has a very typical minnow-like body type. They have lighter stomachs and darker backs.
The creek chub can often even be confused for some other fish species such as fallfish, river chubs, central stone roller, etc. The Creek chub is not a very large fish. Even though the maximum size of this fish is listed as 12 inches, most of the time, you will find creek chubs that are no longer than 6/7 inches on average.
Why Do People Catch The Creek Chub?
This small and cylindrical fish species plays quite an important role in the overall ecosystem. The creek chubs are quite common and can be found in abundance. Their high population makes them a great source of food for other predatory fish species.
This is the main reason for catching a creek chub. This fish can be a great bait to catch other fish. As bait, creek chubs are large and quite feisty. Thus, they are the perfect bait to create enough turmoil in the water that inevitably catches the eyes of your targeted fish species.
This amazing bait fish is available in many bait shops as well. However, buying them from bait shops can be quite expensive. This is another reason people are so willing to catch the creek chub themselves. After all, why spend a big amount on a fish that can very easily be found almost everywhere?
How To Find Creek Chubs To Catch?
As we keep mentioning, creek chubs can be found in almost all small to medium-sized streams. However, when you are determined to spend your time catching them, it is wise to be sure of their existence in an area before you invest your time.
For starters, the most logical place to look for creek chubs is actually under the bridges. The shadows created by the bridges are preferred by the creek chub. Most times, you can just look into the water to determine if there are any creek chub in the water. Or, you can also throw your creek chub bait into the stream and wait to see if it gets any attention or not.
How To Catch The Creek Chub?
You can catch creek chubs using small baits, flies, or lures. If the creek chub are big enough, they can even be caught by using spinners. However, not all creek chubs can be caught the same way.
In fact, how you are going to attempt to catch your creek chub actually depends on the type of water you are catching them from. If the water is fresh and clear, or at least has a lot of flow, the best way to catch the creek chub would be to trap them. On the other hand, if the flow is very low, you are going to have more luck with a hook and line.
Baits To Catch The Creek Chub
Nevertheless, no matter which technique you use, trapping or hook and line, one thing you are going to need for sure is bait. You cannot catch enough creek chub unless you have good baits to lure them in.
Some common baits to lure the creek chubs are wax worms, maggots, small pieces of bread dough, white bread, or any other kind of bread, etc. You can even use different artificial baits, such as small jigs or gulp, maggots, small ice fishing jigs, etc. However, these are just conventional baits.
Sometimes people are known to use some unusual things as bait for the creek chub. Some examples of unusual creek chub baits are:
- Cheese: Processed cheese like Velveeta does not melt in the water and has a strong smell. Both qualities make them perfect for being creek chub bait.
- Dog bones: Dog bones apparently soften when in the water, making them good bait for creek chubs.
- Dog and cat food: You can use both dry and wet cat and dog food. The colors and smells of these foods are useful to attract the creek chub.
- Flour: This is a cheap homemade bait. Just take a rock, soak it in water, and cover it in flour. Then dry it well. Now, you can put the flour-covered stone inside the trap and let it attract the creek chub.
Related: What Do Creek Chubs Eat?
Final Words
Creek chubs are amazing fish baits for catching hybrid striped bass. But before using them as bait to catch other fish, you need to catch them first. Don’t worry, though! Catching creek chubs can be quite a fun activity. They are easy to find and easy to catch. You just need the right spot and bait and a little patience to catch this amazing bait fish.
