Deer Creek Reservoir
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Deer Creek Reservoir Fishing Reports
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Reports from all past years within a 60-day time frame
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Summer
Technique
Crankbaits 0-6'
Structure
Boulders
Forage
Bluegill
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Fall
Technique
Hard Jerkbaits
Structure
Boulders
Slayin smallies with the flatworms. Dropshot ¼oz with an owner sniper finesse #1 hook. Nose hooked with a 4.5" nat shad flatworm was the trick In 5-15" of water. 2022 daiwa XT 7'3 M Fast. Shimano Nasci 3000 Suffix 832 15# hi Viz yellow FC Sniper 10# leader.
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Summer
Technique
Drop Shot
Structure
Boulders
Forage
Minnows
Some smaller smallmouth are in shallow water but deeper water with steeper banks have been more productive. Small jigs, ned rigs, and swimbaits (2.8 keitech) will get some smaller fish. Larger smallmouth are on flats adjacent to deeper water. Top water, jerkbaits on fast retrieves, and dropshot style baits have worked. If you don't find them keep moving. They tend to be grouped up and there is a lot of unproductive water. We have picked up some Largemouth and crappie. 6-7" worms and crawfish styled jigs and baits have worked for largemouth. Crappie were chasing down bass sized jerkbaits.
Russell Cranney
Bronze Ambassador
8/5/23
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Summer
Technique
Drop Shot
Structure
Rock Pile
Water Temperature
72°
not huge but big enough to win big fish for that tournament.
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Fall
Technique
Crankbaits 0-6'
Structure
Rock Pile
Forage
Bluegill
The lake is cooling rapidly. The fall transition is nearing its end. Largemouth can be found in coves and flats that have green sunfish and bluegill. If you find the bait, the Largemouth are likely close by. Smallmouth can be caught on more finesse techniques: dropshot, 1/16-1/4 oz jigs with 2.8-3.3 Keitech swimbaits, lightly weighted flukes, and jerkbaits. Walleye are also feeding up and we're catching quite a few on slow moving jerkbaits. Twitch, twitch, pause for 4-5 seconds. Make sure your jerkbait is tuned to suspend perfectly. Add a small lead strip if it's floating. Cover water if you don't find fish.
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Winter
Technique
Drop Shot
Structure
Ledges
We found a few nice smallmouth on deep drop offs using a Zman TRD micro finesse bait on a dropshot. It seems like a strange combo, but the floating bait keeps it up off the bottom and has a very subtle action. Whatever approach you take needs to be extremely slow. Slow drag or slow handle turn and then a pause and let the bait marinate for a bit before repeating. For us reaction bait guys, it's a brutal way to fish, but it generated the few bites we needed to catch some November smallies. Best luck came on green pumpkin. If you're a trout fisherman, they seem to be very active and are willing to chase down jerkbaits, swimbaits, and the occasional dropshot. Most are cookie cutter sized rainbows between 14-17 inches.
Species
WalleyeSeason
Winter
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Ledges
Forage
Minnows
Water Temperature
41°
Still finding a few smallmouth and walleye in deep water. If you're looking for trout, they can be caught by fishing the upper water column with swimbaits and jerkbaits. Smallmouth and walleye are on the bottom in deep water next to sharp drop offs or deep rock structure. We're mostly catching smallmouth and walleye on small swimbaits like the 2.8 keitech fat swing impact. To get down, we're putting it on a 1/0 1/4 Oz jighead. We've found some erratic hops and shakes can trigger fish, but with the colder water, a soft lift and drop has been most productive. If you're casting from the bank, use a football jighead to crawl over rock. A bullet head is great for getting down faster, but will wedge into rock structure. From a boat, it would be a good time to use a hover stroll or damiki rig.
Species
Yellow PerchSeason
Spring (Post-Spawn)
Technique
Ned Rigs
Structure
Brush Piles
Smallmouth bass are sitting on the deeper bushes in the coves. Lot of active bass. Water temps where at 57 degrees. Good time to get out and get em. Keep your baits small, for more bites.
Alex
Bronze Ambassador
5/30/24
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Ned Rigs
Structure
Submerged Vegetation
Forage
Crawfish
Water Temperature
55°
Waded out and first cast. Near the edge in submerged vegetation. Largemouth was still spawning.
