SHOW / EPISODE

Cool Creeks and Deep Grass: Late-Summer Delta Fishing

37m | Sep 24, 2026

This week’s Mobile-Tensaw Delta Fishing Report covers late-summer creek fishing, blackwater rivers, fly fishing, family-friendly wading trips, Big Creek Lake bass, crappie, and kayak fishing. Nick Williams opens the show with a recap of taking a local DCNR biologist out for his first moorhen hunt in the lower Delta, then shifts into a recent blackwater creek trip with Peter Jordan that turned into one of the most relaxing fishing days of the year.

Peter breaks down why shaded, tea-stained blackwater rivers can be such good late-summer fishing options. Cooler groundwater, sandy bottoms, canopy cover, flowing water, and deep holes create thermal refuge for spotted bass, bluegill, and other creek fish when the Delta proper is still brutally hot. He explains how to fish these creeks with fly rods or conventional tackle, including small topwater bugs, terrestrial patterns, streamers, hellgrammite patterns, crawfish imitations, small spinnerbaits, Mepps-style spinners, and crankbaits. The key is reading current breaks, laydowns, holes, and shaded structure, then covering water quickly until you find willing fish.

Nick and Peter also talk about why these creeks are such good places to introduce kids to fishing and the outdoors. Clear, shallow water, firm sandy bottoms, cooler temperatures, swimming holes, dip nets, minnows, bugs, and easy-access fish make them less intimidating than the Delta swamp, especially for young kids. Peter also stresses catch-and-release in these lower-biomass creeks and reminds anglers that exploring and loving these places is one of the best ways to build the desire to protect them.

Then Matt Frazier joins the show with a Big Creek Lake report, where bass and crappie have been moving deeper into 20 to 40 feet of water as summer hangs on. Matt explains how bass are schooling, how crappie are still producing limits, and how hydrilla, ledges, Carolina rigs, jigs, spinnerbaits, neutral-colored soft plastics, and deep grass all factor into the current pattern. He also talks about adapting to kayak fishing on such a big lake, using fish bags instead of stringers, and why the coldest days of the year can be some of his favorite times to fish Big Creek.