The spotted bass in these five southwest Louisiana creeks aren't huge, but they're feisty and fun to catch. Photo by Pete Cooper Jr.

One of my favorites among the fish inhabiting fresh water is the spotted bass.

A member of the six species of black bass, the spot is indigenous to riverine environments. True to its character, it's found almost statewide in waters ranging from sluggish and rather grungy bayous to clear, lively upcountry "creeks" and impoundments of such waterways. But it's in our creeks that I prefer to pursue this favorite fish -- and there are good reasons for that!

Creeks are usually pretty as well as productive. Their substrates -- typically sand and pea gravel -- are easily waded. Their waters -- though perhaps stained a bit by tannin -- are comparatively clear. And their currents are just strong enough to add a little challenge to the exercise. Finally, their corridors can be quite pristine, as a number of these streams flow through sections of the Kisatchie National Forest.

If there's a problem with these little jewels -- even though most of them are listed and therefore protected within the state's Natural and Scenic Streams System -- it's access. The streams themselves may be public, but even in forestland, the land alongside them may be private. And even within forestland, few of the state, parish, and Forest Service roads that would allow an angler to gain these waters at their bridges are usually present.

However, in southern Vernon Parish, a slight anomaly in this problem actually provides abundant opportunities. Those arise not particularly as a result of numerous access points to a certain stream but because of a number of streams within a fairly small area. Beginning just west of Elizabeth some 10 miles west of Oakdale and moving west from there, first is Tenmile Creek. Then just beyond Pitkin is Sixmile Creek, followed by Whiskey (Ouiska) Chitto, Drake's Creek, and Bundick Creek. Here you can prospect a couple of promising reaches on one stream, and then, with state Highway 10 being the primary route between them all, make a short drive to another and give it a try. All are shown on the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development's Vernon Parish South Section road map, which can be purchased through the agency's Web site at www.dotd.louisiana.gov. (Click on "maps" and then follow the steps.) Once your map arrives, it's a good idea to trace the streams' courses with a blue felt-tipped pen. Then the various roads' bridge-access points will become much clearer.

While each creek has its own personality, they can all be fished in the same general manner. Although herein that effort is directed towards spotted bass, I feel I should make note of something very special that these particular streams have to offer.

That is apparently the result of all of them being within the rather isolated drainage of the Calcasieu River system. This seems to have allowed some genetic changes in another of the streams' inhabitants the longear sunfish. While these panfish are considered extremely colorful throughout their entire range, during summer spawning time the males become colorful beyond description in these streams. I'll vow that I've never seen another fish -- anywhere -- that was as beautifully colored as these can be.

Now it's time for the actual fishing part, and here I must admit that I've never prospected any of these five creeks with anything but flies -- usually poppers.

But during the warm months, two conventional-fishing lures can cover almost all of the bases. The first is a spinnerbait built around a gold size 3 safety-pin spinner, a 1/8-ounce jig-head, and a 2-inch soft-plastic "shad" in black over pearl. Vary the color of the "shad" if you must -- but don't change anything else! This lure can be worked from the water's surface down a foot or so and with a slower retrieve, but avoid bottom, as that's snag city.