My local creek has been flowing very fast due to recent rains and i am having trouble getting any bites.  The water is very dark and dirty and is around 5 feet deep now. Any tips?

Tip 1 - Wait until the water subsides and calms down.

Tip 2 - Wait until the water subsides and calms down.

I fish current everyday that runs anywhere from 6-12 knots.  Quite often you have to use the lure that works the best, hard jerkbaits may just bounce on top, I still use them learn over time how to. Jigs or plastic jerk shads work really well, they may still be on top of the water but they don't bounce, fish have no problem especially in 5' to come up for them.  Casting up current gets the bait down lower, just be careful not to hang up on the bottom. Current does not always flow in one direction, there are places where it eddies and goes in the opposite direction, those are killer spots.

For the most part, you won't find many fish holding in fast current. They will almost always be holding in slack water areas. Sometimes, those slack areas are on the bottom behind a rock or log where the fast water is moving over their heads. Usually, when the water is moving very fast from recent rains, they will be holding very tight to shoreline cover that blocks the fast currents like the base of a tree, a fallen log or a rock.  These pockets might be very small and very shallow. You almost can't cast to them.  If you are casting to them, it takes very accurate casts to land in the small spot and not on the bank or in tree branches. Even when you hit the spot perfectly, the fast current catches your line and pulls the bait out. You just about have to get right next to them and drop a jig down and dabble it right in front of their face. If your creek allows it, walk the bank quietly and drop your bait into these calm areas right next to shore. It can be very easy pickings.

I have the Rum River about an 8 minute drive from my house. I don't like to fish it though because I NEVER CATCH FISH IN IT. I've heard rumors and fairy tales that fish exist in this river, but I've been fishing it since high school and have literally never gotten a fish out of it. I've thrown spinner baits, spoons of varying size, diving crank baits, top-water buzz baits, swimming jigs, football headed rock crawling jigs... The list goes on. I've NEVER caught anything.

Just recently I found an inlet with lily pads, floating debris, and still water. First day fishing it I got a bite, but the hook wasn't set well enough (because where I have to stand is a tiny trail along the shore, filled with trees and bushes and grass and weeds, HARD to cast, HARD to set the hook) and about halfway through fighting him he let go. It must've been a 2lb Largemouth by the feel of the fight.

Point being. Try to find still or slow moving water. That's the ticket.

find the slack water.  fish behind rocks, in eddies, behind tree stumps, inside turns.  But if its a creek that is normally slow moving water you are probably better off waiting for the current to calm down.

We use the smaller crawfish lures casted behind every big rock. I believe Mr twister has these on sale/clearance right now.  I do lose lures in rivers.

Spinnerbaits up tight to the bank.....and the usual slack water areas mentioned but keep in mind that the current you see on the surface isn rarely the same as at the bottom in high water situations.

do some exploring up and down the creek see if you can find slow moving branches, good cover or slack coves they should hold fish .