Stillhouse Hollow Fishing Report by Stillhouse Hollow Fishing Guide Bob Maindelle
Conditions:
Start Time: 5:30p
End Time: 8:40p
Air Temp: 93F at trip’s start
Water Temp: 79.2 F
Wind: S at 15 to 18, tapering to S at 12 at sunset, then again increasing to 15+
Skies: 50% white cloud cover the entire trip.
Fished a “stay in touch” trip this evening to stay on top of shad and gamefish locations on Stillhouse.
Found fish at all but one of 6 locations I fished.
First stop came along the NW to SE oriented breakline from the 26 foot flat downward at Area 142. There were small, scattered pods of shad hanging off the slope here, and gamefish holding in one’s, two’s and three’s on bottom – not the best scenario, but I decided to give it a try anyway since it was a little early for the fish to be really turned on. I dropped a ½ oz slab down and managed 3 whites; all coming on an easing technique. I saw no evidence that the intensity level here was going to change, so I moved on.
Next stop was made between Areas 145 and 148. Although a very well defined breakline exists here at the edge of the 30 foot flat, the fish were located a few yards beyond that and were grouped up on the 24-26 foot knob. Caught 20 fish in no time, first by lift-dropping, then by easing. Decided to search for other active fish at other locations while the feeding window was open, and left these fish biting.
Moved to Area 131 in 28-30 feet and saw suspended white bass in one’s and two’s on sonar, with occasional small pods of fish tight to the bottom on sonar. Went ahead and stopped here and gave it a try. Fish were acting reluctantly toward the ½ oz. slab, so I downsized to ¼ oz. This seemed to do the trick – I proceeded to catch 14 fish here, nearly all of them smoked out of suspended schools – on the bait. By 7:00p the action had died here so I moved on.
Moved to Area 161 and saw little but surface sipping gar here, and a lack of bait. Spent about 5 minutes with a line in the water and moved on.
Next to last stop came halfway between Area 34 and Area 149 in 25-26 feet. A healthy school of bottom oriented fish was clearly evident on sonar. I knew as soon as I dropped the slab down that this was going to be good … the fish rose up off the bottom to meet the slab indicating they were in overdrive and ready to hit. I caught 20 fish here in less than 15 minutes, including two 3 pound largemouth, and three 15.5 inch white bass. Twice, as I reeled in smaller white bass, large black bass were tailing them, and once, as I reeled in one of the large whites, two equally large whites accompanied it to the surface. Again, I caught 20 and left these fish while they were still biting in order to check out one final area.
Right at about 10 minutes before sunset I arrived offshore from Area 159 and immediately spotted the surface feeding whites I had hoped to find there. The schools were well-spread and didn’t stay up on top very long, but, I managed 4 whites and a small largemouth out of the action, and then called it a night.
TALLY = 62 FISH, all caught and released.
Bob Maindelle, Owner Holding The Line Guide Service and Kids Fish, Too! Stillhouse Hollow Fishing Guide, Belton Lake Fishing Guide, Lake Georgetown Fishing Guide, Walter E. Long (Decker) Lake Fishing Guide. Offering Salado Fishing, Killeen Fishing and Ft. Hood Fishing