WHO I FISHED WITH: This morning, Wednesday, June 6th, I fished Mrs. Stacey Readout and her two daughters, 8-year-old Adalyn, and 4-year-old Maryn. Mrs. Readout’s husband, US Army Captain Aaron Readout is a Signal Corps officer currently deployed to Poland. She contacted me after hearing of the free SKIFF (Soldiers’ Kids Involved in Fishing Fun) trips I provide to military children separated from their parents by their parents’ duty assignments, such as deployments, TDY assignments, military schooling, field time, gunnery, etc. Call me for details on a trip for your children if your situation is similar — 254.368.7411. This program is sponsored by the Austin Fly Fishers with a number of individual and organizational donors coming alongside them to keep this going strong since May of 2009.
Adalyn Readout, age 8, caught 2 and 3 white bass at a time just after sunrise as we downrigged for that species on Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir. Adalyn, her sister, and her mom were all treated to a free fishing trip through the SKIFF program.
Although a bit uncertain of actually holding a fish, 4-year-old Maryn did eventually warm up to the idea of reeling them in after some hesitation in the opening hour of our trip. A little good example-setting by her big sister, Adalyn, went a long way. Thanks for holding the fish, Stacey!!
WHAT WE FISHED FOR: This was a multi-species trip in which we caught white bass, largemouth bass, and sunfish.
WHERE WE FISHED: Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir
WHEN WE FISHED: Wednesday morning, 06 June.
HOW WE FISHED: We fished with downriggers (using 3-armed umbrella rigs with Pet Spoons attached) to find fish and then took advantage of what we found by using the Minn Kota Ulterra’s SpotLock to hover atop schooled white bass holding on and over a 31′ bottom by working 3/4 oz. chrome slabs with Hazy Eye Stinger hooks affixed to them. When the bite weakened, we continued catching white bass in this same area using live and cutbait. When that novelty wore off on the fish, we changed up once again to tailspinners to add two more fish to the tally before the fish lost interest completely. When the white bass dissipated, we changed up, moved shallow and targeted abundant sunfish now thick in the near-shore hydrilla growth. We took 26 white bass, 1 largemouth, and and 17 sunfish, including bluegill, redear, longear, and greens.
OBSERVATIONS/NOTES: The grey cloud cover and 11-13 mph wind made all the difference today in motivating the fish to start feeding and stay feeding. As far as the white bass were concerned, we did not have fish refuse our offering as we did yesterday under calmer, brighter conditions.
TALLY: 44 FISH, ALL CAUGHT AND RELEASED
TODAY’S CONDITIONS/NOTES:
Start Time: 6:30a
End Time: 10:15a
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 72F
Water Surface Temp: 83.2F
Wind Speed & Direction: SE from 10-13 all morning
Sky Conditions: Fully greyed skies at sunrise thanks to a heavy bank of clouds on the eastern horizon, clearing to 60% white clouds by trip’s end
Water Level: 4.80 feet low and slowly falling thanks to evaporation
GT = 30
Wx SNAPSHOT:
AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:
**Area SH0017C 26 white bass and 1 largemouth – found via downrigging, then worked over with slabs, livebait, and tailspinners
Bob Maindelle, Central Texas Fishing Guide
Owner, Holding the Line Guide Service
254.368.7411 (call or text)
Website: www.HoldingTheLineGuideService.com
E-mail: Bob@HoldingelleTheLineGuideService.com
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