06 MARCH 2008






Stillhouse Hollow Fishing Report by Temple Fishing Guide Bob Maindelle

Fished a half day morning trip this morning from 6:45 to 11:05. This trip was timed to be just in advance of the wet cold front that moved into the area later in the day, and the rain and sharp temperature drop that accompanied it. Air temperature at launch time was 46F and the water surface temperature was 56F. Winds were from the NNE at 8-10 with a very light drizzle ensuing in the last hour of the trip. Skies were leaden gray the entire time.

With the wind already blowing before dawn, the birds went right to work this morning.

I flatline trolled the Area 123 flat with a pair of crankbaits after seeing gulls and terns looking this area over tentatively. I only caught one 10 inch white bass here on the north lip of the flat adjacent to the channel.

I moved on downlake continuing to search for bird activity. In the Area 89 & 54 vicinity, plenty of terns were dipping and were clearly on fish. This let me know that the fish had not yet been negatively impacted by the incoming front – a great confidence booster! Put 24 fish in the boat on a slab/teaser combination including a 50 / 50 mix of short and legal whites (1 double), as well as a 3 pound largemouth and a 2 pound drum. This was in 25-27 feet of water.

With the birds still active, I went ahead and moved looking for more bird activity and to check activity on other than this consistently-producing area.

I found fish at Area 77 in 25-27 feet. No birds were present at the time, and the sonar returns were so-so, but shad were there, so I went ahead and tried it. As soon as the slab went down, the fish lifted off the bottom and cooperated nicely. After 10-15 minutes terns showed up and fed in my vicinity, as well as in a 90 degree arc extending 80 yards out from the boat from NW to NE. I put an addition 14 whites and another 3 pound black bass in the boat here and again moved to find active fish elsewhere (catch here included 2 sets of doubles).

I found fish at Area 120. Same setup as at Area 77. I was in 24 feet of water; no birds were present at the time, and the sonar returns were so-so, but shad were there, so I went ahead and tried it. As soon as the slab went down, the fish lifted off the bottom and cooperated nicely. I spent 25 minutes here and put an addition 15 whites in the boat here and again moved to find active fish elsewhere. 13 of these whites were short.

My final stop of the day was at Area 122; I saw good bird activity here and sonar showed strong shad and gamefish echos. The area is generally 36-38 feet deep, but there is a small knob that tops out at 34 feet. The knob held fish on bottom, otherwise all the other fish were up and suspended and feeding heavily on small threadfin shad (numerous fish disgorged these shad as I landed them). For this situation, I put away the tandem rig and went with a single, heavier slab to get it down quickly given the increased depth here. This area produced 45 fish including about 15 short largemouth bass. The white bass were split 50 / 50 between legals and shorts.

By 11am, the wind was increasing and the temperature began to decline quickly. Rain also began to increase. In conjunction with this noticeable weather change, the fish bunched up tighter and became very reluctant to strike any longer. With the count at 100 fish and the weather deteriorating, it was back to the ramp for lunch.

TALLY = 100 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