Stillhouse Hollow Fishing Report by Stillhouse Hollow Fishing Guide Bob Maindelle
Conditions:
Start Time: 6:45a
End Time: 8:45a
Air Temp: 74F at trip’s start, climbing to 94F for the day’s high
Water Temp: 83F
Wind: Light NE breeze blew for the entirety of the trip at about 5-7 mph.
Skies: A heavy cloud bank in the E. obscured sunrise and direct sun until around 7:45a.
Report:
Well, it’s my father-in-law’s 70th birthday today, so I only had the wee hours of the morning to spend on the water before preparations for the festivities began. I took a short but productive solo trip, and stayed close to home on the mid part of Stillhouse this morning.
There was a NE breeze this morning, uncharacteristic for this time of year. I was hoping to find some topwater action other than where I’ve been fishing lately, if for no other reason than to have a fall-back plan whenever that dries up.
Either the NE breeze squelched any very aggressive topwater activity where I searched today, or there was none to be found. Regardless, I gave the Carolina Rig rod a workout looking for some quality largemouth between Areas 56 and 126, and listened and watched for topwater action to start, but none ever materialized. I witnessed the typical gar action on top prior to the direct sun striking the surface of the water, but there was only occasional feeding by gamefish, and that by very small largemouth. At the 22-25 foot breakline, there was abundant shad, all ¾” to 1″ in size, but in great schools. While in this area, I took 1 drum on a Carolina Rig, 4 largemouth on a Cork Rig, and 1 white bass on a smoking retrieve with a slab. By 7:45a, I didn’t believe things were going to improve, so I moved on.
I next headed to Area 149 and as I idled in, things looked promising on sonar. Fish were numerous and tight to bottom at the top of this feature in 25 feet, and were suspended off the SE side of the feature, right at the 25 foot level. I got a slab down as quickly as I could and came up with 3 white bass, followed by a 17.5 inch largemouth, then an 18.0 inch largemouth, then 8 more average schoolie-sized largemouth (13-14 inches), and ending with yet another white bass, all on a smoked slab. Hoping there were still some beefy largemouth in the mix, I tried the Carolina Rig again, and got the best fish of the morning, an 18.5 inch black on my 3rd and final cast with it, going from deep to shallow.
It was now 8:45am and time to head back in.
TALLY = 21 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
