Just a scouting trip this morning on Stillhouse since I fished Belton last week and have been away from Stillhouse for a bit. During this change of seasons, fish do not do the same thing too many days in a row, so you have got to stay on top of things.

Start Time: 6:45a

End Time: 11:45a

Air Temp: 60F at trip%u219s start, warming to the low 70’s by day’s end

Water Temp: 67.1F

Wind: Winds were steady from the ESE at ~12 the entire trip with occasional gusts to 15.

Skies: Skies were heavily overcast and leaden grey the entire trip with a drizzle falling on occasion.

Environmental Notes: Saw 3 ospreys and 3 herring gulls today (was hoping for more birds — maybe we’ll get them with the cold front due later in the week). Also noted that most of the shad I graphed on sonar was up in the upper half of the water column today.

Fishing was predictably difficult today. Whenever we get a soggy east wind in advance of a rain event, fishing really slows down and today was no exception.

I graphed many areas today and fished several that I graphed.

I got a drum on a blade bait early at Area 110.

I got a small channel cat on a slab at Area 121.

I got 3 white bass and 2 largemouth suspended over 45 feet of water a few yards to the NE of Area 186.

I got 1 drum on live shad on bottom at Area 122.

The only consistent success came late in the trip at Area 306. This is not an area I fish all that often, but I saw some very minor bird activity (which was more than was happening anywhere else), so I idled in and around this area, noted a minor breakline with some bait and fish on it, and witnessed a few fish chasing shad to the surface (looked like small white bass), so I knew the potential was there. I dropped a live shad down on an unattended rod and vertically jigged with a slab. Both did well, although the fish stayed truly active for only about 20 minutes, and then, although still present, became very sluggish. I managed 16 fish here including 3 black bass to 3 pounds, 4 drum, and 9 white bass, all fairly skinny 11 inch fish.

TALLY = 24 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