Stillhouse Hollow Fishing Guide Report – 18 April 2009 – 149 Fish






I fished today with returning guests Jason and Melissa G., and their friends, Dian R. and Mike H., all from the Dallas area. Weather was a big concern on this trip as the rain and thunderstorms that moved in around 5am the day before didn’t break up and move out until around 10am today. For this reason, we did a “split trip” meaning we fished what remained of the morning bite after it was safe to get on the water, and then met again in the evening right at 6p, and fished the evening bite leaving the bright, windless mid-day hours alone.

Dian, Jason, Melissa and Mike with a sample of their morning catch. 149 fish were caught this day.


Start Time: 10:00a and again at 6:00p


End Time: 1:30p and again at dark at 8:10p

Air Temp: 61F at trip’s start (AM); 74F at trip’s start (PM).


Water Surface Temp: ~66F (AM); 70.5F (PM)

Wind: Winds were NE at 3-4 after the storms cleared but went flat calm by 11:30; afternoon winds were just puffing from the SE.

Skies: Skies were 100% in the morning, with afternoon clearing.

Environmental Note: We experienced 2.75 inches of rainfall from 5a on 17 April through 10a on 18 April.

When all was said and done today, we wound up taking fish from three general areas.

In the morning we found fish at between Area 143 and 54 in 24 to 25 feet of water, and again at Area 314 in 26-30 feet of water. At both areas we found fish both on bottom and suspended. The suspended fish were found from 12′ deep to the bottom. Just about any retrieve we tried took fish when they were spread through the water column including jigging, a lift-drop retrieve, and a smoking retrieve. Occasional, brief surface activity could be seen, but only 2-3 fish or so would be involved. Once the wind died and the sun brightened through the clouds, this bite was over.

In the evening we returned to between Area 143 and 54 right around 6:20 and did well there for about 30 minutes, then things went quiet. By this time the sun was getting low and some occasional, brief topwater feeding, again only involving several fish at a time, broke out, as did some feeding by terns. This was enough to signal to us where the fish were, and we were able to get on top of them and stay on them until dark, at and around Area 419. Dian and I caught fish consistently using a vertical presentation, and Jayson, Mike and Melissa used a sub-surface retrieve to target the topwater action.

Today’s catch consisted of mainly white bass right around the 11 3/4 inch mark, with 3 crappie, 3 drum, and a dozen or more largemouth on both sides of the legal 14″ mark.

TALLY = 149 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








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