9 1/4 Pound Largemouth!! SKIFF Trip # 16 for the 2010 Season






S.K.I.F.F. (Soldiers’ Kids Involved in Fishing Fun) exists to take the children of deployed and deceased soldiers on professionally guided fishing trips at no charge to the family. These trips are provided through my guide service, Holding the Line Guide Service, with funds generated by the Austin Fly Fishers, and with the support of businesses and individuals from all over the U.S.

Below is my report to these people…

Saturday, 11 December, 2011


Dear Friends of S.K.I.F.F.,

This morning I welcomed aboard two 4th grade boys, Chris Grainger and Bryan Masteller. Chris is the son of Jenny and Specialist Daniel Grainger of Killeen, TX. Bryan is the son of Dusty and Sergeant Sean Masteller of Belton, TX. SPC Grainger is currently serving in Afghanistan with C Company, 4-4 Attack Reconnaisance Brigade. SGT Masteller is currently serving in Afghanistan as a crew chief with 2/4 Aviation.

Chris Grainger and his 9.25 pound largemouth bass taken on a white and chartreuse TNT180 3/4 oz. jigging spoon.

Bryan Masteller with our two largest white bass taken today.

I had a real good feeling about today’s trip as we were due for a wind shift around late morning in advance of our next cold front.

As we launched around 7:40, we had slack wind conditions and no bird activity. We tried to make something happen by vertical jigging in a few areas, but had no takers, so, we changed tactics and headed to Area 703 where we flatline trolled using crankbaits until the wind kicked in and got the fish stirred up. We identified one specific area along our trolling circuit that was particularly productive and it was from that patch of water that we landed 11 of the 12 fish we boated in this area. Our first fish was a barely legal largemouth bass, and the other 11 were all beefy white bass.

At 9:45, the winds went from near calm to suddenly gusty from the WNW at 10-12, increasing and transitioning to NW14 over the next 30 minutes. At this time we left the flatline trolling behind (the boys were ready for something new by now, anyway) and went to search out open water for schooled, aggressive white bass.

We combed over a few areas with sonar and finally picked up solid sonar readings at Area 702.

By now, we’d just spent about 2 hours working to boat 12 fish — following the wind shift, we boated 36 more fish in our final 65 minutes on this area!! Wind and fronts do matter!!

While here, we began vertical jigging and quickly drew fish in from around us and drew fish up off the bottom. This then allowed for a “smoking” retrieve for the now aggressively feeding fish. As I used my “clicker” device to keep an accurate tally of our fish, I commented to the boys when we hit the 40 fish mark. It was then that Bryan let me know he was getting cold (as the wind chill factor was rising as the temperature was falling). Chris, on the other hand, was still ready for more. I struck a compromise that Chris and I would try to boat 10 more fish if Bryan could hang tough for a few more minutes, then we’d head back in. Well, Chris and I landed #41 through #47 and then it happened…Chris had just dropped his slab to bottom and had gotten it properly adjusted when a large fish inhaled his bait. His rod slammed down toward the water and the line started to sing off the spool of his spinning reel. I actually used the trolling motor to follow after the fish both to help Chris gain line and ease the pressure on the tackle system. After what seemed like an eternity I saw a large, light green form become visible just beneath the surface. It was a monster of a largemouth bass. I continued to calmly coach Chris so we didn’t make any mistakes here in the final moments of the battle. Chris did all I asked him to do and for his attention to detail, he was rewarded with the capture of a 9.25 pound, 25.50 inch long largemouth bass!! To add to the drama, no sooner did the fish come to rest in the net than the hook came out of the fish’s mouth, lodging just briefly in his doral fin, then pulled out of that and came to rest in the bottom of the net!

This bass (weighed on a certified scale) breaks both the “kept” and the “catch and release” records for Junior Anglers on Stillhouse. We photographed and immediately released this fish to ensure its survival.

Well, after all this hoop-la for this bass, Bryan was now thoroughly chilled and ready to head to the dock, so, we called it quits at fish #48 and headed on in where I was able to snap a few shots of the boys with our 4 nicest white bass and even include Mrs. Masteller in one of the photos.

From this point on, weather will determine whether I’m able to run any more trips for the 2010 season. Currently we’ve put 34 children on the water this year (versus 28 the first year) and I’m planning on shooting for 50 trips for 100 children in 2011.

Thank you all so very much for your support, whether you’ve donated money or equipment as an individual or corporation, sent a note of encouragement, offered discounts on your products, or helped raise funds, I can tell you that beyond providing a memory of a lifetime for kids, this really means a lot to the deployed spouses AND the spouses here state-side.


Sincerely,


Bob Maindelle

TODAY’S CONDITIONS:

Start Time: 7:30a

End Time: 11:30a

Air Temp: 58F at trip’s start.

Water Surface Temp: ~56.7F

Wind: Winds were slack at sunrise, starting suddenly at 9:45 from WNW10-12,increasing to NW14 for the remainder of the trip.

Skies: Skies were fair.