Large, Deep Schools were the Rule Today, 60 Fish, 16 Feb. 2012, Austin Fishing Guide Report






In advance of several trips this upcoming long weekend, I got out and scouted around a bit this morning with very good results on Stillhouse.


All but the fish taken around sunrise today were taken in deep water, some in as much as 46 feet. Here you see a tightly grouped school of white bass. These fish were holding just off to the side of a shallower hump.



These fish were among the most aggressive of all the fish I found today. When white bass appear 6-9 inches off of the bottom in a linear formation, they are “hot to trot”!

These fish were the deepest I found today. Most were suspended, although there were a few bottom-huggers here, too. I used a smoking tactic to convince these suspended fish to strike.

As always on scouting days, the object is not to catch a bunch of fish, but to find areas where fish can be caught so I can return their with clients and make them successful.

I launched this morning right around (obscured) sunrise and decided to fish shallow early. I found a few tentative terns working over an expansive area, mostly searching and occasionally feeding. I honed in on one trough-like area between Areas 055 and 995 that the birds seemed drawn to and did find a lot of bait there, with a few gamefish sprinked in. These fish were suspended and moving in 12-16 feet of water and were finicky. I caught my first on flatlining with a Rip Shad 200 as I probed the area. Once I marked fish I worked with a 3/8 oz. chartreuse slab to put 4 more fish in the boat before continuing my search.

My search put me in deeper waters today as follows, enjoying solid success at each area …

Area 074 – caught 5 and moved

Area 1034 – caught 5 and moved

Area 1030 – caught 10 and moved

Area 948 – caught 5 and moved

Area 935 – caught 5 and moved

Area 1036 – caught 20 and moved (used a slow “smoking” technique on the last 10 as an experiment)

Area 1038 – caught 5 and wrapped up

Having a solid handful of areas where the fish demonstrate recent activity is a confidence builder and helps me keep my clients on fish for the majority of the time spent on the water — this is especially important when kids or youth are aboard.

TALLY = 60 FISH all caught and released

back to home page

Start Time: 7:15a

End Time: 1:15p

Air Temp: 53F at trip’s start.

Water Surface Temp: 56.6F.

Wind: Winds were NW6.

Skies: Skies were grey and 100% cloudy the entire trip.








Leave a Reply