WHO I FISHED WITH: This past Friday morning, March 8th, I fished with a crew of 6 members of the Wounded Warrior Project. This was the second such trip I’ve had the pleasure of conducting this year.
Joining me this morning for a half-day of chasing white bass were Hector Cuellar, Eric Haines, Brian Hammonds, Matt Hinds, and Frankie Silverio, all current or former members of the U.S. Army, and Kristin Taddeo, a Gold Star family member on WWP’s staff.
ABOVE: The six participants from this past Friday’s WWP fishing trip: (back row, from left) Brian Hammonds, Eric Haines, Matt Hinds, (front row, from left) Frankie Silverio, Kristin Taddeo, and Hector Cuellar.
WHAT WE FISHED FOR: This trip was a multi-species fishing trip focused on white bass.
WHERE WE FISHED: Stillhouse Hollow
WHEN WE FISHED: Friday, 08 Mar., 2019
HOW WE FISHED: Snap-jigging was the go-to method this morning as the water temperature, which recently dropped due to a 3-day cold snap, was still in the low 50’s. Hence, the fish were very sluggish and not willing to move very far nor very fast to get to a bait. We got into fish right away under birds, but, as has been the case lately, the birds seem focused on the relatively few fish which have moved up shallow and are feeding in 25 feet of water or less. Following and focusing fishing efforts on these birds has led to scant results. Additionally, the fish I have witnessed these birds grabbing off the surface have been sunfish, not shad. So, after seeing this play out, we looked for and found fish in deeper water (40-50’). These fish, although not any more active, were definitely more heavily schooled up, thus allowing for long stretches of catching without having to move and reignite a bite. Our third hour on the water was our most productive as the wind rose and the sun brightened the still-grey skies to “squint-level brightness”. During this time we encountered a single instance of fish willing to chase slowly smoked baits up off bottom after finding them postured from bottom up to 5-6 feet up off bottom.
Both methods involved the use of white, 3/8 oz. Hazy Eye Slabs with Hazy Eye Stinger Hooks.
OBSERVATIONS: We seem to be right on the cusp of the normally very productive spring fishing. There are currently no days on the extended forecast during which day or night temperatures are due to fall below the temperature of the water, thus, a net warming will take place over this time.
TALLY: 76 fish caught and released
TODAY’S CONDITIONS/NOTES:
Start Time: 7:00a
End Time: 11:30a
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 68F
Elevation: 0.3 feet high, with a 0.05 foot drop over the last 24 hours
Water Surface Temp: 52.8-53.1
Wind Speed & Direction: Winds were SSW10-12 the entire trip
Sky Conditions: Light grey skies with 100% coverage and no direct sun showing through for the entirety of the trip.
GT = 0
#WhiteBassFishing #LakeBelton #StillhouseHollow
Wx SNAPSHOT:
AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:
**Area vic SH0072C
**Area vic 1711/557
**Area vic 1895 (4 short hops)
Bob Maindelle
Full-time, Professional Fishing Guide and Owner of Holding the Line Guide Service
Belton Lake Fishing Guide, Stillhouse Hollow Fishing Guide
254.368.7411 (call or text)
Website: www.HoldingTheLineGuideService.com
E-mail: Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bobmaindelle
Twitter: www/twitter.com/bobmaindelle