CLIENTS: This morning, Thursday, 02 Oct., I fished with returning guests Joshua Goodnight and Frank Ruiz.  Both have fished with me several times previously, and both had prior experience using the MAL Lure, which we relied on heavily today.

This unbroken string of bright, calm, warm days has simply prevented more seasonable fall weather from working its magic to cool the water and ignite the autumn bite.  We faced tough fishing once again.

 

TODAY’S DATE: Thursday, 02 October 2025 (AM)

NEXT OPEN DATE FOR FISHING: Monday, 06 October 2025 (AM)

 

 

PHOTO CAPTION:  From left: Long-time friends and fellow Salado High School graduates Frank Ruiz and Joshua Goodnight worked through very tough conditions to land 15 fish as summer just refuses to capitulate to autumn and our water temperatures are still in the 80s.

FIND CORK RIGS, SANDY SANDWICHES & OTHER WHITE BASS/HYBRID LURES HERE: https://whitebasstools.com/

WHERE WE FISHED: Stillhouse Hollow

SUMMARY OF HOW WE FISHED:

This morning started with a bang, but, that bang quickly faded, just as was the case on Stillhouse this past Saturday.

We caught the majority of our fish in the first 45 minutes under low-light conditions just before, during, and after sunrise.  After the sun rose, the light SE wind which was rippling the surface stopped, and the sun burned brightly in the cloudless sky.

About the only thing really going on was topwater schooling activity by “schoolie” largemouth bass, most at or under a pound.  These fish were hunting pods of threadfin shad in small groups, occasionally giving away their location by erupting on the surface as they chased.  The key is very fast, very accurate casting with something resembling these small shad — nothing big or flashy.

Word has gotten out about this largemouth fishery — I counted 14 boats on a Thursday morning — each sight-casting to these small largemouth.   Fortunately, everyone was well-behaved and kept their distance from one another and eased away from the action without throwing a wake whenever they moved on.

We repeatedly observed fish (which were not all that difficult to find) simply ignore our presentations or just half-heartedly respond to the smoking tactic we employed.  Unfortunately, these fish were not spread horizontally over spans of bottom to allow a horizontal presentation to be effective.

We simply need fall to progress — to get a few more cold fronts and some weather changes to overcome this inertia we’ve been in since August.  For me, it can’t come soon enough.

When all was said and done, Joshua and Frank caught and released 13 white bass, 1 largemouth bass, and 1 channel catfish.

 

OBSERVATIONS: Stillhouse is 0.04′ low with a 0.02 fall in the last 24 hours with USACE releasing 1 CFS.

 

 

LATEST WATER TEMPERATURE PROFILE:  Taken on Stillhouse Hollow around 6:35AM, Thursday, 02 October …

WEATHER DATA:

Start Time: 6:55A

End Time: 11:05A

Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 64F

Elevation: Stillhouse is 0.04′ low with a 0.02 fall in the last 24 hours with USACE releasing 1 CFS

Water Surface Temp: 81.3F on the surface.

Wind Speed & Direction:  SE4 before sunrise, then dying and staying calm all morning

Sky Condition: Continued clear, bright blue skies

Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous moon at 77% illumination.

GT =35

 

Wx SNAPSHOT: 

 

 

AREAS FISHED WITH MOST SUCCESS:

 

Area vic 1976 was the only area which produced with any consistency — 10 of 16 fish taken on smoked MAL Heavy Lures

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

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