Sand Bass Fishing in Texas Archives - Holding the Line Guide Service

Spending Time Together While They Can – 43 Fish

CLIENTS: This morning, Friday, September 18, I fished with a father and son team, welcoming aboard Ryan Van Wie and his eight-year-old son, Matthew. Ryan is a fellow West Point graduate and is about to take command of a Cavalry battalion on Fort Hood. Command assignments are very demanding, and Ryan knows he needs to…

Fishing from a S.K.I.F.F. – 45 Fish

CLIENTS: This evening, Wednesday, September 16, I fished the 16th SKIFF trip of the 2026 season. Joining me was nine-year-old Paisley Keep-Barnes, accompanied by her mother, Zienna. Paisley‘s father, Eli Keep-Barnes, is a disabled veteran who served 12 years in the U.S. Army in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD). The family became aware of the SKIFF…

Mixed Bag for a Newly-Minted 10-Year-Old – 35 Fish

CLIENTS: This morning, Tuesday, September 15, I ran a “Kids Fish, Too!“ trip for newly-minted 10 year-old Adam Balagia who celebrated his birthday this past Sunday, September 13. Accompanying Adam on this trip was his mom, Katie Balagia, and his grandfather, Mark Keele. The trio drove in from the Cedar Park area for a 6:45…

Earnest Efforts – 51 Fish

CLIENTS: This morning, Friday, September 4, I fished with a very nice family from the Round Rock area. Jay and Dawn Anderson contacted me early in the week to see if they could put together a birthday fishing trip for their son, Westin, who will turn 11 on September 7. I was a bit reluctant…

Anglers from England – 54 Fish

CLIENTS: This morning, Thursday, September 3, I fished with a group of six – Mr. Rick Burns organized everything for his adult son, Blake, Blake’s three sons, Callum, Charlie, and Taylor, and those three boys’, cousin, Tyler Dalziel. Blake and his three sons are in visiting from England before their public school begins there this…

This, the First Fishing Trip of His Life – 35 Fish

CLIENTS: This afternoon, Tuesday, September 1, I conducted the 15th SKIFF trip of the 2026 season treating five-year-old Oliver O’Neal to his very first fishing trip. Helping me help Oliver be successful was Oliver‘s grandfather, Troy O’Neal, with whom Oliver resides. Troy served in both the US Army and in the US Navy and retired…

Making the Most of What You’ve Got – 48 Fish

CLIENTS: This evening, Friday, August 28, I fished on Lake Belton with a family from Salado. Nessa and Jake Sinclair, and Kevin Clark met me at lakeside at 4:15 PM for a four-hour trip targeting catfish, then white bass. Jake, age 12, has a 17 year-old brother, Joshua, who was also supposed to join us,…

Dad Helped Me Help Them Be Successful – 95 Fish

CLIENTS: This morning, Wednesday, August 26, I fished a “Kids Fish, Too!“ trip for the five- and seven-year-old sons of Ethan Jahns. This trip was in celebration of five year-old Jake Jahns’ birthday, and riding on his coattails was his older brother, Graham. As with most children’s trips, dad was there to help me help…

Deep Dive: The Chap Behind the App – 45 Fish

CLIENTS: This morning I welcomed aboard the co-founder of the Deep Dive fishing app, Braden Jenkins. Along with his co-founder, Jeremiah Howell, Braden brought this app to the market in April of 2025. Among other things, the app can provide anglers with past, present, and future data on a lake-specific basis on water clarity, wind…

Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News – 60 Fish

CLIENTS: This morning, Wednesday, August 19, I fished with a crew of three – all first timers with me. Aboard was the father and son team of Kevin and Keaton Altom, originally from the Springfield, Missouri region, and also joining me was a coworker of Keaton‘s spouse– Taylor Williams, originally from the Houston area. Kevin…