Quick Report

[LrgmouthShad]

Hey y'all,

 

I figured I would throw up a quick report on a couple trips I took to Stillhouse this past week. Hadn't been on the lake in over a month and the change in the lake was a little shocking. Lake came up over 3ft, pretty murky water downlake, still clear up by the dam. Most bait is deeper and water temps just under 70. Lipless and spinnerbait have not produced well. I have one small fish to show for between the two trips, each trip 2hr. For me, I am still trying to figure out what happened to the lake and where the fish are positioned. Good news is that I know shad are really really plentiful off the marina launch and water clarity is better over that way so I have a starting point. I should be able to do a couple more of these quick trips. I'm currently working night shifts but I can squeeze in some fishing during the day.

 

Any advice certainly welcome. This is a hydrilla lake

[txchaser]

I've had my best results in 1-3 FOW the last two weekends after the crazy rains, which is definitely not my comfy place. Moving baits in both cases. Keitech/underspin in a lake-specific color on one lake, and a bretts bluegill (gold blade) chatterbait on another. 

Oh and a couple here and there at 10' deep in 15-20fow on cranks or jerkbaits. But the bigger fish were definitely shallow. 

Fish were way way picky, but the ones up shallow were warming up and getting a snack. Water temps dropped 7-10 degrees.

[LrgmouthShad]

@txchaser thank you for your advice. We have turnover occurring currently. I did take an additional trip in the dark after night shifts ended and tried many different things. I found fish concentrated in one area - getting four bites quickly but only landing one smallish one. I did learn something from that trip though.

 

Slightly cooler weather started today after a brief warm period. This will continue for approximately five days. I will fish at least one time this weekend during light hours and I am going to change my whole approach. I'll revive some old baits and change the areas I'm targeting. If I am struggling to get bites, I will go to that 1-3 fow range or look for cleaner water.

[T-Billy]

Rising water means shallow cover for me. Often REALLY shallow, and while I don't wanna be in muddy water, I do prefer stained over clear.

[LrgmouthShad]

@T-Billy water is now once again slowly falling. 

[T-Billy]

If it's just started coming down, that will position them more to the outside edges of that same shallow cover, and in isolated pieces of cover that's just a bit deeper IME.

[LrgmouthShad]

@T-Billy thank you. I did some more thinking and I’m going to do a deliberate recon of an area that I may want to fish. Got off work early today so looking to do the recon shortly to set me up for fishing soon. 
 

I have a strong feeling they will be there but I want to make sure

[T-Billy]

Good luck brother. Looking forward to your pics of those Texas Hawgs!!!

[LrgmouthShad]

@T-Billy extremely good thing I did the recon. The park I wanted to launch from is closed 🤬. That’s really not good for a kayak fisherman like me. I’m down to 2/4 launches

[T-Billy]

That sucks. Sorry to hear. I know how ya feel. My local lakes are flood control reservoirs that get drawn down every year. I lose access on my #2 lake some years depending on how far they draw it down. 

[LrgmouthShad]

@T-Billy I’m gonna run and fish the same spot, but it’s going to be a disgustingly long pedal and now I’ve lost my recon. I don’t care to recon past dark. 
 

At least I know what’s up 

[LrgmouthShad]

I ran to the spot, graphed plenty of bass and plenty of activity all day. I tried a lot of different baits. I tried super shallow out to 25ft+. I was patient and really thought I was gonna get a fish to bite. Nothing. It's the most mind-boggling day of fishing I've had.

 

I'm going to blame it on the weather. Another cold front rolled through and winds shifted from the North. I guess these Florida / Lone Star strain bass really do not like cold fronts.

 

The way fish were positioned, things looked more like winter than fall patterns. If I could go back in time, I'd focus more on the 25ft+ zone and throw jerkbaits. May be surprising, but Stillhouse as a rule fishes deep. 

 

I did learn some things!

[Pat Brown]

Yesterday a lot of fish had pulled off the bank but it was a post frontal day.  I got a feeling it's gonna be a little while before they settle down here in NC because surface temps are still 57-60° in most of the lake.  We did find a small shallow bite around 1:30 pm when the sun was up really nice and wind went from 15 mph to 7 mph.  It was a tough day up shallow for sure.

[Functional]

11 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Yesterday a lot of fish had pulled off the bank but it was a post frontal day.  I got a feeling it's gonna be a little while before they settle down here in NC because surface temps are still 57-60° in most of the lake.  We did find a small shallow bite around 1:30 pm when the sun was up really nice and wind went from 15 mph to 7 mph.  It was a tough day up shallow for sure.

Its been tough in NC lately. Both my lakes have drawn down where I'm not sure I can launch on my home lake and the other is sketchy at best. Unless I drive out to Raleigh I've got nothing worth going to!

[LrgmouthShad]

Work and chores have been catching up and I’ve not been on the water since. I think things will stabilize when we get through turnover and the cold fronts stop 

[txchaser]

On 11/11/2023 at 11:32 AM, LrgmouthShad said:

I ran to the spot, graphed plenty of bass and plenty of activity all day. I tried a lot of different baits. I tried super shallow out to 25ft+. I was patient and really thought I was gonna get a fish to bite. Nothing. It's the most mind-boggling day of fishing I've had.

 

I'm going to blame it on the weather. Another cold front rolled through and winds shifted from the North. I guess these Florida / Lone Star strain bass really do not like cold fronts.

 

The way fish were positioned, things looked more like winter than fall patterns. If I could go back in time, I'd focus more on the 25ft+ zone and throw jerkbaits. May be surprising, but Stillhouse as a rule fishes deep. 

 

I did learn some things!

It almost feels like they haven't really pulled up for fall yet? Last time I graphed shad they were in 15-20fow. 

Didn't see any shad. Water temps were 64 on Saturday. Almost every fish I caught was in what I'd call 'nearby deep water'. 

+1 jerkbait was the winner by far for numbers. Sometimes 10 secs of pause. Flatside (slow, pauses) and t-rig showed well too. 

[LrgmouthShad]

11 minutes ago, txchaser said:

It almost feels like they haven't really pulled up for fall yet? Last time I graphed shad they were in 15-20fow. 

Didn't see any shad. Water temps were 64 on Saturday. Almost every fish I caught was in what I'd call 'nearby deep water'. 

+1 jerkbait was the winner by far for numbers. Sometimes 10 secs of pause. Flatside (slow, pauses) and t-rig showed well too. 

Nice! September before I left TX, a population of fish pulled up. Some stayed deeper. Missing October entirely has not been beneficial for me to keep track of these fish. Some of the spots I found that were good in the summer are merely seasonal.