[Longhorn314]

I like the way Stillhouse is fishing so went back. Fished all different water today. First cast around 9:20 (forgot to look) and it didn't take long to get a good chunk on the 2.8 Keitech. I got many, many grabs that I assumed to be crappie. Didn't really have any crappie stuff with me. I kept getting so many hits that I made a stinger hook with fluorocarbon leader and a #4 mosquito hook and put it on the 2.8. I swear they can see that and I stopped getting the crappie hits. The smallest bait I had was a little hand poured shad that I make. Put it on a 1/8 oz jig head and had it ready to throw when I got a grab on the 2.8. Fishing back in a pocket and had a grab so threw the shad in and caught the biggest bass of my day (second photo). I was puzzled then. Maybe some of those grabs were finicky bass? Decided to try the Baby Z Too and caught a fish in a short time. That kept working. There was definitely a pattern of fish on points. Main lake as well as any little protrusion in a creek. In the afternoon I went looking for some new water. The wind had really picked up. Caught a few fish on the 2.8 in a pretty flat bay. Don't know if they were feeding or spawning. Kept the 2.8 going because that's all I could throw in the wind and kept catching. Went to two new areas late in the day and caught fish on both, but the fish were all on points. Not rocket science. There were a lot of boats today. Called last cast at 5:14. Clicked 22 on the day. Quality was way up. No giants but so many hard pulling fish. I couldn't keep count of which bait was best. Maybe a slight edge to the Z Too, but only slight. They were hammering the 2.8 late in the day. Looking back the Z Too worked best in calm and sunny conditions and the 2.8 in windy and cloudy. Water was 63º-66º.

 

[daleche21]

Awesome! You have been doing great out there, I fished from bank for a few hours the other day at stillhouse and caught 5 on a fluke. Heading out tomorrow in the boat, hopefully it is a good day

 

[Jeremy]

Your detailed analysis is thought provoking. I need to work on fine tuning my presentation so I can hopefully catch as many fish as you do. Thanks for the pics of lures. Looks like you’ve been fine tuning your selfie pics, or is it just the bigger Stillhouse fish.

I notice you color only the bottom half of the paddletail. Do you use a pen?

 

[Longhorn314]

The quality was really good yesterday. I use a pen, it is much more convenient than a bottle for me.

 

[Liebersdad]

jig head plastics seem to work for you really well no matter what lake. do you have trouble getting them through grass or do you work around it rather than through it?

 

[Longhorn314]

I guess they work because I have confidence in them and throw them most of the time. Below are the jig heads I make. The standard 90º line tie on the left. On the right are what I call "grass heads". Last year the stringy grass at Georgetown gave me issues with the 90º heads so I made the heads with a more forward line tie and they work great. They also come through wood better. There's no avoiding the grass at Stillhouse

 

[Liebersdad]

Sincerely appreciate the info and all the intel you provide. its great insight to those of us who aren't as devoted to putting in the effort. think of me as the guy who sat next to you in geometry and always checked your paper before putting down an answer!

 

[Longhorn314]

These heads work really well also. I get the 1/0 hook.