Texas Rig Fishing on Stillhouse Hollow Lake
Stillhouse Hollow Lake · Texas · South Central
This US Army Corps of Engineers impoundment near Killeen is known for its deep, clear water and diverse cover, including standing timber, rock bluffs, and dense hydrilla beds. Anglers encounter both robust largemouth and a respectable population of smallmouth bass throughout the year.
A bullet sinker slides freely on the line ahead of a wide-gap hook with a weedless-rigged soft plastic. The rig is completely snag-resistant, making it the go-to choice for grass, timber, and heavy cover. Works with virtually any soft plastic — worms, craws, creatures, lizards.
Texas Rig Setup for Stillhouse Hollow Lake
| Rod | 7'–7'3" medium-heavy casting rod, fast action |
| Reel | 7.1:1 or faster baitcaster |
| Line | 15–20 lb fluorocarbon or 30–50 lb braid in heavy cover |
| Weight | 3/16–1/2 oz tungsten bullet weight (peg it in heavy cover) |
| Hook | 3/0–5/0 EWG wide gap hook sized to plastic |
Seasonal Tactics on Stillhouse Hollow Lake
Lake: Largemouth move to shallower hydrilla beds and creek arm pockets for spawning, with consistent bites on soft plastics like a Zoom Trick Worm and shallow crankbaits.
Texas Rig: Slow drag through spawning flats and around beds. Lizards and creature baits in crawfish colors.
Lake: Bass migrate to deep hydrilla edges, main lake points, and standing timber, often requiring deep jigging spoons, dropshots, and Carolina rigs in 20-35 feet.
Texas Rig: Pitch into shade — docks, mats, and laydowns. Pegged weight for matted grass punching.
Lake: As water temperatures cool, bass school up on threadfin and gizzard shad, moving into creek channels and flats, creating opportunities for topwater and reaction baits.
Texas Rig: Cover water quickly on points and along weed lines. Faster retrieve with a reaction element.
Lake: Fish concentrate on deep main lake humps, bluff walls, and the lower ends of creek channels, responding to slow-rolled umbrella rigs, suspending jerkbaits, and football jigs in 30-50 feet.
Texas Rig: Slow drag on deep structure, 15–30 feet. Finesse Texas rig with 1/4 oz and 6" worm.
Best Conditions
Heavy cover — grass, timber, laydowns, docks; murky to stained water; any season; pre-spawn and post-spawn periods
Peg the weight with a rubber toothpick when fishing grass. A sliding weight catches weeds; a pegged weight punches through clean.
More Techniques for Stillhouse Hollow Lake
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