Nov

2025 Fishing Trips Reports

11/19/25 Chartered White Bass Fishing Trip

Four fishermen, had a good day with Bob Maindelle of Holding the Line Guide Service on Lake Belton. The group caught 88 fish, including 86 white bass and two hybrid bass, all caught on his Maindelle All-purpose Lure (MAL) (Dense version) with chartreuse tails and silver blades.

Monalisa Almanza led the way with 30 white bass. Her son, Luis, wasn’t far behind with 26. Randy Rowley caught an around 20″ hybrid bass and Chris Rowley caught an under 18″ hybrid bass.

The group’s fishing was hampered by the weather. It was very overcast for most of the morning with little wind (they bite much better on sunny and windy days).

10/26/25 Self-chartered Kayak Freshwater Fishing Trip

Two participants had a good morning at the DeLoach Ranch’s lake near Taylor, in a heavy fog, the morning after a heavy rain.

Randy Rowley caught seven bass – three on a 1/2 oz. Lunkerhunt Impact Ignite double willow leaf spinnerbait in ghost color with a 3″ Keitech swimbait trailer in shad color, three on a 1/2 oz. Yo Zuri 3DB lipless crankbait in prism ghost shad color, and one on a 6th Sense 4.4″ Divine swimbait in pro shad color on a 3/8 oz. Bass Pro Shops jighead in shad color. He had one take his Lunkerhunt frog under the water but he missed it. That was his only frog hit. He also had two get off his spinnerbait and one get off his lipless crankbait. He kept three bass.

Jeff Morris caught six bass – five on a 1/2 oz. Booyah Counter Strike spinnerbait in silver color with a 3.5″ Rapala Crush City Mooch Minnow in sexy shad color and one on a 6th Sense 4.4″ Divine swimbait in bluegill fire color on a 3/8 oz. 6th Sense Axle Underspin jighead in baby shad color. He had one hit his Berkley Choppo propeller bait but it didn’t get hooked. He kept four bass.

They couldn’t buy a worm bite. Nor was there any interest in Randy’s buzz bait or dog walker. There was no activity by the dam.

10/5/25 Chartered Crappie Fishing Trip

Jim McGee, John Pickens, and first-time guest Rick Henson had a good time with guide Tommy Tidwell on Lake Granger. Between them, they caught 20 keeper crappie.

Tommy cleaned the fish, and they all left with a bag each of fillets.

9/7/25 Self-chartered Kayak Freshwater Fishing Trip

Two participants had a good morning at the Deloach Ranch’s around 35-acre lake near Taylor. Randy Rowley caught six bass (only one was a keeper; one on a frog and five were on a dog walker) and Chris Rowley caught her first bass on a frog (a keeper)! They had several other frog hits. Most were swipes/misses, but at least four took their frogs under water.

For once this year it wasn’t hot, but the north wind made staying in position challenging and cut their trip short.

8/27/25 Self-chartered Kayak Freshwater Fishing Trip

Two participants had a slow day on Lake Decker. Jim McGee led the way with two 15 1/2″ bass caught on a PET Spoon under a popping cork and a big perch caught on a Roadrunner. He also lost a bass that was hooked on the PET spoon on the way back to Bluey, Randy Rowley’s spare kayak.

Randy caught a 14 1/4″ bass on a Evergreen Showerblows 105 dog walker. He also lost one that was hooked on his dog walker, and had two others miss it.

The schooling bass were very sporadic and most were solo bass. They couldn’t buy a bite, except for Jim’s perch, near the reeds with frogs, Flukes, and worms.

The ramps and docks are in a sad state of repair, as they lower the lake to repair the dam.

Both fishermen agreed that chasing after schoolies in yaks is a lot tougher than chasing them in Cam, Randy’s bay boat (the boat ramp is now closed on Lake Decker).

7/27/25 Self-chartered Kayak Freshwater Fishing Trip

Three participants had a good time at the Deloach Ranch’s around 35-acre reservoir near Taylor, despite the fishing trip turning into Operation Rescue Jon.

The 7/4/25 storm blew Mark DeLoach’s Jon boat around 415 yards to the NW side of the lake. Mark thought that it had sunk, but Randy Rowley found it afloat nestled up against reeds, with around 3″ of rainwater in it.

Jeff Morris towed Randy’s kayak back to the launch area and Randy paddled the Jon boat back to the launch area. They then drug it out of the water using Jeff’s tow strap and Randy’s truck.

Before the operation, Randy caught four bass – three on a Yo-Zuri 3DB Pencil Popper dog walker and one on a Lunkerhunt Prop Frog. He also had a bass hit his Pencil Popper that managed to not get hooked. Before that he had an around 3 – 4 lb. bass come completely out of the water, like a great white shark breaching on a seal, and slam his frog without getting hooked. Then a much smaller one hit it, or took it from the bigger bass, and got hooked. Jeff practiced casting, although he had a bass take his Prop Frog under the water but it got off the hook.

After the operation, Clayton Carrier arrived, and they looked at and discussed duck hunting spots for an hour or so and then called it a day.

It wasn’t as windy as it was on 7/26/25.

Other than a mom and her two kids fishing from the pier, they had the lake to themselves.

7/26/25 Self-chartered Kayak and Pier Freshwater Fishing Trip

Three fishermen had a good time at the Deloach Ranch’s around 35-acre reservoir near Taylor. Jim McGee caught four bass and four perch, all on a Blakemore Roadrunner with a red grub. Monalisa Almanza caught two bass from the pier – one on a Roadrunner with a white grub and one on a dead grasshopper. Randy Rowley practiced casting, although he had a bass take his Lunkerhunt Prop Frog under the water without getting hooked and missed two drop shot worm hits.

Monalisa was going to fish from Mark DeLoach’s Jon boat, but it was nowhere to be seen.

It was windy, which made keeping the kayaks in place challenging.

Other than a man fishing from the pier, they had the lake to themselves.

7/3/25 Self-chartered Kayak and Pier Freshwater Fishing Trip

Four fishermen had a good time at the Deloach Ranch’s around 35-acre reservoir near Taylor. Randy Rowley caught seven bass. Chris Rowley caught two crappie. Monalisa Almanza hooked a bass that had taken her minnow, but it got off the hook. Burl Fulenwider practiced casting.

Burl and Monalisa fished from the pier, as did Chris around half of the time. She fished from her kayak the other half of the time. All of the fish were caught from Blaze and Bluey, the Rowley’s kayaks.

In catch order, Randy caught two of his bass on a bone colored Heddon Super Spook dog walker, two on a Strike King Hybrid Hunter Jr. crankbait in Green Gizzard Shad color, one on a Blakemore Roadrunner with a white Kalin’s 2″ Lunker Grub on it, and two on a drop shot with a 6″ Morning Dawn (red/purple) Roboworm. He had 10 hits on a Green Tea Lunkerhunt Prop Frog, but couldn’t connect. He also missed at least five worm hits and a bass hit his Super Spook and managed to not get hooked.

Chris caught her crappie on a licorice/chartreuse Blakemore Roadrunner with a Bobby Garland Baby Shad SwimR.

It was uncharacteristically calm and there was no one else on the lake. It was also overcast, rained more than half of the morning, and for once wasn’t hot.

6/22/25 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip

Two participants had a good morning on The ‘Strop (Lake Bastrop). Randy Rowley caught a limit (his first in a long time) of under the minimum state legal length bass (which you can keep on Bastrop) – four bass on a clear Heddon Super Spook Jr. and a bass on a 1/2 oz. Yo Zuri 3DB lipless crankbait in prism ghost shad color. Burl Fulenwider caught a 15 3/4″ bass on a white/clear lipless crankbait, and had one come off a Heddon Super Spook and two bass ran off with the Pet Spoons from the popping cork that he was throwing (one due to a bad knot that Randy tied and another due to a bad knot that Burl tied). All fish were caught in the hot water discharge.

Randy’s trolling motor decided that today was a good day to die, so they had to physically anchor in the discharge and drift fished at two other spots. This hampered their fishing options significantly.

6/21/25 Self-chartered Kayak Freshwater Fishing Trip

Four fishermen had a good time at the DeLoach Ranch’s around 35-acre reservoir near Taylor. Kurt DeRuiter caught six bass and a crappie (he caught the bass on a frog, bluegill, crawfish, and three on a white 6″ worm and caught the crappie on a chartreuse and white jig). Kevin McConnell caught six bass on a drop shot watermelon red worm. Randy Rowley caught two bass on a Lunkerhunt Prop Frog and missed four others. Hunter Rowley was skunked.

6/19/25 Self-chartered Freshwater Fishing Trip

Three participants (Jim McGee, Hunter Rowley, and Randy Rowley) were skunked on Lake Buchanan. They went to two spots that Seth Hobbs took them to on the 6/15/25 Chartered Hybrid/Striped Bass Fishing Trip and used Randy’s splasher, but the bass weren’t interested. Randy had a catfish hit his minnow, but it managed to not get hooked. Plus he had another bump later on a different minnow. They saw lots of fish on Randy’s fish finder.

6/15/25 (Father’s Day) Chartered Hybrid/Striped Bass Fishing Trip

10 participants (nine fishermen) had a good time on Lake Buchanan with Seth Hobbs of La Belle Guide Service. They caught 21 keepers (20 hybrids/stripers and Burl Fulenwider caught a blue catfish) and had their usual great time. They fished with live shad (no lures were used). They saw some topwater activity (but didn’t pursue them, as Seth said that they were undersized hybrids. Randy Rowley caught the most fish (four).

Afterwards, six of their number ate brunch at the Crazy Gal Cafe in Burnet. Randy highly recommends meal #5 – a full chicken fried steak, two eggs, hash browns, toast (or a biscuit), and gravy – it’s slap your momma good and the portions are huge!

6/8/25 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip

Three fishermen had a good time on The ‘Strop (Lake Bastrop). The bass were schooling in the hot water discharge again, but they were finicky, again. Randy Rowley, Jim McGee, and Luis Almanza caught one each. Randy and Jim both lost one each (Jim lost his at the boat) and Randy had seven more hits on his dog walker, including his first four casts. Randy caught his bass on a lipless crankbait, Jim caught his bass on a Fluke, and Luis caught his bass on a small swimbait.

They had no success on Whopper Ploppers, a popper, Pet Spoons under popping corks, round bill crankbaits, an Alabama rig, a spoon, and a frog. They only saw two other fishermen catch fish.

5/26/25 Self-chartered Bass Fishing Trip

Four participants had a good time on The ‘Strop (Lake Bastrop). They ran into dozens of schooling bass at the mouth of the hot water discharge. Unfortunately, the bass were finicky. Randy Rowley caught a slot bass on a dog walker and another slot bass on a lipless crankbait. He hooked another bass on the dog walker, but lost the bass at the boat. Chris Rowley hooked two bass on a chatterbait, but lost the bass at the boat. Emily Almanza hooked a bass on a popper, but lost the bass on the way to the boat.

They had no success on Whopper Ploppers, poppers (including Pet Spoons under popping corks), squarebill crankbaits, round bill crankbaits, and swim baits. The guy a boat over said the bass were hitting everything there yesterday, but he only caught two today.

They had to cut the trip short, as a monsoon blew in.

5/24/25 Self-chartered Kayak and Jon Boat Freshwater Fishing Trip

Three members had a good time on the DeLoach Ranch’s around 35-acre reservoir near Taylor. Kurt DeRuiter caught 12 bass and two crappie. Paul Irwin caught 12 bass on Zoom Speed Worms with curly tails in green pumpkin color. Paul Ellis fished from the ranch owner’s Jon boat. He caught a bass about twice the size of his lure and lost one that almost took his rod out of his hands. He hooked one crappie that got off at the boat.

The wind was a factor from the start, and it picked up as the day progressed.

Paul Ellis said that Mark DeLoach’s narrow Jon boat isn’t a stable platform, especially with only one person in the boat.

5/18/25 Self-chartered Kayak Freshwater Fishing Trip

Kurt DeRuiter led the way on the DeLoach Ranch’s around 35-acre reservoir near Taylor, catching 12 crappie and 10 bass. Russ Gibbs caught one bass on a brush hog. Randy Rowley had eight hits on a frog, but only one was serious about it. One hit it three times.

Unfortunately, Randy’s spare kayak that Russ was using flipped. (He was exhausted fighting the wind without back support to row against, so Kurt was towing him back to shore; the angle of the wind and the current caught his kayak, and he couldn’t hold on.) Kurt rescued Russ and Randy rescued Russ’ gear and the kayak. Both Russ and the equipment are fine.

It was windy – the wind kept blowing them into or away from their baits.

5/12/25 Self-chartered Kayak Largemouth Bass Fishing Trip

Two FCS members had a relaxing, but fruitless time at the approximate 20-acre Muir lake at Lakeline Park in Cedar Park, fishing from Randy Rowley’s kayaks. Jim McGee and Randy both had two hits, but no catches.

The lake is very shallow and full of grass. Anything with a weight on it was quickly covered with grass, so they mainly threw topwater lures.

This was FCS’ first freshwater kayak fishing trip.

5/8/25 Chartered Largemouth Bass Fishing Trip

Two FCS members had a good time with guide Ander Meine of Bassquatch Bass Fishing Guide Service on Lady Bird Lake. Ryan Rowley led the way with six bass caught. Randy Rowley caught three. All fish were caught on drop shots with plastic worms.

Randy had a large bass on his worm that was stripping drag, but the line was cut on a boulder (they were fishing in a rocky area). Randy also had two fish on a topwater toad that got off the hook (one right at the boat) and had two bass miss the toad. Ryan also had a couple of fish that got off his plastic worm. Randy caught the largest bass – a 2.6 pounder. Neither man had any success with a chatterbait or swimbait.

Ander caught around nine bass, on worms, a swimbait, a jig, and on a chatterbait that was just sitting in the water.

It was a nice afternoon/evening, although it rained quite a bit (there was only a 9% chance of rain).

This was a trip that Randy won in an online drawing. The trip featured a professional photographer, Trinity Lambiase, who wore her camera out taking pictures.

5/5/25 Chartered White Bass Fishing Trip

Four fishermen, including one first-time guest had a fantastic day with Bob Maindelle of Holding the Line Guide Service on Lake Stillhouse Hollow. The group caught 308 fish, including 304 white bass, two largemouth bass, and two gasper goo, caught on Bob’s Maindelle All-purpose Lure (MAL) Heavies with chartreuse tails and silver blades!

This was the second most successful fishing trip in FCS’ history (behind the 5/7/24 trip with Bob, where FCS fishermen caught 331 fish); however, this trip saw the best ratio of fish to fishermen – an average of 77 each!

For Bob’s much more detailed report, see https://holdingthelineguideservice.com/fishing-report/.

4/29/25 Chartered White Bass Fishing Trip

Five fishermen, including three first-time guests had a slow day with Bob Maindelle of Holding the Line Guide Service on Lake Belton. The group caught 51 fish, using live bait. The slow day was probably due to heavy winds.

For Bob’s much more detailed report, see https://holdingthelineguideservice.com/fishing-report/.

4/10/25 – 4/13/25 Self-chartered Bay Fishing Trip

Ten FCS members traveled to Port O’Connor for fishing and fellowship. They had three boats which allowed them to split up and fish various areas of the bays, marshes, and jetties. Some members even wade fished in water that was approaching 80 degrees. The Lord blessed them with light winds and pleasant temperatures.

The fishing was a little slow at times, but in general this was a successful trip. Most people went home with at least one bag of fresh fillets. They caught more species of fish than they normally do. This consisted of bonnethead sharks to 36+ inches, redfish to 38 inches, black drum to 35 inches, trout to 23 inches, pompano to 17 inches, sheepshead to 20 inches, in addition to the usual hardheads, gafftop sailfish, and whiting.

Daryl’s boat’s catches included:

38″, 20 lb. bull redfish; 36″, 25 lb. black drum; 35″, 16 lb. black drum; 32″, 24 lb. bull redfish; 22″ redfish – Colton Roehrig

38″, 20 lb. bull redfish; 27″ bonnethead shark; 23″ black drum; 22″ redfish; 21″ redfish; 16″ speckled trout; 29 lb. stingray – Daryl Shipper

38″ bonnethead shark; 36″, 24 lb. black drum – Zach Tumlinson

38″, 22 lb. bull redfish – Roy Zengerle

As usual, they visited many of the local dining establishments including Cathy’s, Hurricane Junction, 5D Steakhouse, Sharkies Bar & Grill, Mama’s Kitchen, and Speedy Stop.

Thanks to Daryl and Wayne for sharing their boats.

3/23/25 Self-chartered Freshwater Fishing Trip

Two fishermen had a slow morning at Lake Stillhouse Hollow. Russ Gibbs led the way with two drink bass on a River2Sea Whopper Plopper. Randy Rowley caught a 15 3/4″ one on a Berkley Choppo (a Whopper Plopper clone). It was very windy, especially near the marina. Afterwards they had a good lunch at Catfish Parlour in Georgetown.

3/22/25 Self-chartered Freshwater Fishing Trip

Three fishermen had a slow day on Lake Buchanan. Burl Fulenwider led the way with a white bass, a channel catfish, and a gasper goo (freshwater drum), all on minnows. Jim McGee caught a white bass on a Sexy Shad lipless crankbait. Randy Rowley practiced casting and jigging lures, and drowning minnows. They also went up the Colorado River until they beached Randy’s boat in .9′ of water, and had to back out. They enjoyed a great breakfast at The Crazy Gal Cafe in Burnet on the way home.

2/17/25 Self-chartered Freshwater Fishing Trip

Three fishermen mostly enjoyed the scenery on Lake Buchanan. They caught no fish and had no bites. It was 32 degrees when they arrived – a major cold front, and the fish had lockjaw. They tried Beaver/Silver Creek and the creek south of the Burnet County ramp. They also went up the Colorado River until they were in 1 1/2′ of water and it was nothing but sticks. Randy Rowley didn’t want to beach his boat, so they turned back. They only saw two other boats and one bank fishermen. They enjoyed a good lunch at Mama’s Home Cooking in Burnet on the way home.

1/16/25 – 1/18/25 Self-chartered Bay Fishing Trip

Five FCS members traveled to Port O’Connor on January 16th for a 3 1/2 day long bay fishing trip. Due to extreme weather conditions arriving Saturday night, they shortened it to a three day trip and only fished, as they saw very few ducks. They caught one Big Ugly (oversized black drum), one keeper trout, six bull redfish (over 28 inches long), six keeper redfish (20 to 28 inches long), 60+ undersized redfish, three undersized founder, an undersized sheepshead, and a few hardheads.

Everybody caught at least one keeper redfish or bull redfish. VuDu plastic shrimp was by far the best bait although some fish were caught on crab or shrimp. Special recognition goes to Mike Pozhenko who caught his first redfish, his first keeper-sized redfish, his first limit of keeper redfish, and his first bull redfish. In addition to fishing, they enjoyed fellowship and dined at Sharkies Bar & Grill, Cathy’s, Hurricane Junction, and Los Delfines.

Thanks to Wayne for sharing his boat.

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