Cove’s Howard wins at Stillhouse Hollow
Tue, 2016-05-17 05:00
News Staff
By JASPER JOHNSON
Special to the Leader-Press
BELTON - This month the Copperas Cove Bass Club held its quarterly two-day tournament on Stillhouse Hollow Lake and launched the tournament from River’s Bend Park. Club members were fishing in both the total weight category, to improve their standing in the club’s coveted top eight total weight, and for the Big Bass category.
With all the rainfall, the club was faced with the water level at 8.25 feet above full pool and rising. Water clarity was poor in the upper portions of the lake and cleared as you got toward the mid-lake region then stained again down near the dam. On Saturday, 14 May, the members also battled a cold front moving through the area and started the tournament with light winds coming out of the northeast around five miles per hour and 68 degrees. Later on Saturday the temperature increased to near 83 degrees with partly cloudy skies. On Sunday, the club faced a chilly 61 degrees at start time and a lingering 50 percent chance of rain, due to the cold front. Winds were out of the east at 10-15 mph under cloudy conditions. The tournament had 18 members fishing out of 14 boats with two guests attending the tourney. Club members brought a total of 63 bass to the scales for a total club weight of 137 pounds 5 ounces.
In the total weight category Howard Clark of Copperas Cove came in first place with nine fish and total weight of 20 pounds 6 ounces. Howard was using a fluke in watermelon red color to catch his winning bass. Howard primarily fished in the mid-lake regions and was focused on 8-10 foot depth.