The lake is currently clear, warm (83 to 86 degrees) and sitting at 9.91 feet low. The Largemouth bite has been slow and most are being taken on main lake points, using a Carolina Rigger Lizard or Fluke. Smallmouth on the other hand are feeding heavy. Look for them holding on points and on the main lake rock walls. The bait that seems to be working the best is a brown w/ orange 3/8 oz. Jig, hopping it slowly over the rocks. This method seems to work thru out the day. Early morning you can find them in shallow water along the rocks and they are being taken on chrome Lipless Crankbaits or white � oz. Spinnerbaits.

Good report and right on the money!

Thanks for the info cause Lord knows you need it on this lake!! My question is what kind/color trailer are you using with the brown/orange 3/8 jig? Thanks,Dexter.

I use a Green Pumpkin Rage Craw and die the tips of the craw with a little orange.

Orange die,where do you find that particular color?

I get the 4 pack 0f markers from Spike-it. You can put as much or as little as you want and where you want. Works Great

Thanks sure Strike. So if you only had three baits to choose from on Belton in an eight hour tournament at the present. Which baits would they be sir? Also, what color/size flukes are you throwing and what size weight on your c rig?

The 3 Baits that I would go with this time of the year would be;

1st bait, a Carolina Rigged Fluke in a smokin shad or watermelon / red color. I would have it set-up with a 3/4oz weigh and about a 18" leader.

2nd bait, would be a Jig in either a 1/4oz or 3/8oz. They would be green pumpkin with a little orange and a trailer to match.

3rd bait, would be a 1/2oz chrome rattle trap

Hope this helps you out.

Thanks sir, you are a great help!! Ill go out tomorrow, and try a few from the bank.

Hello Sure Strike..So as this weather cools, are you throwing the same thing in the coming weeks? The Bass are SUPPOSED to be pulling back in to the creeks chasing shad..But this is Belton as we know!!

Even with the cooler weather coming our way, what is going to push these bass back into coves is going to be the water temperature. Once the water temperature starts to drop into the 70's, I'll be in the backs of coves early throwing Pop-R's and Zara Spooks. Also look for bass staging at the mouth of coves. They will be schooling there.

Hello Sure Strike...Just wanted to ask..What is your technique to find Bass..Is it find the structure thats prone to hold Bass regardless of what you see on your graph? Or just simply look for baitfish (Graphed) and start fishing those areas ? Because Belton has so much shad a lot of times no Bass will be chasing or in the area..Of course we all hope for the magical moment when you pull up and find good sized Bass gorging on shad.But thats the simple occaision...Just wondering what is the most effective way to locate bass especially on a lake like Belton..As always..Thanks

There are two things that I do first and they both start at home. First is the time of year and second is checking maps and local fishing reports. Remember it's not always the structure you can see that will be holding Bass. To give you some kind of idea on what I do, let take fall for an example. Once the water temperature starts cooling off the Bass will begin feeding for the winter months. I will first look for coves that have structure in them and begin by pulling up on a point leading into that cove. Once there I look for a few things, bait fish, fish feeding and birds. These things will tell me what I should be using. From there I will work my way into the back of the cove. Be sure to always watch what is going on around you. This works well this time of the year early and later in the evenings. As the day warms, I would be looking for those hidden forms of structures (ie.large flats in open water). Each season brings something different.
Hope this helps. Good Luck

Hello Surestrike, went out on Sat on Belton for only about two hours and got some good strikes on the jig..It was about all i threw to get familiar with it..Only problem was i couldnt get good hooksets..I have a nice stiff Allstar rod..Good 10lb test Flouro..But can you tell me how to successfully set the hook on a Jig after a bite?

Good Morning
When Jig fishing I have found that I have increased my hook sets by waiting for the fish to hit the Jig a second time. Get some good advice in the past on Jig fishing and applied it and increased my catching with a Jig by 100%. On that first strike, the Bass is not picking it up but rather hitting the Jig with it's nose trying to kill it first. What I have done is to let it set a moment after that first hit and then shake it just a little and hold on. I believe that the Bass is sitting there watching the bait after hitting it that first time and after a moment of not moving, then the bait twitches, the bass can't stand it and grabs it up. Remember the Bass thinks it a crawfish and sure doesn't want it in it's mouth alive.
Hope this helps.