Launched after early church, at noon- Belton park free launch next to Franks Marina on the lower end of the lake. Only two boat trailers in lot. In search of whites and hybrids. Since moving to area a year ago, my GF and I try and fish this lake every weekend. Applying the same successful techniques fishing for past 40 years on Lake Buchanan and Travis, and Tawakoni (My favorite lake) and others.
Water temp was 50 degrees and air temp was about the same. Light winds from west at 10mph..

Started charting and looking for birds around Temple park. Saw bait balls suspended in 50-55 FOW. Tried jigging RSR jigging spoons without any hits. Of coarse thumping too. Around 2pm moved to big bend in Leon river , off the long, underwater sandy point of Girl Scout-Camp Kachina. Found fish sitting on bottom in 35 feet of water. Freelined trolled hell/pet rigs thru the area for 15 minutes without any luck. Went back to my poorman GPS markers I had thrown out and started thumping and jigging RSR Chart/ 1oz jigging spoons and immediately started hooking up. Nearly deadsticking the jigs right off the bottom. When they hit, the rod loads up. No need for a lot of movement of the jigs. Magnum white bass from 14 inches to 16 inches. YES- 16" and I will post pics too. All females loaded with bloody eggs. Some of the biggest I have caught on this lake. Also caught some undersized hybrids too. Of coarse BIG Gaspergoo from 16 inches to 24 inches on spoons too. They are fun on light action gear! We stayed in the area just moving around the same , large sandy flat. Caught every place we stopped. Saw several bass boats buzzing by. Saw a couple center console boats that stopped and jigged close by too.....

Since we have several hundred filets of white bass in freezer, did not keep only the magnum white bass for a fresh fish fry on Valentines Day. We kept 16 big whites and threw back a lot of others. We caught over 10 big gaspergoo. At times we had doubles on goo's which were dead weight as you reel them in on light tackle.

Quit at 5pm and it was a nice day on the water. It had been several weeks or TOOOOOOOOOOO long since being on the water.

No keeper hybrids.....

Question: How far up the river can you catch white bass and hybrids this time of year?????? I saw a map that suggests near Owl Creek Park and Leona Park which is further north you can catch whites and hybrids. Either offline message me or reply to this posting. I don't want your honey holes. I just want to be given some ideas on other areas. I give you all enough information to where to look and conditions change, but most of the white bass in this cold water , stay on the bottom and you have to thump them up off the bottom. Next time I will try soft plastics with jigs and maybe deadstick them.

One note- Just like lake buchanan, not all while bass spawn up river. I think any wind blown, sandy point, bend in the river or hump can produce white bass this time of the year. I believe not all fish make the run up the river.

Good report.

Plus #1.

I've never fished Belton during the winter months or up the river but was told Cowhouse was the place to go during the spawn. As for hybrid fishing during spring, summer and fall, the sandflats, girl scout and mainlake are my go to spots.

Fished Belton 3/10/22 with Oahe Trader on the bottom with small slabs and caught 74 whites, black bass, and fresh water drum. We had at least 50 ea 12"+ whites in 2.5 hours of fishing. Most were in 40 feet of water. We had good SSE wind and lots of sunshine. All fish were released for everyone else's future pleasure.

Fished Belton again with Oahe Trader on 3/13/22. The early bite was painfully slow. The wind built to 15-20 mph and the bite improved. About half the fish caught on 1/2 oz white slabs were undersized whites, but we had a mix of black bass, gasper goo, and undersized hybrids. The fish were glued to the bottom in 35 to 41 feet of water and making noise was the only way to get them to bite. The clicker said 90 fish when we quit and we kept 8 each for lunch. The early period had little wind and the first 1.5 hours yielded 19 fish. When the wind built, the bite got more consistent. One of the females was dripping eggs and the spawn will start when we get a little rain.

^^^^

Have they moved up in the Leon yet?

Fished Saturday-March 19th from 10am-2pm. Caught white bass in 38-41 FOW. A lot of small fish, few drum and undersized hybrids. Its been since last year that I have caught any keeper hybrids on artificial lures. water temp in mid 50's. Full moon and should of tried later in the day.

Will be trying on the 26th and will post. White bass reports are showing white bass are moving up the Leon towards the bridge. I think this warm weather and little rain should move them on up...In past times, live shad would find the keeper hybrids..Maybe once water temp climbs above 60 then the bird action off Temple park should start up again...

Fished alone on the main lake well out from Temple Lake Park. I caught 32 white bass that were 12" to 14" from 8 AM to 11AM. I also caught 21 undersized whites for a total of 53 fish. All fish were released, Most action happened in 37 to 41 feet of water. The lure of choice was a #4 silver Mepps fished like Dennis Christian. Thank you Dennis for the inspiration. I saw a guide boat fishing 4" live shad with no action. I'm surprised guides are still trying for hybrids. I definitely do not know where to find hybrids on Belton. The female white bass still had eggs and it doesn't look like the spawn is happening yet. Give us some rain. Water temperature is up to 53 degrees.

Thx Bill, Fished on Saturday- March 26th. Started at point at Girl scout camp in 39-41 feet of water. Quickly caught a dozen small whites and 6 keeper, spawned out whites on jigging spoon. Charted a lot of fish, but limited takers. At 2pm, trolled out in front of temple park in higher winds and caught a few, but again charted saw lot bait and fish out in 35-38 feet of water. No keeper hybrids..not sure where they are....Water temp from 58-60 degrees on Saturday. Should have whites\\, hybrids moving back to the flat in front of Temple park...

Next week , will start at Temple park in the early am and start a new post..