CLIENTS: This morning I welcomed back Dennis Graham and Vicky Clark for a morning of white bass fishing on Lake Belton in celebration of Dennis’ birthday. Dennis is a retired US Air Force crew chief who once served with the Thunderbirds, and Vicky is retired from the US Postal Service. After recently conducting an on-the-water sonar training session with Dennis, he came into this trip prepared with a number of intelligent questions about using sonar more effectively to find and return to white bass. Fortunately, with Lake Belton’s white bass going into fall patterns very early this year, we had ample opportunities to locate fish with DI, SI, and 2D technologies.



DATE: Monday, 07 October 2024 (AM)



NEXT OPEN DATES: Next open dates: 21, 23, 24 Oct. (weekday AMs and PMs). Next Saturday opening: 02 November (AM)








PHOTO CAPTION: Vicky Clark landed our largest fish of the trip this morning. This 3.25 pound hybrid striped bass took a 3/4 oz. White Tornado (in white color) in ~39 feet of water as Vicky executed a sawtooth retrieve.




PHOTO CAPTION: Dennis Graham and Vicky Clark landed 160 fish during their 4-hour morning trip on Lake Belton under clear, dry conditions.

WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton



SUMMARY OF HOW WE FISHED:

The already excellent bite was further bolstered this morning by another mild, dry cold front which moved in, thus keeping the winds NW11-12 through around 10A. The fish were aggressive and competitive.

Of the 160 fish this pair landed, all but 39 were taken on an MAL Original with chartreuse tail worked vertically with a “smoking” tactic. The remainder, all taken at our final stop after we were drawn to the area by some light topwater action, were caught on 3/4 oz. White Tornados (in white) with a sawtooth retrieve. These fish were, on average, of greater size than those caught earlier in the morning on the vertical tactics.

Fish continue to start shallow in the early morning, then move very quickly to deep water right after the sun begins to shine directly on the water, ending up in 35-42 feet of water by around noontime.

I consider the splasher critical equipment for this kind of fishing, as it consolidates the fish and keeps them under the boat where LiveScope becomes a tremendous aid in knowing when to zig and when to zag.

Here is a tutorial on vertically smoking the MAL Lure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDSvfXgrAUE

Here is a tutorial on horizontally “sawtoothing” with the MAL Lure or White Tornado: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC3FMEQHOMQ



LURES USED SUCCESSFULLY ON THIS TRIP: We smoked MAL Originals vertically and used the sawtooth method with 3/4 oz. White Tornados (white color). Find all MAL Lures and White Tornados here: https://whitebasstools.com/



TALLY: 160 fish, including 8 short hybrid striped bass, 2 blue catfish, 1 freshwater drum, and 149 white bass.



OBSERVATIONS:

1) The number of bottom-oriented schools of white bass now found in deep water AND showing a willingness to remain stationary long enough to allow for presentations to be made for substantial lengths of time have increased sharply; these fish are there to stay, likely until the water temps drop below 60F.

2) A mild, dry, reinforcing cold front moved in and gave the fishing a bit of a bump this morning through around 10A as the NW winds had a velocity up to ~12 mph.



LATEST WATER TEMPERATURE PROFILE:

Here was the water temperature profile for Lake Belton, measured with a FishHawk TD device around 7:30 AM on Friday, 04 Oct….

0 feet 80.2F
5 feet 80.9F
10 feet 81.2F
15 feet 81.2F
20 feet 81.1F
25 feet 81.1F
30 feet 81.1F
35 feet 80.9F
40 feet 80.7F
45 feet 80.5F
50 feet 80.3F
55 feet 80.1F
60 feet 79.7F


WEATHER DATA:

Start Time: 7:45A

End Time: 11:45A

Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 64F

Elevation: 1.58′ low and falling slowly with a 43 cfs flow; .03′ fall in last 24 hours (w/ inflow from Proctor)

Water Surface Temp: 80.2F on the surface.

Wind Speed & Direction: NW11-12 thru 10A, then slacking off.

Sky Condition: 0% cloud cover on a light blue sky.

Moon Phase: Waxing crescent moon at 19% illumination.

GT = 30



Wx SNAPSHOT:







AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:

Area vic B0194C – smoking MAL Originals for 42 fish
Area vic 1506 – smoking MAL Originals for 10 fish
Area B0075C – smoking MAL Originals for 49 fish
Area vic 958 – smoking MAL Originals for 9 fish
Area vic 1209 – smoking MAL Originals for 11 fish
Area vic 1144 – sawtoothing White Tornados for 39 fish


Bob Maindelle

Full-time, Professional Fishing Guide and Owner of Holding the Line Guide Service

Belton Lake Fishing Guide, Stillhouse Hollow Fishing Guide

254.368.7411 (call or text)

Website: www.HoldingTheLineGuideService.com

E-mail: Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bobmaindelle

Twitter: www.twitter.com/bobmaindelle

Can't think of a better Birthday gift than sharing a gorgeous day outdoors on the lake with two fine friends while catching a bunch of fish. Thanks Bob & Vicky for making it a memorable day.

Happy Birthday Dennis Graham and thank you for your service.....