CLIENTS: This morning, Wednesday, November 6th, I fished with first-time guests Mark and Patty Cullison. The Cullisons are now both retired and are enjoying retirement being near their four kids, as well as grandkids and great-grandkids.

We were originally due to fish together in June, but both Stillhouse and Belton were shut down at that time due to flooding. Although the fishing was tough today thanks to post-frontal conditions, we definitely enjoyed lower, more refreshing temperatures than any June trip would have granted us.



DATE: Wednesday, 06 November 2024 (AM)

NEXT OPEN DATES: 29 Nov. November, 2-6 December (weekday AMs). Next Saturday opening: 30 November (AM)








PHOTO CAPTION: Mark and Patty Cullison caught 66 fish under tough, post-frontal conditions after postponing this trip from back in June due to flooding. They got the hang of working their MAL Lures effectively very early in the trip and maximized their potential despite dealing with reluctant fish all morning.

WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton

SUMMARY OF HOW WE FISHED:

One of the first things I shared with Mark and Patty was that the wind would make us or break us today. After the passage of the season’s first strong cold front Monday night into Tuesday morning, this morning’s weather was classic post-frontal, complete with clear, bright skies, nearly calm winds, and cold temperatures (48F at the ramp as the sun was rising).

Finding fish was difficult; finding biting fish was even more difficult. But, we persisted and in the end the two of them were able to land a total of 66 fish.

The first hour gave me some hope, as there was at least a NW ripple, and the light fog over the lake dimmed the light level just a bit. Mark and Patty landed 7 fish at our first stop as they “picked off” mainly suspended white bass which were “driving by” to check out the commotion from the splasher.

As the fog cleared, the winds went calm, and we spent close to an hour searching for concentrations of fish to present to, finding little. Around 9:15, a still-light 2-3 mph ripple from the NW began and, in about 26-28′, I found a few fish. As Mark and Patty presented MAL Originals to these fish, the breeze persisted, and the bite strengthened. We stayed on those fish for 1.5 hours, taking their tally to 59 fish before the wind shifted and strengthened, just as these fish were about to give up.

I moved us to the most wind-exposed area I felt would hold fish at this time of the morning, and, in the final 25 minutes of the trip, the Cullisons landed another 7 fish to finish up with exactly 66 fish landed on the morning, every one of which came on a slowly smoked MAL Original with chartreuse tail.

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



RESULTS: 66 fish, including 6 hybrid striped bass and 60 white bass.



LURES USED SUCCESSFULLY ON THIS TRIP: We used MAL Originals (w/ chartreuse tails) vertically today. Find all MAL Lures and White Tornados here: https://whitebasstools.com/



OBSERVATIONS:

1) We are in a solid, classic autumn pattern now, which should hold up until the water temperature near bottom falls to around 60F

2) Mornings are much more productive than evenings at this point in the fall.

3) Post-frontal clear, calm, cold conditions negatively impacted the bite this morning.



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, 01 Nov….

0 feet 75.3F
5 feet 75.3F
10 feet75.6F
15 feet75.6F
20 feet 75.6F
25 feet 75.6F
30 feet 75.3F
35 feet 75.3F
40 feet 75.3F
45 feet 75.3F
50 feet 75.3F
55 feet 75.3F
60 feet 75.2F
65 feet 75.1F



WEATHER DATA:

Start Time: 7:00A

End Time: 11:30P

Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 48F

Elevation: 2.26′ low and falling slowly with a 43 cfs flow; .03′ fall in last 24 hours

Water Surface Temp: 72.6F on the surface.

Wind Speed & Direction: NW0-3 all morning until 10:45, then shifting N12

Sky Condition: Cloudless, bluebird skies

Moon Phase: Waxing crescent moon at 25% illumination.

GT = 5



Wx SNAPSHOT:






AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:

Area vic 1740 – 7 fish smoking MAL Originals

Area B0315G – 52 fish smoking MAL Originals

Area 150 – 7 fish smoking MAL Originals
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

It was definitely tough out there today Bob.

The smiles keep coming. As always, solid post and fish. Good job.