Posted By: gooseroller
Lake Belton - 03/03/12 06:34 PM
I camped at the campground by the dam on my way back to Minnesota. I was wondering if the fishing is any good and what is the lake known for.
Lake Belton
Posted By: wacopops
Re: Lake Belton - 03/03/12 08:07 PM
Posted By: Donald Harper
Re: Lake Belton - 03/03/12 08:09 PM
Posted By: Lucas Loafman
Re: Lake Belton - 03/03/12 08:24 PM
Through the years it could really be a solid bass lake at times. The tournament pressure due to its central location and relatively large size has been getting to it the last several years and catches are down somewhat. Fishing gets very difficult in the summer. The lake never produced many trophy size fish, but does have a lot of bass, especially those under the legal limit. Lots of fun on light tackle though. It is one of the few good smallmouth bass fisheries in the state though and that has improved substantially the last 5 or so years.
Twenty years ago, it was an exceptional hybrid striper fishery with 8-12 pound hybrids being somewhat common. Fishing pressure has knocked those down to 6-8 pounds as big fish...still a real good fishery for hybrids and white bass.
It is a solid (fair to good) crappie lake, as that's what I fish for and used to guide for. The fish are not as abundant and large as some lakes in Texas. A typical winning tournament stringer here is 7 fish, weighing 8 pounds. Definitely lots of good structure, but as such you may have to cover a lot of territory to find them. These days if conditions are solid, I can limit every other trip out or so. When I guided, a really nice day would be 25 keepers with two people fishing.
The catfish population appears pretty solid, though I rarely ever fish for them. The blue cat population and size has really improved the last 5 years.
There are tons of sunfish/perch, but very few ever achieve what people would call "eating size."
Twenty years ago, it was an exceptional hybrid striper fishery with 8-12 pound hybrids being somewhat common. Fishing pressure has knocked those down to 6-8 pounds as big fish...still a real good fishery for hybrids and white bass.
It is a solid (fair to good) crappie lake, as that's what I fish for and used to guide for. The fish are not as abundant and large as some lakes in Texas. A typical winning tournament stringer here is 7 fish, weighing 8 pounds. Definitely lots of good structure, but as such you may have to cover a lot of territory to find them. These days if conditions are solid, I can limit every other trip out or so. When I guided, a really nice day would be 25 keepers with two people fishing.
The catfish population appears pretty solid, though I rarely ever fish for them. The blue cat population and size has really improved the last 5 years.
There are tons of sunfish/perch, but very few ever achieve what people would call "eating size."
Posted By: gooseroller
Re: Lake Belton - 03/04/12 12:07 AM
Thanks for the information, the website is great and the first hand information even better.
Posted By: TreeBass
Re: Lake Belton - 03/04/12 04:11 AM
I agree with Luca's post, he has alot of time on the water, so he knows. I've caught whites and hybrids in the cove there, and smallies off the riff raff on the dam.
I get pics almost daily of catfish, whites and hybrid limits from friends on the lake.
good luck
I get pics almost daily of catfish, whites and hybrid limits from friends on the lake.
good luck
Posted By: big10
Re: Lake Belton - 03/14/12 01:50 PM
There are no fish in belton! You should go to stillhouse instead. 
Posted By: Beegfoot1
Re: Lake Belton - 03/14/12 04:53 PM
I was wacking schooling stripers there last Friday as fast as I could get my bait in the water - had a riot for about 30 minutes - could have chased them longer but I was pre-fishing for a bass tournament