Texas Fishing Forum

Need Help for Catfish on Belton

Posted By: Jamoke

Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/17/13 02:34 PM

I randomly catch catfish, I only fish Belton Lake. I know the lake pretty well, I have spent 8 years on the lake 1-3 times per week. I am not a jug or trot line fisherman. I have been reading all the posts for quite some time. I tried a Santee rig for 6 hrs yesterday. 1.5 oz lead, 3 foot leader, #3 circle hook with a float 8 inches below the hook. I slow drifted both the entire sand flats and the flats by 36 bridge with whole Frozen salted shad. Using a drift Sock. I had a couple of bites, and retrieved shad heads, but no fish. At the end of the day I was able to cast net 30-40 shad from 2-6 inches. Any advise is appreciated, I have friends visiting and would like to catch a few fish and have a fish Fry. Thanks
Posted By: chikenfrie

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/17/13 03:23 PM

I'm in the area till Wednesday and plan on finding some fish. What area are you at?
Posted By: Bob Landry

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/17/13 03:28 PM

Good Luck. I think most of the regular posters here are guides and they aren't about to give up their hot spot locations. I haven't fished Belton a lot, but from what I've been able to find out, the North end close to the 36 bridge seems to be a poplar spot with them. Don't think they are just going out and randomly finding fish on the fish finder and tearing them up. Go out a few days before you are going to fish and bait a couple places with some range cubes or sour mash chum. Do it for a few consecutive days before you go.

I saw that on Conroe once while fishing with a buddy. We were tied up under a bridge and doing OK, but while we were there a couple of guides showed up with pontoon boats loaded with people. They would throw out a couple of scoops of chum and immediately start putting fish in the boat. Most of the fish we caught there were full of grain.
Posted By: Jamoke

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/17/13 03:55 PM

Originally Posted By: chikenfrie
I'm in the area till Wednesday and plan on finding some fish. What area are you at?


Thanks for the reply, I Live off of 439 near the Dam, But put in a Roger's Park yesterday. I can get to any part of the Lake pretty easily. I'm not sure if I was fishing too deep, or wrong location, or wrong presentation. right now I have live shad in a bait tank.
Posted By: Jamoke

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/17/13 03:57 PM

Originally Posted By: Bob Landry
Good Luck. I think most of the regular posters here are guides and they aren't about to give up their hot spot locations. I haven't fished Belton a lot, but from what I've been able to find out, the North end close to the 36 bridge seems to be a poplar spot with them. Don't think they are just going out and randomly finding fish on the fish finder and tearing them up. Go out a few days before you are going to fish and bait a couple places with some range cubes or sour mash chum. Do it for a few consecutive days before you go.

I saw that on Conroe once while fishing with a buddy. We were tied up under a bridge and doing OK, but while we were there a couple of guides showed up with pontoon boats loaded with people. They would throw out a couple of scoops of chum and immediately start putting fish in the boat. Most of the fish we caught there were full of grain.


That is a great Idea, I have used high protein range cubes in the past at my barge, (no longer have the barge) with good results. I thought that only worked because it was a static location, Thanks
Posted By: foxracerblade

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/17/13 04:09 PM

When you were out there did you happen to see a bunch of jugs floating around? Thats why there is no fish, we need a slot at Belton so the catfishery can replenish. I too am having the same issues, drifted the flats out in front of Mcgregor park the other day for about 4 hrs with no luck, headed over to Owl Creek park and got the same results. I will say that fresh shad is much better than frozen. Im interested in seeing where this thread goes, someone has got to be catching fish on Belton.
Posted By: Jamoke

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/17/13 04:15 PM

Yes Jugs were all over the lake. I ran from Rodgers to 36 bridge and owl creek.
Posted By: Freeman Clark

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/18/13 02:40 AM

Belton is a hard lake to set a pattern on.If the bite is on you better stay with them.
Posted By: chikenfrie

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/19/13 12:06 AM

Just got set up near the 36 bridge and plan on being out here awhile. I will give a report if anything exciting happens.
Posted By: foxracerblade

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/19/13 12:07 AM

Awesome! Look forward to the report
Posted By: big10

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/19/13 12:31 AM

Chickenfrie, you shoulda said something sooner. I thought about giving it a try today but decided last minute not to. I woulda gone to meet another tff'er. i even had a little bait left from this weekend that needed to be used.
Posted By: chikenfrie

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/19/13 12:33 AM

As soon as the sun disappeared I heard one of my clickers slowly going out and then my far rod just started screaming. A nice 8 lber blue that had some spunk in him. Think it should be a fun night!
Posted By: foxracerblade

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/19/13 12:37 AM

Wish it was a weekend, I'd of joined you
Posted By: big10

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/19/13 12:37 AM

Sounds like a good start!!
Posted By: chikenfrie

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/19/13 12:51 AM

Weekend? Pshh, I gots the week off work! I'm in town till Wednesday morning, plan on fishing tomorrow as well from the banks if any of y'all are interested.
Posted By: chikenfrie

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/19/13 04:42 PM

Headed out to mcgregor park to bank fish, if anyone wants to join your more then welcome.
Posted By: SALLYSUE

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/19/13 07:58 PM

Originally Posted By: foxracerblade
When you were out there did you happen to see a bunch of jugs floating around? Thats why there is no fish, we need a slot at Belton so the catfishery can replenish. I too am having the same issues, drifted the flats out in front of Mcgregor park the other day for about 4 hrs with no luck, headed over to Owl Creek park and got the same results. I will say that fresh shad is much better than frozen. Im interested in seeing where this thread goes, someone has got to be catching fish on Belton.

I agree 100% on the jug and trot lining I've fish Belton 30 plus years and I see whats its done to the #'s of catfish
Posted By: Jamoke

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/19/13 08:13 PM

Went out last night after work, fresh livly shad. 3 of us fishing, Drifted entire area from Leona Park almost to Owl Creek. Nice slow drift, Several bites, no fish caught.
Posted By: big10

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/19/13 08:28 PM

Good luck today chickenfrie.

Jamoke, what was water temp from owl creek to the bridge? How deep was the water you were drifting?
Posted By: chikenfrie

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/19/13 08:41 PM

Jamoke, I believe I saw you out there drifting. I was bank fishing just to the right of the ramp. Hard to believe your luck last night, wind was perfect.
Posted By: Jamoke

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/20/13 04:27 AM

You had a white pick-up?
Posted By: Jamoke

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/20/13 04:29 AM

Originally Posted By: big10
Good luck today chickenfrie.

Jamoke, what was water temp from owl creek to the bridge? How deep was the water you were drifting?


Depth was 6-10 feet across the entire flat, didn't pay attention to the temp, there where plenty of fish on the depth finder, just no takers.
Posted By: chikenfrie

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/20/13 06:28 AM

Yup, white ford pickup.
Posted By: big10

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/20/13 01:40 PM

Originally Posted By: Jamoke
Originally Posted By: big10
Good luck today chickenfrie.

Jamoke, what was water temp from owl creek to the bridge? How deep was the water you were drifting?


Depth was 6-10 feet across the entire flat, didn't pay attention to the temp, there where plenty of fish on the depth finder, just no takers.


Keep an eye on your water temp. IMO depth is useless if I dont know the water temp.
Posted By: fishing24-7

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/20/13 02:08 PM

south of McGregor across the cove theres a big cliff that's the area they call the car bodys good fishing there. 36 is way to fishing if you want good fishing you need to fish cow house which is the feeder creek by blora
Posted By: big10

Re: Need Help for Catfish on Belton - 11/20/13 02:30 PM

Might try the area from the elevator back towards owl creek next time.
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