Fall Transition Underway — 79 Fish, Belton, 15 Oct.

This past Saturday morning, October 15, I fished with cousins David Tuel of Waco and Frank Hardey of the Houston area. We fished a multi-species trip on Belton primarily targeting white bass in deep water.

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From left: David Tuel of Waco and his cousin, Frank Hardey of Houston, teamed up for a 79 fish morning on Belton Lake.  With the water beginning to cool, the fish are beginning to congregate in large numbers on the bottom in areas previously beneath the summer thermocline.

David makes his living as an anesthesiologist, and Frank works as a trainer for Southwest Airlines. Both men commented positively about the aesthetic properties of Belton Lake thanks to the absence of shoreline construction.

The day began with gray clouds and breeze, and thankfully that cloud cover and breeze continued all morning. We began fishing in 22 feet of water and ended our day in 35 feet of water, with all of the action happening within those two parameters. As we went from area to area today we found ample quantities of white bass heavily schooled on and very near the bottom. These fish were quite susceptible to various vertical retrieves.

Some fish required a very slow, methodical “easing” tactic, while other schools of fish were duped with a faster “smoking” tactic. Our go-to bait was the silver holographic colored 3/8 oz. Redneck Fish’n’ Jigs slab Model 180. Fished on light spinning gear, this slab was just the ticket with a combination of light braided line, and a fluorocarbon leader. We caught fish today from start to finish and put several species of fish in the boat including white bass, hybrid striper, largemouth bass, and freshwater drum. By far the most prevalent species was the white bass with several fish caught between 13 and 14 inches, and with three exceeding 14 inches.

At the next-to-last area we fished, we were treated to an aerial dogfight as we watched an osprey with a fish in its talons being hassled by a juvenile bald eagle nearly twice its size. Try as it might, the eagle could not get the osprey to let go of its meal. After about four or five minutes of constant pressuring, the young eagle gave up.  Unfortunately, it was around this time that our fish gave up, too, and so, at around 11:45a we called it a good morning and headed back to the dock.
TALLY = 79 fish, all caught and released

 

TODAY’S CONDITIONS/NOTES:

Start Time: 7:25a

End Time:  11:45a

Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 70F

Water Surface Temp:  78.5F

Wind Speed & Direction:  S10-12

Sky Conditions: 60% white clouds on a blue sky

Water Level: ~0.13 feet high with only evaporative losses

GT = 50

 

AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:

**Area 1816 and vicinity – balling for white bass, then smoking

**Area 211/1675 – balling for white bass, then smoking

**Area 1675 – smoking for white bass

**Area  192 – easing for white bass as the bite tapered to an end

 

Bob Maindelle

Owner, Holding the Line Guide Service

254.368.7411 (call or text)

Website:www.HoldingTheLineGuideService.com

E-mail:Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com

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