WHO I FISHED WITH: This past Friday morning I fished with Chancellor Archie, his wife, Karah, and their two daughters, 14-year-old Gabrielle and 9-year-old Katelin. Chancellor and his family are moving to the Leander area from Oregon. Most of the family’s recent fishing experiences have centered around trout and salmon in the Pacific Northwest. Today, we primarily pursued white bass to keep the girls engaged, while leaving just a bit of time near trip’s end to get a hybrid or two.
From left: Katelin, Chancellor, Karah, and Gabrielle Archie with a few of the 52 white bass we landed on slabs on a cool, breezy morning on Lake Belton.
Gabrielle had all she could handle when this 3.25 pound, 19″ hybrid grabbed the live shad on the rod she was tending.
WHAT WE FISHED FOR: This was a multi-species trip focused on both white bass and hybrid striper
WHERE WE FISHED: Belton Lake
WHEN WE FISHED: Friday morning, 23 March 2018
HOW WE FISHED: We experienced a white bass bite of average intensity this morning, allowing us to fish vertically for them with a smoking tactic using 3/8 oz. slabs fitted with Hazy Eye Stinger hooks. When the fish cooled down, we changed over to downrigging which Chancellor and Katelin really took a liking to. With the day being a bit damp, cloudy and breezy, and the girls dressed a bit lightly, they got cold pretty easily, so, we curtailed the white bass fishing which would have produced more fish, and changed over to hybrid fishing with live bait for just 10 or 15 minutes. Fortunately, the hybrid cooperated in a timely fashion, allowing each of the girls to land a hybrid of their own. We then wrapped it up about 70 minutes early and headed for the warmth of their family car.
OBSERVATIONS/NOTES: Although we had both a southerly wind and cloud cover, the cloud cover was thick enough to keep one from having to squint; the fishing was a good bit slower than last Saturday when we had similar conditions, but with more brightness coming through the clouds.
TALLY: 54 FISH, ALL CAUGHT AND RELEASED
TODAY’S CONDITIONS/NOTES:
Start Time: 7:50a
End Time: 10:20a
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 64F
Water Surface Temp: 62.4F
Wind Speed & Direction: S13 all morning
Sky Conditions:100% grey cloud cover
Water Level: 2.41 feet low and falling
GT = 70
Wx SNAPSHOT:
AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:
**Area vic 380 for white bass on slabs and blades
**Area B0062C – live shad & cutbait for 15 hybrid
Bob Maindelle, Central Texas Fishing Guide
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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