I Am Capable of Fish – 80 Fish on SKIFF Trip #7
CLIENTS: This morning, Wednesday, July 29, I conducted the 7th SKIFF trip of the 2026 season. Joining me was the family of Sergeant First Class Alonzo Gomez. SFC Gomez has been in the military for over 16 years, is currently deployed to Jordan, and serves in the US Army’s logistics area.
Representing SFC Gomez well was his wife, Jil, and three kids, Khai, Kimora, and Keelei, ages 14, 7, and 7, respectively.
We had a funny moment when Jil was telling me about one of the younger the girls. Jil said, “You never know what she’s capable of.”.
Her very quick reply was, “I am capable of fish!”.
ABOUT SKIFF: SKIFF trips have been provided to military families at no charge since May of 2009. SKIFF is funded by donations from Austin Fly Fishers, The McBride Foundation, The Great Place Spouses’ Club, The Great Place Thrift Store, and VFW Post 4008 in Belton, TX. S.K.I.F.F. provides kids of military members separated from their families by duty commitments with the opportunity to fish. SKIFF trips are also provided to Gold Star families who have lost their service member, and kids of bona fide disabled veterans. I conduct these 3.5 hour adventures on Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir year ’round. Call or text 254.368.7411 to make your reservation. We’ve provided trips for over 660 children, and those kids have landed over 18,000 fish.
TODAY’S DATE: 29 July 2026 (AM)
NEXT OPEN DATES FOR FISHING BEFORE PUBLIC SCHOOL RESTARTS: 5, 10, 12, 13 Aug. 2026 (AM)
PHOTO CAPTION: From left: Jil, Keelei, Kimora, and Khai Gomez with a few of the white bass we found feeding on the surface this morning as the light level was still low.
PHOTO CAPTION: Khai Gomez landed these two blue catfish on punchbait after we returned to an area we’d previously baited. We stayed only as long as it took for her younger sisters to gobble down a snack, but, Khai hooked the first two fish which struck. Most people miss their first 3 or 4 hits as they get used to the feel of it.
SUMMARY OF HOW WE FISHED:
Although I really was not anticipating it this morning based on recent history and the fact that today is the day of a full moon, there was some fishable topwater activity for the first time in quite some time.
With me doing the casting and the girls doing the retrieving, hooking, fighting, and landing, we were able to boat 37 white bass before the sun got up far enough to bring an end to that nice bonus of activity. About halfway into this feeding spree, I had Khai join me up on the front deck where I showed her how to cast. She immediately picked up on that skill and was functioning independently while I was able to then provide more attention to her little sisters.
Next, we went and baited an area which we would return to later for catfish. While we let that bait soak, we went and fished up shallow for sunfish. Jil paired up with one of the girls and Khai paired up with the other, and the younger two enjoyed some “instant gratification“ fishing for very cooperative sunfish striking live bait suspended just off bottom under slipfloats.
I let the two younger girls know that their older sister had patiently served them while not catching fish on her own during our sunfishing adventure, and I then requested that they allow her some time to fish by herself for catfish. This allowed Jil and the younger two to enjoy some snacks while I worked with Khai on the more technical details of tightlining for catfish. Khai landed both of the first two fish which struck her bait, then missed two others before the girls finish their snacks and we called an end to the catfishing.
We wrapped up the trip with one more round of sunfishing for the younger girls.
We ended up the trip with exactly 80 fish landed including 37 white bass all taken on top, two blue cat on punchbait, and 41 sunfish on live bait under slipfloats up shallow.
RESULTS: 80 fish, all caught and released
WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton
FIND LURES HERE: https://whitebasstools.com/
SEE THE “SMOKING TACTIC” TUTORIAL HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDSvfXgrAUE
OBSERVATIONS:
-The best topwater action I have observed thus far this summer, albeit still scant, it was at least enough to get to and make a few casts before the fish disappeared once again.
LATEST WATER TEMPERATURE PROFILE:
Taken on Lake Belton on 28 July 2026, approx. 6:05AM …
0 feet 87.6F
5 feet 87.8F
10 feet 87.9F
15 feet 87.9F
20 feet 87.6F
25 feet 87.0F
30 feet 85.3F
35 feet 83.6F
40 feet 82.1F
45 feet 75.1F
50 feet 72.3F
55 feet 70.0F
60 feet 68.4F
Taken on Lake Belton on 21 July 2026, approx. 6:05AM …
0 feet 86.1F
5 feet 87.0F
10 feet 87.2F
15 feet 86.4F
20 feet 85.9F
25 feet 85.5F
30 feet 84.3F
35 feet 83.8F
40 feet 80.7F
45 feet 74.8F
50 feet 72.3F
55 feet 70.3F
60 feet 68.6F
WEATHER DATA:
Start Time: 6:45A
End Time: 10:15A
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 77F
Elevation – Lake Belton fell to 0.83′ high, with a 0.04′ loss in the last 24 hours. Flow rate was 86 CFS
Water Surface Temp: 87.6F on the surface.
Wind Speed & Direction: SSW7-9 all morning
Sky Condition: Pale blue, cloudless sky under the influence of dry, high pressure.
Moon Phase: Full moon at 100% illumination
GT = N/A
Wx SNAPSHOT:
AREAS FISHED WITH MOST SUCCESS:
Area vic 1618 and 1811 – 37 white bass on MAL Dense lures sightcast to topwater schools
Area B0034G – 16 sunfish on bait and slipfloats
Area B0116G – 2 blue cat on punchbait
Area 2531 – 27 sunfish on bait and slipfloats
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: https://www.facebook.com/bobmaindelle