A Multi-Species, Multi-Generation Kinda Trip – 59 Fish
CLIENTS: This morning, Tuesday, July 21, I fished with 11 year-old, Miss Sofiya Freeman and her dad, Ian. The two are in visiting Sofiya‘s grandparents. Her grandpa, Doug Blackwell, sponsored the trip and attended, but did not join in on the fishing. Ian and Sofiya traveled in from the Florida panhandle, near Pensacola, just yesterday.
TODAY’S DATE: 21 July 2026 (AM)
NEXT OPEN DATES FOR FISHING: 30 July, 3-6 August 2026 (AM)
PHOTO CAPTION: From left: Ian and Sofiya Freeman and Dough Blackwell with a few of the 24 white bass father and daughter landed via downrigging and by smoking MAL Dense lures vertically. These were part of a 59-fish multi-species catch which also included catfish and panfish.
SUMMARY OF HOW WE FISHED:
It can be difficult as a guide in the summer months to come up with 3 1/2 to 4 hours of effort doing what it takes to keep both children and adults satisfied. This is one of the reasons why I primarily run children’s trips during the summertime and encourage adults who phone in to look to the fall and spring peaks from mid October to early December, and from late March to late May.
Ian and Sofiya‘s travel plans did not exactly allow for this, so we really mixed it up today as far as tactics and species were concerned. We started off downrigging for white bass in shallow water until the sun’s direct rays had struck the water for a few minutes driving these fish out for good. During that time, we picked up nine fish which came as a combination of singles and doubles on three-armed umbrella rigs equipped with #13 Pet Spoons.
Next, I patrolled along some fairly steep topography, which had been struck by yesterday‘s winds (although those winds were not particularly strong). I found shad present and a handful of schools of white bass, which were suspended and patrolling for the shad. I felt the density of what I witnessed on 2-D sonar was sufficient to give us a fair shot at these fish. I put us on Spot Lock, got the splasher working, and coached Ian and Sofiya on what they needed to do to smoke their MAL Dense lures up from off bottom through the suspended fish and to get the timing of it nailed down correctly.
Both did well at this and added 15 fish to our count before Sofiya lost interest. As much as I hated to leave biting fish to find fish, it was either that or risk losing Sofiya‘s interest altogether.
We moved on to fish over an area I had baited for catfish prior to everyone’s arrival. This produced a lot of bites, but only one fish and that was a very small channel cat. I suspect what we were getting these many light bites from were small catfish, under 10 inches. We left these catfish behind, went and baited another area to return to later, then, just for Sofiya, headed up shallow to target sunfish using bait suspended with a slip float.
Doug and Ian encouraged Sofiya with each fish she landed. By the time her interest waned with this method, she had put 25 more fish in the boat.
We then moved on to the second area we had baited for catfish and finished strong with a nine fish run of channel cat, the last of which Sofiya boated so as to end on a positive note.
We wrapped up this morning with 24 white bass, 25 panfish, and 10 channel catfish all caught and released.
RESULTS: 59 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:
-Witnessed just a touch of topwater action under nearly calm conditions between 9:30A and 10A.
-Lots of pods of young-of-the-year shad showing on the surface during calm periods throughout the morning.
LATEST WATER TEMPERATURE PROFILE:
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
Taken on Lake Belton on 14 July 2026, approx. 6:05AM …
0 feet 86.1F
5 feet 86.5F
10 feet 86.5F
15 feet 86.5F
20 feet 86.5F
25 feet 86.5F
30 feet 85.0F
35 feet 83.8F
40 feet 78.2F
45 feet72.2F
50 feet 70.7F
55 feet 69.2F
60 feet 67.4F
WEATHER DATA:
Start Time: 6:30A
End Time: 10:30A
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 75F
Elevation – Lake Belton fell 0.01′ down to 1.11′ high since rains began around 11 AM on Tuesday, 14 July. The lake crested yesterday at 1.12. Flow rate was 52 CFS
Water Surface Temp: 86.1F on the surface.
Wind Speed & Direction: SW 0-3 all morning
Sky Condition: Pale blue, cloudless sky under the influence of dry, high pressure.
Moon Phase: First quarter moon at 64% illumination
GT = 35
Wx SNAPSHOT:
AREAS FISHED WITH MOST SUCCESS:
Area vic 2121 – 9 white bass on downrigged Pet Spoons
Area vic 726 – 15 white bass on smoked MAL Dense lures
Area vic 1671 – 1 channel cat (area full of very small cats — had to leave)
Area 2526 – 25 panfish on bream rods, bait & slipfloats
Area JULCAT02 – 9 channel catfish on punchbait
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