This was to be my last trip for the year. I was hoping to time the approaching cold front well and get in on a hot pre-frontal bite, but the weatherman’s prediction on the timing was off, and the time window was very limited this morning.

Start Time: 7:30a

End Time: 9:50a


Air Temp: 74F at sunrise (obscured by clouds), dropping into the 50’s with the approach of a hard coldfront hitting at approx. 10am.


Wind: Winds were SSW at 10-12 until 10a, and then very suddenly turned NNW gusting to 40+ within minutes.

Skies: Skies were cloudy and grey until around 10a, then darkened with the approach of the leading, wet edge of the coldfront, then cleared to partly cloudy and brightened for the remainder of the day after the front passed by after 12 noon or so.

I got on the water at 7:30a and cruised for about 25 minutes watching bird activity, and found birds acting “fishy” by around 7:55. I stayed in one place the entire time vertical jigging with a doctored 1/4 oz. Rattle Snakie spoon. Fish were both on bottom and suspended. The bottom oriented fish were very sluggish, and most of the fish I caught were suspenders that responded to a smoking retrieve.

The activity level of the fish increased right up to the moment the hard, wet cold front hit at which time it was not possible to stay on the water any longer. The winds turned violently gusty blowing 40+ with higher gusts with rain and hail falling intermittently. Loading the boat was a bit of a challenge.

TALLY = 26 FISH, all caught and released

Bob Maindelle, Owner, Holding The Line Guide Service and Kids Fish, Too! Stillhouse Hollow Fishing Guide, Belton Lake Fishing Guide, Lake Georgetown Fishing Guide, Walter E. Long (Decker) Lake Fishing Guide. Offering Salado Fishing, Killeen Fishing and Ft. Hood Fishing