WHO I FISHED WITH: Lee Pointer, Melanie Ringstaff, and Larry Carter — all friends from the local area. Lee works for VISA, Melanie is a KISD teacher, and Larry owns several daycare centers in the Killeen area. This all came together when Melanie went searching for a birthday gift idea for Lee and wound up getting him a gift certificate to go fishing on the recommendation of a friend.
From left: Larry Carter, Lee Pointer, and Melanie Ringstaff enjoyed a 148 fish morning on Lake Belton this past Wednesday.
WHAT WE FISHED FOR: This was a multi-species trip focused on white bass.
WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton
WHEN WE FISHED: Wednesday morning, 18 October 2017
HOW WE FISHED: 100% of our fish were caught on 3/4 oz. slabs with Hazy Eye Stinger hooks affixed to the line tie, fished “smoking” style. Lee occasionally experimented with a clear chartreuse curltail grub fished on his own ultralight equipment.
OBSERVATIONS/NOTES: I occasionally encounter clients who desire to “guide the guide”, meaning they pay good money to have me put them on fish, only to try to dictate how/when/where we go about doing so. Such trips usually go poorly. I am, therefore, appreciative of groups like this one which, although they had their hopes up for catching hybrid, were willing to trust me that the hybrid fishing is simply “off” right now, but that the white bass have been extraordinarily cooperative. As a result, we focused on what was working, everyone had a good time, we caught fish from start to finish, and had a fun, engaging time doing it. Insisting that a certain fish be caught a certain way when the fishery gives signals to the contrary is the shortcut to a tough day on the water.
TALLY: 148 FISH, all caught and released
TODAY’S CONDITIONS/NOTES:
Start Time: 7:15a
End Time: 11:30a
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 55F
Water Surface Temp: 75.2
Wind Speed & Direction: S2 at trip’s start, tapering up to S9 by trip’s end
Sky Conditions: Clear, bright skies
Water Level: 1.70 feet low
GT = 80
Wx SNAPSHOT:
AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:
**Area 1934/1912 – smoking slabs for whites
**Area 1916/1898 – smoking slabs for whites
**Area vic 1820 – smoking slabs for whites
**Area vic 1941 – smoking slabs for whites
**Area 1677 to 095 – smoking slabs for whites
**Area 2026 to 148 – smoking slabs for whites (most productive stop with 53 fish as S. wind reached peak velocity while we were here)
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
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bobmaindelle
Twitter: www/twitter.com/bobmaindelle