WHO I FISHED WITH:  This past Monday morning, 09 April, I fished with Mr. Marty Wall of Killeen, his wife, Sheri, and their youngest son, Evan, now a student at Austin Community College.  Marty makes a living as an independent home designer through his business, First Draft, and Sheri is a children’s book author.  As both Sheri and Evan have April birthdays, Marty did a “two-for” and booked a birthday fishing trip for them, which he participated in as videographer.

 

18″ to 22″ fish like these were the norm this morning, ranging from 3 to 4.25 pounds.  Here, Sheri and Evan hold a pair of fish landed just seconds apart as we used live shad to lure these big fish in.

WHAT WE FISHED FOR: This was a hybrid striped bass trip.

WHERE WE FISHED: Belton Lake

WHEN WE FISHED: Monday morning, 09 April 2018

HOW WE FISHED:   I was really concerned about our prospects this morning because after Saturday’s unseasonably cold wind and weather induced by a passing cold front, the lake surface temperature dropped by around 3F.  Fortunately, we had easterly winds and 100% grey cloud cover this morning which helped hold in the previous day’s heat, and the fishing bounced back a bit.  The fish were on fire, but we enjoyed steady action from beginning to end using live shad suspended where sonar dictated — typically in the lower third of the water column.  We landed 57 fish including 22 legal hybrid with our single largest fish going exactly 5.00 pounds.

OBSERVATIONS/NOTES:   1) Once again, no spawning shad after seeing the first spawning activity last Monday, 02 April.

TALLY: 57 FISH, ALL CAUGHT AND RELEASED 

 

TODAY’S CONDITIONS/NOTES:

Start Time: 7:45a

End Time: 12:15p

Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 53F

Water Surface Temp:  63.1F

Wind Speed & Direction:   SE8-12

Sky Conditions: 100% cloud cover

Water Level: 1.99 feet low

GT = 0

 

Wx SNAPSHOT:

 

AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:

**Area 690 – hybrid and a mix of other species on live shad

**Area 2027 – hybrid and a mix of other species on live shad

**Area B0018C – hybrid and a mix of other species on live shad

 

 

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