WHO I FISHED WITH: This past Friday morning I fished with David Burke of Belton, TX, and his friend, Glen Wagoner, of DeSoto, TX, near Dallas. The two have been friends for about 14 years. David first came out fishing with me solo during peak hybrid season in 2017, then last year brought Glen along. This year Glen brought his dad, also named Glen, along, as well. David is a U.S. Navy vet and retired counselor, Glen III works as an estate manager, and Glen Jr. retired from the painting business and now works part-time for a trucking company.
PHOTO CAPTION: From left: Glen Wagoner Jr. David Burke, and Glen Wagoner III each with an early morning hybrid striped bass which struck live shad on Lake Belton.
WHAT WE FISHED FOR: Hybrid striped bass using live shad.
WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton
WHEN WE FISHED: 26 April 2019, AM
HOW WE FISHED: We fished strictly live bait in pursuit of hybrid striped bass this morning and did best in our first 90 minutes and in our last 45 minutes, with slower action during mid-morning. With water temperatures still lagging behind “normal”, the hybrid bite still has not really taken off yet, but is at least consistent. Slowly but surely, we’re getting there!
Fishing live shad on a tight-line rig with a 3/4 oz. egg sinker, quality swivel, 25# fluorocarbon leader and circle hook (with mono tag) is standard fare. I have been gauging the distance off bottom at which we present our baits based on fish aggression level and the presence of smaller, non-target species like white bass and blue catfish.
OBSERVATIONS: Each day I see more and more white bass beginning to filter back in to deeper, clearer water haunts. I noted that the Cowhouse arm picked up some whitish coloration from Wednesday’s rains. Also noted the non-target blue catfish seem, on average, larger thus far this season. The majority which strike live or cut bait are hooked and landed (versus much smaller blue cat experienced in years past which would nibble a shad from the tail end but not get hooked due to small mouth size). Netted shad successfully at SHAD022 as they spawned in shallow water.
TALLY: 38 fish caught and released – including 19 legal hybrid
TODAY’S CONDITIONS/NOTES:
Start Time: 7:15a
End Time: 11:35a
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 62F
Elevation: 2.27′ above full pool with a 0.31′ 24-hour rise and a 1672 cfs flow due to 2-3 inches of rain in the watershed 2 days ago
Water Surface Temp: ~66.6F
Wind Speed & Direction: NNW8-12
Sky Conditions: Bright, cloudless blue skies
GT = 25
#WhiteBassFishing #LakeBelton #StillhouseHollow
Wx SNAPSHOT:
AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:
**Area vic 1945 early
**Area B0037C late
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: www.facebook.com/bobmaindelle
Twitter: www/twitter.com/bobmaindelle