BACK IN THE SADDLE – 56 FISH, LAKE BELTON

WHO I FISHED WITH:  This morning, Tuesday, Feb. 7th, I conducted my first fishing trip after being off the water for exactly one month thanks to a rotator cuff injury on Dec. 20th, and surgery on that left shoulder on Jan. 13th.

This was a “shake out the cobwebs and scout for some fish” kinda trip, and my “adult babysitter” was Mr. Ronnie Trower of Texas Boat World fame.  He kindly accompanied me as I (at a pace slower than normal) worked through launching and prepping my boat before our trip and then loading my boat back onto the trailer following the trip.

At this point, I am re-opened for business and my booking calendar is up-to-date.  If a date says “OPEN AM” or “OPEN PM”, I am available.  You can always just call or text to check on a date, as well.  Here’s that calendar: https://holdingthelineguideservice.com/available-dates.php

Here is how the fishing went …

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PHOTO CAPTION:  After a 30 day layoff due to a torn rotator cuff, I hit the water today to do a shake-down on the boat and tackle, and identify fish-holding areas for my clients scheduled this Thursday.  Mr. Ronnie Trower came along in case I got myself in a bind.

WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton

WHEN WE FISHED:  Tuesday, 07 February 2023 (AM)

HOW WE FISHED: 

Since the point of this trip was to get back on the water and locate fish for my first guided party this coming Thursday morning, we agreed we’d limit our catch to roughly 4 fish at any given area and then move on so we could identify a plethora of fish-holding areas while also sampling size and fish interest level at each area which produced.

In all, we found fish at 11 distinct areas holding fish this morning and spotted birds working fish at a 12th area which we did not fish.  There was a very sharp distinction between the two sorts of areas we found fish in.

The first general location was tight to bottom on breaklines in distinct schools, as would be expected of wintertime whites on topographic features.

The second general location was parallel to and just off of the main river channel.  These fish were present in great numbers and were primarily suspended.  I suspected at first that these might be schools of the very first spawners nosing upstream into the light current still running through Lake Belton (24 cubic feet per second), however, not a single fish oozed milt or eggs, nor had any abdominal bulge indicating developing eggs or milt.

The fish on bottom were temperamental, typically responding well as soon as our presentations arrived at bottom, then losing interest quickly.  We caught these on Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs (white, 3/8 oz. and 5/8 oz.) using a combination of easing, slow-smoking, and occasional snap-jigging.

The suspended fish near the channel were aggressive when they were seen moving horizontally on sonar and, during such times, would hit a slab worked with a slow-smoking tactic.   However, if the fish were not moving, they would typically only respond to a dead-sticked soft plastic with jighead positioned horizontally.

We saw three such groups of suspended fish, each indicated by gulls.  The bottom-huggers were found exclusively via sonar

Our tally of 56 fish consisted of 4 freshwater drum, 3 hybrid striped bass (2 legal), and 49 white bass.

TALLY: 56 fish caught and released

Find Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs with Stinger Hook here: https://whitebasstools.com/

OBSERVATIONS:  Multiple large schools of suspended fish located adjacent to the main channel were found today.  Haven’t seen this behavior until now this winter.

WEATHER DATA:

Start Time: 7:30A

End Time: 12:30P

Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 63F

Elevation: 13.9 feet low, 0.02′ rise in last 24 hours, 24 CFS flow.

Water Surface Temp: 52.3F on the surface

Wind Speed & Direction: Calm to SE3 winds all morning

Sky Condition: 100% grey skies with occasional light rain showers all morning.

Moon Phase: Waning gibbous moon at 97% illumination.

GT = N/A

Wx SNAPSHOT: 

 

AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:  

Area B0191G – 7 fish (suspended near channel)
Area B0186G/B0012C – 4 fish
Area Vic 354 – 2 fish
Area B0190G – 4 fish
Area vic 1012 – 1 fish
Area vic 714 – 3 fish
Area vic 344 – 6 fish
Area vic 1541 – 6 fish
Area vic B0161C/B0020C – 6 fish
Area, 2052/1934 – 4 fish
Area B0192G  – 13 fish (suspended near channel)

 

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

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