WHO I FISHED WITH: This morning, Thursday, November 9, I fished a rain-shortened trip with first time guests Billy and Betsy Meyerdirk. These long-time Austin residents recently bought property in Morgan’s Point adjacent to Lake Belton, and Billy wanted to get a bit of an introduction to the lake as well as catch fish.
He originally intended to bring a buddy who has treated him to a number of guided trips, but that buddy was not yet sufficiently recovered from some recent surgery, so we got to enjoy the company of Mrs. Betsy, instead.
Here is how the fishing went…
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Next available dates are Nov. 14, 15
PHOTO CAPTION: Billy and Betsy Meyerdirk came to both catch and learn. Their rain-shortened trip produced 63 fish before a November cold front came and made it feel pretty nautical out there.
Find the Bladed Hazy Eye Slab here: https://whitebasstools.com/
WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton
WHEN WE FISHED: Thursday, 09 November 2023
HOW WE FISHED:
As I drove to the boat ramp this morning, there was just the finest bit of mist falling here and there. The air had a heavy, humid, warm feel to it at 71°. A cold front was forecast by everyone, but no one could agree on the arrival time, the rain quantity, nor the wind velocity, so, knowing full well that the fishing is going gangbusters right now, we pressed on.
We got going right at 7 AM with leaden grey skies dimming the already low early morning light level more than usual. We got on fish and got them to perk up and bite by around 7:30 AM and caught well at two locations right up until 9:35 AM when the raindrops got larger and colder, and the wind started to blow increasingly harder from the north.
The fish we found responded well to a smoking tactic as Billy and Betsy used white, 5/8 ounce, Hazy Eye Slabs fished vertically using the smoking tactic detailed here…
Since one of Billy‘s desires was to understand other tactics used throughout the year, I also spent a short time demonstrating downrigging, demonstrating the sawtooth method, and demonstrating the easing tactic.
As I drove us from our first area to the second and final area we fished, I pointed out a few features about the lake, and the kind of fishing which could be expected through the seasons of the year.
Billy and Betsy stepped off the boat around 9:45 AM. I remained behind and scouted two other areas with sonar, knowing that the fish often get very aggressive on an incoming cold front, despite the uncomfortable conditions. I was able to locate one additional group of fish to keep in the back of my mind for the future.
On this weather-shortened morning, the Meyerdirks managed 63 fish, including 2 short hybrid striped bass, 1 freshwater drum, and 60 white bass. As is typical for this time of year, we had about 50% short fish.
TALLY: 63 fish caught and released.
OBSERVATIONS: No bird action this morning for the second morning in a row, despite the presence of ~200 birds roosted along the shoreline at sunrise. Here was the water temperature profile down to 60′ taken Tuesday, 07 Nov.:
0 feet, 67.4F
5 feet, 67.4F
10 feet, 67.4F
15 feet, 67.4F
20 feet, 67.4F
25 feet, 67.4F
30 feet, 67.1F
35 feet, 66.8F
40 feet, 66.4F
45 feet, 65.9F
50 feet, 64.4F
55 feet, 62.9F
60 feet, 62.0F
WEATHER DATA:
Start Time: 7:00A
End Time: 9:35A
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 71F
Elevation: 15.14 feet low, 47 CFS flow
Water Surface Temp: 67.4F on the surface.
Wind Speed & Direction: WSW3 at trip’s start; NW12 by trip’s end with incoming cold front
Sky Condition: 100% light grey cloud cover all morning with drizzle turning to light rain as the front arrived at 9:35A
Moon Phase: Waning crescent moon at 15% illumination.
GT = 150
Wx SNAPSHOT:
AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:
Areas:
Area vic 1552 – 35 fish smoking Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs
Area vic B0187C – 28 fish smoking Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs
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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