WHO I FISHED WITH: This morning, Monday, December 4, I fished with first time guest Mr. Jay McKinney, from Georgetown, Texas.

This was originally supposed to be a father-son trip, but father and son are in the restaurant business and son got a call that a key employee was unable to make his shift so, this morning‘s trip became a solo act.  We’re gonna try again on the father-son effort this coming Thursday.

Here is how the fishing went…

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Next available dates are Dec. 13 & 14

PHOTO CAPTION:  Mr. Jay McKinney got on a hot streak this morning.  He landed 15 keeper hybrid striped bass as we kept pace with a fast moving school of hybrid chasing threadfin shad into the wind at a 2.5 mph pace.

PHOTO CAPTION: White bass, although definitely slowing down, also cooperated this morning.

Find the Bladed Hazy Eye Slab here: https://whitebasstools.com/

WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton

WHEN WE FISHED: Monday, 04 Dec. 2023 (PM)

HOW WE FISHED: 

We very much remain under the influence of high-pressure, following Friday’s incoming, mild cold front. We had we had clear skies, cold overnight temperatures, and north-northwesterly winds.

Fishing was improved versus the tough scenario I encountered Friday and Saturday, but the impact of falling water temperatures are definitely kicking in. Fish are generally staying very tight to bottom, a lesser percentage of fish tend to respond to presentations, and I am noticing sporadic spikes in fish feeding times. What I mean by this is that I am seeing fish feed strong for 12 or 15 minutes, then shut down then, 35 minutes later, turn on for another 10 or 13 minutes, and so on.

Our fishing broke down into three segments this morning. There was a slow bite under low light conditions during which time we worked Hazy Eye Slabs vertically.  Next, a bit of bird activity kicked in as a large school of hybrid began to chase bait at mid depths and up toward the surface over a widespread area. This was then followed by better fishing for white bass using bottom-oriented tactics thereafter.

Whenever we found white bass heavily schooled on bottom, the slow-smoking tactic still performed best, although I did try easing and some dead stick presentations, as well. As for the hybrid under birds, if you weren’t downrigging, or at least flatline trolling, you were not going to be able to keep up with the speed at which these fish were pursuing shad.

I used twin downriggers, each equipped with a three-armed umbrella rig. One rig had number 13 Pet Spoons and the other had number 14 Pet Spoons. Our better quality fish came on the number 14s.

Jay landed three sets of triples and each of those included two keeper hybrid. He then landed singles and doubles of keeper hybrid, amassing a final tally of 15 keeper hybrid during the short span of bird activity.

Our fishing today took place in 28 to 34 feet of water when the fish were on bottom.

We wound up with a grand total of 61 fish including 1 freshwater drum, 2 largemouth bass, 15 keeper hybrid, 3 short hybrid, and 40 white bass, 37 of which were legal.

Here is a tutorial on the smoking tactic we used… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIPopSLUYoQ

TALLY: 61 fish caught and released.

OBSERVATIONS:  The water temperature profile measured on 01 Dec., was:

WEATHER DATA:

Start Time: 7:20A

End Time: 11:45A

Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 43F

Elevation: 15.56 feet low, 47 CFS flow

Water Surface Temp: 59.9F on the surface.

Wind Speed & Direction: NNW8 at trip’s start, rising to NNW12-13 by mid-morning, then dying to NNW6-8

Sky Condition: Bright, cloudless, bluebird skies all morning

Moon Phase: Waning gibbous moon at 57% illumination.

GT = 0

Wx SNAPSHOT:    

AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:  

B0075C – smoking Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs for white bass

150 – smoking Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs for white bass

1749 upwind to the NW for ~1/4 mile

1489 – smoking Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs for white bass

B0196C/B0196G – smoking Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs for white bass

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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