WHO I FISHED WITH: On Thursday morning, December 7, I ran a SKIFF trip for Mr. Nick Stowman, and his son, Mordecai.

Nick is a bona fide disabled combat veteran who was injured multiple times when vehicles he was in were struck by IED‘s (improvised explosive devices) as he served as a scout in the U.S. Army. Nick served 4 1/2 years.

Mordecai, age 13, is one of three siblings, and the most “outdoorsy” of the three.

ABOUT SKIFF:  This fishing trip, like all SKIFF trips, was provided to this military family at no charge.  This program began in May of 2009.  It is funded by the donations and fundraising efforts of the Austin Fly Fishers and other organizations they have partnered with, namely The McBride Foundation and Subaru.  S.K.I.F.F. provides the children of military personnel separated from their families due to duty commitments with the opportunity to go fishing.  SKIFF trips are also provided, free of charge, to Gold Star families who have lost their service member while he or she was on active duty.  In mid-2019, SKIFF also began providing trips to dependents whose parents are bona fide disabled veterans.  I coordinate and conduct these 3.5 hour adventures on Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir, just outside the gates of Fort Cavazos in Bell County, TX, year ’round.  Call or text 254.368.7411.

Here is how the fishing went…

Here’s an up-to-date calendar so you can check availability: https://holdingthelineguideservice.com/available-dates.php

Next available dates are Dec. 13 & 14

PHOTO CAPTION:  Mordecai Stowman came up with our largest fish of the trip.  This 5.25 pound hybrid striped bass was one of nine legal hybrid we took under the best weather conditions we’ve had for fishing in quite a spell.

PHOTO CAPTION:  U.S. Army veteran Nick Stowman with one of the chunky hybrids he and his 13-year-old son landed.  These fish were gorging on 3.25″ long threadfin shad.

PHOTO CAPTION: When the hybrid action settled down, we turned out sights on white bass and had to visit only two areas to stay in plenty of action as we “slow-smoked” Hazy Eye Slabs to catch these bottom-hugging fish.

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

WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton

WHEN WE FISHED: Thursday, 07 Dec. 2023 (PM)

HOW WE FISHED: 

We finally had some weather I could get excited about today. We had a balmy south wind return, taking temperatures into the 60s by the end of our four hour trip after a 46° start. We also were blessed with gray cloud cover all morning at approximately 90% coverage.

Birds worked long and hard this morning and were present, at least sporadically, from 7:50 AM through our wrap-up at 11 AM.  We used downriggers to fish below the most aggressive bird activity and were rewarded with nine legal hybrid striped bass as we trolled using number 13 Pet Spoons on one three-armed umbrella rig, and number 14 Pet Spoons on the other.

When the bird activity waned, we reverted to what has been standard operating procedure now that the water has dropped below 60° – that is slow smoking vertically with a Bladed Hazy Eye Slab (white, 5/8 oz.). We used these slabs in conjunction with Garmin LiveScope, and found the fish more responsive than at any point in the last two weeks.

We had to hit only one location to take our 44-fish count up to 70 before calling it a day right at 11 AM.

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

TALLY: 70 fish caught and released.

OBSERVATIONS:  The water temperature profile measured on 07 Dec., was:

WEATHER DATA:

Start Time: 7:30A

End Time: 11:00A

Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 46F

Elevation: 15.68 feet low, 40 CFS flow

Water Surface Temp: 58.7F on the surface.

Wind Speed & Direction: SSE10-13

Sky Condition: About 90% grey cloud cover all morning

Moon Phase: Waning crescent moon at 29% illumination.

GT = N/A

Wx SNAPSHOT:    

AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:  

Area 1205 thru 1275 – 44 fish downrigging #13/14 Pet Spoons, incl. 9 legal hybrid

Area 1549 – 26 white bass smoking white, 5/8 oz. 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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