CLIENTS: This morning I conducted the 19th “S.K.I.F.F.” trip of the 2024 season, welcoming aboard Randall and Robert Pierce, the sons of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Randall Pierce and his wife, Gabbie. SSG Pierce, like many soldiers at Ft. Cavazos, has not been home much lately. He just completed field time, is now at gunnery with his tank crew, then heads right out to the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, followed by an Army school for professional development after that.
ABOUT SKIFF: SKIFF trips have been provided to military families at no charge since May of 2009. SKIFF is funded by donations from Austin Fly Fishers, The McBride Foundation, & Austin Subaru. S.K.I.F.F. provides kids of military members separated from their families by duty commitments with the opportunity to fish. SKIFF trips are also provided to Gold Star families who have lost their service member. In mid-2019, SKIFF began providing trips to kids of bona fide disabled veterans. I conduct these 3.5 hour adventures on Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir year ’round. Call or text 254.368.7411.
DATE: Wednesday, 07 August 2024 (AM)
NEXT OPEN DATES: 14 & 15 Aug. (AM & PM)
PHOTO CAPTION: From left: Randall (9) and Robert (6) Pierce proudly display part of their 74-fish catch before releasing them to fight again. The boys were treated to a free fishing trip during a time of separation from their father, SSG Randall Pierce, who is stationed at Fort Cavazos and has served since 2019.
WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton
SUMMARY OF HOW WE FISHED: The weather was still hot and dry, but, we managed a bit of an easterly breeze this morning which stirred up some “popcorn” schooling action by white bass and gave us some clues as to where to find bait and fish.
The boys landed 15 fish via downrigging under low-light conditions, then “smoked” vertically with MAL Mini lures for 4 more fish before we changed it up and headed up shallow for some panfishing. We closed out the trip with a final round of downrigging. This final effort from about 8:45 to 10 was the most productive, yielding multiple singles, multiple doubles, and multiple triples as we match lure size to bait size with the #12 Pet Spooon.
LURES USED SUCCESSFULLY ON THIS TRIP: We downrigged with 3-armed umbrella rigs equipped with #12 & 13 Pet Spoons. We fished MAL Minis vertically with a smoking tactic, and we used live bait under slipfloats for panfish up shallow. Find umbrella rigs and MAL Lures here: https://whitebasstools.com/
TALLY: 74 fish caught and released.
OBSERVATIONS:
1) “Popcorn” schools of small white bass chasing shad in open water seemed to be here, there, and everywhere, with topwater action peaking between 8:15 and 9:40.
LATEST WATER TEMPERATURE PROFILE:
Here was the water temperature profile for Lake Belton, measured with a FishHawk TD device around 5:50 AM on August 5 …
WEATHER DATA:
Start Time: 6:15A
End Time: 10:00A
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 79F
Elevation: Lake Belton hit normal conservation level today and is falling slowly with a 33 cfs flow, resulting in a 0.01′ fall over the last 24 hours
Water Surface Temp: 87.2F on the surface.
Wind Speed & Direction: E3 or less all morning
Sky Condition: Cloudless blue sky
Moon Phase: Waxing crescent moon at 9% illumination.
GT = N/A
AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:
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