CLIENTS: This past Tuesday evening I was joined by first-time guests Ted Wong and Robert James. The two men got acquainted through their church in the Waco area. Ted works in the automotive industry, and Robert is retired from coaching football at the college level, most notably, at Baylor University.
DATE: Tuesday, 17 September 2024 (PM)
NEXT OPEN DATES: 19 (PM), 20 (AM), 23-27 Sep. (AMs and PMs)
PHOTO CAPTION: From left: Robert James and Ted Wong worked in the fairly windless heat for 4 hours and were rewarded with a catch of 141 fish on Lake Belton. 130 of their 141 fish were taken on MAL Originals with chartreuse tails worked with a “smoking” tactic.
WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton
SUMMARY OF HOW WE FISHED:
Fishing has gotten much easier and much more productive ever since the brief cold snap we experienced for a 4-day run, beginning on Sept. 6.
Once again today, despite less than optimum wind and cloud cover, we found heavily schooled fish tight to bottom. These fish were 1) willing to chase a lure moving at a fast clip, and 2) stayed beneath the boat for long periods of time allowing a significant number of fish to be landed before having to move and find more fish.
We used the MAL Original with chartreuse tail with a smoking tactic to catch 130 of our 141 fish. We used this bait and this tactic from our start, up until about 7:10. Then, with about 40 minutes of light left, I could see fish beginning to move shallower, thru the 30 foot depths, into about 25 feet of water. As they did this, the fanned out, thus making a horizontal tactic more likely to produce.
I changed us over to White Tornados (white, 3/4 oz. version) and we wound up picking up 11 more fish right up until they quit at dark. As has been the case even before the Sept. 6 cooldown, the ratio of quality white bass increased during this brief low-light period.
This was the first trip since Lake Belton reopened in early July where I did not feel downrigging would outproduce other methods at any point during this 4-hour trip.
Here is a tutorial on vertically smoking the MAL Lure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDSvfXgrAUE
Here is a tutorial on horizontally “sawtoothing” with the MAL Lure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC3FMEQHOMQ
LURES USED SUCCESSFULLY ON THIS TRIP: We smoked MAL Originals vertically. We cast White Tornados horizontally. Find all MAL Lures and White Tornados here: https://whitebasstools.com/
TALLY: 141 fish caught and released, including 1 largemouth bass, 6 short hybrids, and 134 white bass
OBSERVATIONS:
1) The number of bottom-oriented schools of white bass now found in deep water AND showing a willingness to remain stationary long enough to allow for presentations to be made for substantial lengths of time have increased sharply; it looks like these fish are there to stay.
2) Zero topwater action at dusk.
LATEST WATER TEMPERATURE PROFILE:
Here was the water temperature profile for Lake Belton, measured with a FishHawk TD device around 6:35 AM on Saturday, September 7 , then again around 6:10AM on Monday, September 9…
WEATHER DATA:
Start Time: 3:50P
End Time: 7:50P
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 92F
Elevation: 1.03′ low and falling slowly with a 52 cfs flow; .02′ fall in last 24 hours
Water Surface Temp: 85.5F on the surface.
Wind Speed & Direction: S0-6 all afternoon.
Sky Condition: ~40% white cloud cover on a light blue sky.
Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous moon at 99% illumination.
GT = 25
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