CLIENTS: This evening, Tuesday, July 22, I fished with the Young family for their first time aboard my boat. Joining me was Dr. William Young, his 15-year-old daughter, Millie, and his 11-year-old son, Hub. William is originally from the Temple, Texas, area but has since moved to the Lubbock area where he has establish a practice in the healthcare field. Although I normally prefer to fish mornings, I simply did not have a morning available in the short window of time they would be in the area visiting family.
TODAY’S DATE: Tuesday, 22 July 2025 (PM)
NEXT OPEN DATE FOR FISHING: Monday, 04 August (AM)
NEXT OPEN DATES FOR SONAR TRAINING: 09 August (AM)
PHOTO CAPTION: From left: William, Hub, and Millie Young with a trio of Lake Belton white bass they landed using a variety of tactics during their recent evening trip.
FIND CORK RIGS & OTHER WHITE BASS/HYBRID LURES HERE: https://whitebasstools.com/
WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton
SUMMARY OF HOW WE FISHED:
We fished the last three hours of light today and caught fish by way of downrigging, with a horizontal approach using the sawtooth method and MAL Heavy lures, and with vertical tactics by using a smoking retrieve with that same lure.
The combination of downrigging and well-tuned side-imaging sonar is a powerful summertime tool. I can use the side-imaging to spot schools of fish to the port or starboard side, mark them, and quickly maneuver the boat to go over them while presenting my baits behind the downrigger balls with great precision.
On occasion, we found large schools of fish to the left or right, particularly while I was motoring directly upwind. With the trolling motor already deployed, all I had to do is hit the Spot Lock button, and we would essentially park crosswind from the schools out to the left or right of the boat, allowing some horizontal work to be done with the sawtooth method and MAL Heavy.
I was hopeful that sunset would bring some topwater action, despite having next to none this morning. However, as that magic window approached just before sunset, there was still quite a stiff breeze; if the fish were there, they were not visible to me. We ended up with exactly 80 fish landed including two largemouth bass, two blue catfish, and 76 white bass.
RESULTS: 80 fish, all caught and released
TUTORIAL VIDEO ON HOW “SMOKE” AN MAL LURE VERTICALLY: Click here for tutorial
TUTORIAL VIDEO ON HOW TO FISH AN MAL LURE HORIZONTALLY USING THE SAWTOOTH METHOD: Click here for tutorial
OBSERVATIONS: Lake Belton is now 6.72′ high with a 0.34′ fall in the last 24 hours with USACE releasing 3037 CFS. Next to no topwater action this morning.
LATEST WATER TEMPERATURE PROFILE: Taken around 6:15AM, Monday, 21 July …
WEATHER DATA:
Start Time: 5:30P
End Time: 8:40P
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 95F
Elevation: 6.72′ high with a 0.34′ fall in the last 24 hours with USACE releasing 3037 CFS.
Water Surface Temp: 84.9F on the surface.
Wind Speed & Direction: S10-12 all evening
Sky Condition: 30% white cloud cover on a hazy sky
Moon Phase: Waning crescent moon at 6% illumination.
GT = 100
Wx SNAPSHOT:
AREAS FISHED WITH MOST SUCCESS:
Area vic 788 thru 164 and Area 188 thru 657 – 80 fish downrigging twin umbrellas, each with three #12 Pet Spoons, for singles, doubles and triples
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