CLIENTS: This morning, Monday, August 11, I conducted a SKIFF trip for the Rankin family currently stationed at Fort Hood and living in Copperas Cove. U.S .Army First Lieutenant Cody Rankin serves as a physician’s assistant and was recently separated from his family while involved with coursework at another post.
Mrs. Kimberly Rankin reached out to me during this absence and we set this trip up just days before the boys head back to public school.
Working the rods this morning were Easton (age 10), Greyson (age 8), and Hudson (age 6).
TODAY’S DATE: Monday, 11 August 2025 (AM)
NEXT OPEN DATE FOR FISHING: Thursday, 21 August (AM)
NEXT OPEN DATES FOR SONAR TRAINING: Saturday, 30 August (AM)
PHOTO CAPTION: From left: Greyson, Easton, and Hudson Rankin with a portion of their 37 fish catch made in just 2 hours on Lake Belton this morning.
FIND CORK RIGS & OTHER WHITE BASS/HYBRID LURES HERE: https://whitebasstools.com/
WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton
SUMMARY OF HOW WE FISHED:
Kim let me know in advance that the boys would likely not all make it for the full 3.5 hours given their prior experience fishing for panfish at the city park pond in Copperas Cove. I planned our activities accordingly so the boys could get some exposure to at least two different sorts of fishing even if the morning were shortened up a bit.
We got going a few minutes before sunrise and experienced a 75 minute white bass bite which started shallow, transitioned out to deeper water, then dissipated right around 8 AM.
During this time, the boys landed 32 fish, including 1 largemouth bass, 6 hybrid striped bass, and 25 white bass (one of which was short). These fish were taken on downriggers working 3-armed umbrella rigs equipped with Pet Spoons selected to imitate the threadfin shad these fish were feeding on.
Kim let me know that the younger two boys were getting “antsy“ just as the white bass bite was dying down, so, we made a quick transition to fishing up shallow for sunfish. I believe Easton would have hung with me all morning, but the younger brothers started to wane after the novelty of the first few sunfish coming aboard wore off.
We wrapped up right around the two hour mark.
The boys landed a total of 32 fish on the downriggers, and they put an additional five bluegill in the boat for a grand total of 37 fish during this, the ninth SKIFF trip of the 2025 season.
RESULTS: 37 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: Belton is now 0.91′ high with a 0.05 fall in the last 24 hours with USACE releasing 338 CFS.
LATEST WATER TEMPERATURE PROFILE: Taken around 6:15AM, Tuesday, 05 August …
WEATHER DATA:
Start Time: 6:35A
End Time: 8:40A
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 75F
Elevation: 0.91′ high with a 0.05 fall in the last 24 hours with USACE releasing 338 CFS.
Water Surface Temp: 87.2F on the surface.
Wind Speed & Direction: S2-4
Sky Condition: Cloudless with a light blue sky
Moon Phase: Waning gibbous moon at 93% illumination.
GT = N/A
Wx SNAPSHOT:
AREAS FISHED WITH MOST SUCCESS:
Area vic B0132C thru 813 – downrigging for mixed bag of 32 whites/hybrid
Area B0036G – 5 sunfish on bait under floats
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