Texas Two-Step: Lures, then Bait – 76 Fish
CLIENTS: This morning, Saturday, 21 March, I fished my last weekend trip until after Labor Day weekend. Joining me on a rescheduled trip from last weekend when we got weathered out, was Mr. Bob Schwartz, his son, Will Schwartz, and Will‘s son, 13 year-old Lucas Schwartz. I planned for a four hour morning trip in pursuit of white bass on Lake Belton for these three generations of Schwartzes.
TODAY’S DATE: 21 March 2026 (AM)
NEXT OPEN DATES FOR FISHING: 30 March (AM)
PHOTO CAPTION: From left: Will, Bob, and Lucas Schwartz with a few of the white bass they took using a combination of artificial lures and live bait.
PHOTO CAPTION: We enjoyed a few legal (18+ inch) hybrid striped bass in the mix this morning, in addition to the white bass we were targeting.
FIND LURES HERE: https://whitebasstools.com/
WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton
SUMMARY OF HOW WE FISHED:
With today’s weather forecast to be nearly identical to yesterday‘s, but with slightly lighter winds, I continued on with my plan of working artificial baits over active fish soon after our boat was positioned atop these fish, but, anticipating the fishes’ interest would not last long given the less than ideal weather conditions, I also came ready with live shad to drop down and “mop up“ after the initial surge of interest tapered off.
This worked out well, as it extended the bite at each of the areas where I found fish, thus, we spent more time with lines in the water and less time running around, looking for new groups of excited fish only to have them sour on us quickly.
We wound up fishing only 4 areas, and followed this two-step plan at each. In four hours time these fellows landed exactly 76 fish, including three legal hybrid striped bass, one short hybrid striped bass, and 72 white bass all of which were of legal size and included a mix of fish which were spawned out, and which had yet to spawn.
RESULTS: 76 fish, all caught and released
TUTORIAL VIDEO ON HOW “SLOW SMOKE” A BLADED HAZY EYE SLAB VERTICALLY: Click here for tutorial
OBSERVATIONS:
-Each passing morning this week from Tues. thru Sat. saw morning winds get lighter and lighter. Shad help compensate for the tougher bite brought on by lack of wind.
LATEST WATER TEMPERATURE PROFILE:
Taken on Lake Belton on 19 March 2026, approx. 7AM…
0 feet 62.6F
5 feet 62.8F
10 feet 62.6F
15 feet 62.6F
20 feet 62.4F
25 feet 62.2F
30 feet 62.0F
35 feet 62.0F
40 feet 61.7F
45 feet 61.5F
50 feet 58.7F
55 feet 57.8F
60 feet 57.2F
WEATHER DATA:
Start Time: 7:20A
End Time: 11:20A
Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 60F
Elevation: Belton is 1.02′ low with a -0.01′ change in the last 24 hours. USACE is releasing 34 CFS.
Water Surface Temp: 63.6F on the surface.
Wind Speed & Direction: SSW4-6 all morning
Sky Condition: Cloudless, light blue skies
Moon Phase: Waxing crescent moon at 9% illumination
GT = 25
Wx SNAPSHOT:
AREAS FISHED WITH MOST SUCCESS:
Area vic B0135C – 5 fish on Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs (5/8 oz. white)
Area 565 – 8 fish on Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs (5/8 oz. white), then on live shad
Area vic 1000 – 29 fish on Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs (5/8 oz. white), then on live shad
Area 2401 – 34 fish on Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs (5/8 oz. white), then on live shad
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