WHO I FISHED WITH:
This morning, Wednesday, April 3, I fished with first time guest Joseph Lewis from the small town of Rogers, Texas, just outside of the city of Temple.



Joseph is a US Navy submarine service veteran, who currently works entirely from home in the tech industry. He spoke proudly and often about his 16 and 18-year-old daughters.



Joseph’s goal was not so much to catch fish as to understand an approach to finding and catching them in the spring months. Joseph has his own Kenner center-console with trolling motor and Humminbird electronics and desired to be able to put them to better use in pursuit of white bass.



Here is how the fishing went…

My next open dates are: 12 & 16 April, and 03 May (AMs)






PHOTO CAPTION: Look at those high blue skies following a cold front that pushed in two nights ago! Despite the post-frontal scenario we put 60 fish over the side of the boat thanks to Joseph’s willingness to learn and be coachable.

WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton

WHEN WE FISHED: Monday, 01 April 2024 (AM)

HOW WE FISHED:

Today was the second full day of a northerly blow following a cold front which passed through late Monday night dropping our morning low temperature to just 45° this morning.



Although we faced post-frontal conditions, we still had enough wind to keep the fish stirred up.



We experienced a solid low-light bite for the first hour following sunrise, putting 20 fish in the boat, rather easily, using a combination of easing and slow-smoking with a white, 5/8 ounce Bladed Hazy Eye Slab.



As we were catching fish, about 20 birds were working a different school of fish nearby.



As we stopped catching fish where we were, the bird stopped working where they were, and the fishing got slower for about 90 minutes. During this time, we found fish, albeit in rather small schools, caught , one or two or three fish, and then had to move after these fish remained visible on sonar, but refused to chase and bite.



Around 9:45 or so the bite began to bounce back, and we began to put more fish in the boat with each of the last three stops we would make. Our last area produced 18 fish, which came out of 46 feet of water, the deepest I’ve caught fish in over six weeks.



We wrapped up the trip with exactly 60 fish landed, including 57 white bass and three freshwater drum.



Find the MAL Original and the 3/4-ounce Bladed Hazy Eye Slab here: https://whitebasstools.com/



TALLY: 60 fish caught and released



OBSERVATIONS: Here is the water temperature profile for Lake Belton, measured before sunrise on April 3rd …

0 feet, 63.8F
5 feet, 63.8F
10 feet, 63.8F
15 feet, 63.8F
20 feet, 63.8F
25 feet, 63.8F
30 feet, 63.8F
35 feet, 63.8F
40 feet, 63.7F
45 feet, 62.9F
50 feet, 58.9F
WEATHER DATA:

Start Time: 7:20A

End Time: 12:30P

Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 45F

Elevation: 11.44 feet low, 33 CFS flow

Water Surface Temp: 63.8F on the surface.

Wind Speed & Direction: Steady NW12-14 shifting slowly to WSW12-14

Sky Condition: Cloudless blue skies

Moon Phase: Waning crescent moon at 35% illumination.

GT = 25

Wx SNAPSHOT:






AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:

Areas 1298, 1371, and 0013/1469
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

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Solid post and fish.