Belton Fishing Report
- Apr 17, 2024
- GOOD. Water lightly stained; 66 degrees; 9.39 feet below pool.Thanks to flooding rains on April 9, Lake Belton rose 2.7 feet since last week and is now 75.4-percent full. The annual threadfin shad spawn has just now reached the main basin. My most successful white bass trips involved finding fish in 28-31 feet of water around mid-morning using side-imaging, spot-Locking atop these fish, then working white, 5/8 or 3/4 ounce Bladed Hazy Eye Slabs vertically with a smoking tactic in conjunction with LiveScope to gauge their response to retrieve speed until we found the sweet spot. Although the window is brief, perhaps 25 minutes or so, some aggressive shallow water action can be found fishing for many species chasing after spawning shad. White bass, hybrid striped bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, drum, gar, and catfish are all getting in on this right now. That window is 6:30-6:55 A.M. right now. Throw an Original MAL with chartreuse tail to match the shape, size, and color of adult shad in their spawning colors. Report by Bob Maindelle, Holding the Line Guide Service. Catfishing is excellent. With the recent rains and steady water currents coming in from the Leon River anglers should target the mouths of these creeks with fresh shad. Anchoring or drifting at slow speeds with smaller baits is best. Flatheads have been caught heading up rivers around structures. Report by Brian Worley, B&S Catfishing.
Zebra Mussel Alert To prevent the spread of zebra mussels, the law requires draining of water from boats and onboard receptacles when leaving or approaching public fresh waters. Get details.
Fishing reports are produced with support from Toyota and the federal Sport Fish Restoration program.