Boats and Boating. Fish and Fishing. You’re On the Dock with Rick Smith.
This week’s episode of On the Dock with Rick Smith, brought to you by Marine Outlet of Temple, took listeners deep into the world of sonar, transducers, and summertime white bass patterns. This week, Rick welcomed one of the region’s most trusted voices on the subject: Bob Maindelle of Holding the Line Guide Service, joined by co‑host Billy Conway.
Bob, well known across Central Texas for his white bass expertise, offered a masterclass in understanding sonar performance — especially for first‑time boat owners. He explained that many anglers unknowingly handicap their electronics by installing rigid aftermarket “transducer saver” brackets on performance bass boats. While these brackets protect the transducer, they lock it into a fixed angle that cannot be leveled, making it nearly useless for finding fish. As Bob put it, that’s “letting the tail wag the dog.”
He went on to describe how high‑speed bottom reading requires a different tool altogether: the old‑school, shoot‑through‑the‑hull puck transducer. Mounted inside the sump with bubble‑free epoxy, these units bypass cavitation and allow boaters to read the bottom even at high speed. The picture isn’t perfect, Bob noted, but it’s enough to know whether you’re in eight feet or eighty — and that confidence matters.
Throughout the conversation, Bob emphasized how often new boat owners simply don’t know these details. His hands‑on training sessions routinely uncover mis‑installed equipment, misunderstood features, and missed opportunities to get the most out of modern sonar technology.
Rick then shifted the conversation to summer fishing opportunities. Bob shared that his first available opening is Tuesday, July 28, with a fairly open calendar until local schools resume around August 17. With the dam shut down and a stable high‑pressure dome over Texas, he expects conditions to remain favorable — though, as he reminded listeners, Texas weather always has the final say.
For those wanting to book a trip, Bob prefers to speak with clients directly to ensure expectations match the experience. He practices catch‑and‑release, avoids baitcasters and live bait, and focuses on specific species — all details he wants settled before anyone puts down a deposit.
He can be reached by call or text at 254‑368‑7411, and his updated calendar is available at holdingthelineguideservice.com.
As the episode closed, Rick thanked Billy and Bob for another informative conversation. And with his familiar sign‑off, he sent listeners back toward the water:
“Until next time, this is Rick Smith, wishing you clear horizons, fair winds, and tight lines.”
