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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Cold Weather Striper Fishing
January 13, 2008
Water temperature is a primary factor in determining where to fish during January. If surface temperatures remain in the 50's, stripers will be active in the same general areas as they were during the holidays. Should lake temperatures fall into the high to mid 40’s, they will likely move to one of the lake’s two hot holes and surrounding waters. This is not to say that stripers won’t be in other places. They will be, but cold temperatures slow their metabolism and cause them to feed less frequently.
Quick drops in temperature or consistent water surface temps in the mid forties can cause massive threadfin shad kills. The kill areas attract fish and seabirds. Anglers fishing for stripers, bass and catfish should watch for birds picking shad from the water’s surface. They will not necessarily concentrate in a single location, but will spread over the entire kill area. When this happens, bucktail jigs, roadrunners, jigging spoons and live baits all share a high success rate. On a cold day last January, we came upon a shad kill in progress and the bite lasted all morning.
Concentrations of bait will be found everywhere, including open water points and steep wind driven banks. When bait is concentrated, artificial lures provide the key to success. Some fishermen seldom use artificals, but a select group cast them exclusively. Popular colors are white, chartreuse, grey, or a combination of any two. Since stripers tend to hit baits as they flutter to the bottom, lighter lures are preferred.
Live bait fishermen will find fish at varying depths throughout the day. However, most stripers will be taken on baits suspended less than 30 feet below the surface. Once the exact depth of feeding stripers is determined, all lines should be adjusted accordingly. Tournament anglers in search of really big fish, use live baits that might exceed ten inches in length. Gizzard shad, crappie, and rainbow trout are preferred.
In recent years, striper-fishing tournaments have not only provided support for local charities, but have helped boost the region’s economy. The Lake Norman Striper Swipers’ Annual Winter Invitational Tournament is scheduled for late January 2008. Last year’s event attracted a host of anglers.
Tips from Capt Gus:
Wire electronic units to a battery other than the one used to start the engine. The additional battery reduces electrical interference and prevents a shut down when the engine is started.
Upcoming Events:
Mitchell Community College in Mooresville has scheduled a fishing class covering advanced techniques for catching bass, stripers and catfish. The class will be on Tuesday nights, January 22 and 29, 2008 at 6:30 P.M. For more information, call 704 663 1923.
A free striper fishing seminar is scheduled at Gander Mountain, Exit 36 Mooresville, NC on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 6:30 PM. This 90-minute session will be presented by Lake Norman fishing guides Capt. Craig Price and Capt. Gus Gustafson. For additional information, call 704 658 0822.
The Lake Norman Striper Swipers’ Open Winter Classic Tournament is Saturday, January 26, 2008. Guaranteed first place prize is $1500. The biggest one day striper fishing event of the season will be at Midway Marina at the Highway 150 Bridge near Terrill, NC. For more information, visit http://www.lnssfishn.com/ or call Tommy Mesick at 704-634-6410.
The Hot Spot of the week is Mountain Creek. Stripers are hitting live baits near the surface at daylight, and baits from fifteen to thirty feet below the surface throughout the day. Both striper and bass fishing have been good to very good. The lake level is 93.5 or 6.5 ' below full pond. Water surface temperature is in the low to mid fifties.
Captain Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is an outdoor columnist and a full time professional fishing guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his web site, Fishin' With Gus! at www.FishingWithGus.com or call 704-617-6812.
For additional information e-mail Gus at Gus@LakeNorman.com
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