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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! - LKN Winter Bass and Striper Fishing
January 28, 2007
Willing to brave February's frigid waters for bass and stripers? Hot holes aside, some of the best places to fish include the Ramsey, Reeds, Mountain, McCrary, and Stumpy Creek arms of Lake Norman. Each has its time and place. But, bass and stripers will be biting throughout the month.
Ramsey is a very large creek at the lower end of Lake Norman. It is bordered on the South by Highway 73 and is easily accessible by boat from Blythe Landing, Huntersville, NC. The creek is affected by the warm discharge waters of the nuclear plant. Look for bass along the rip-rap adjacent to Marker R1 and the flooded Beatties Ford roadbed that once connected the islands south of R2. For stripers, try the points associated with Markers R4 and R5, both areas frequented by schools of hungry fish throughout the day. The unnamed creek in front of Kings Point Marina and Midtown Sundries is a great place to take advantage of the early morning bite for both bass and stripers.
The name of the creek in front of Stutts Marina should be changed from Reeds Creek to Spotted Bass Creek! The creek is laced with roadbeds, long points and underwater humps that hold large spots even in the coldest of weather conditions.
Mountain Creek is a short boat ride from the Hagers or the Little Creek access areas. This deep creek is a major breeding ground for forage fish and has a myriad of humps, road beds and points. A preferred area to drift live baits for stripers is in front of the Boat Rack Marina. Another popular spot is in the creek channel that runs between the railroad and Highway 150 Bridges.
McCrary Creek can be awesome, particularly when a west wind is blowing warm water from the steam plant across the river. Stripers and bass roam the length of this creek and also invade the secondary feeder creeks. Try the back of McCrary at daylight or dusk, and the deeper sections at midday.
If you launch at Stumpy Creek access, don't stray too far. This creek produces fish year round, especially when the water is cold. For stripers, try Marker B3 directly across the creek from the landing. For bass, fish the rip-rap and pilings at the Perth Rd causeway and bridge that spans Cornelius Creek.
Upcoming Events:
Fly Fishing Show - February 2, 3, 4, 2007 at the Charlotte Merchandise Mart. Details on the web at http://www.flyfishingshow.com/.
Striped Bass/Catfish Seminar - February 3, 2007 - Lake Norman fishing guides Capt. Craig Price and Mac Byrum will conduct a seminar on "How to Catch LKN Stripers and Catfish" at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC on Saturday, February 3, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. This 90 minute discussion is free and open to the public. Call 704- 658-0827 for more information.
Mid-Atlantic Boat Show - February 7-11, 2007 at the Charlotte Convention Center. Details on the web at http://www.ncboatshows.com/.
"Bass & Stripers on Artificials" - Seminar - February 13, 2007
Join bass angler Bobby Derrick and Capt. Gus Gustafson for an informative seminar on how to catch bass and stripers on artificial lures. This 90 minute class is free and open to the pubic. It begins at 6:30 p.m. in the upstairs meeting area of the Bass Pro Shops at Concord Mills Mall. Call 704-979-2200 for more information.
Tips from Capt. Gus - When dipping bait in cold weather, latex surgical gloves will keep hands dry. They can easily be removed after baits are hooked.
Hot Spots of the week: The area in and around both hot holes is producing nice catches, particularly at dawn and dusk. Watch for diving birds, but also watch your fish finder. Fish areas where strikes occur on the surface, and areas where large schools of bait appear on the screen.
The past week striper and bass fishing was good to very good.
The lake level is 96.2 or 3.8' below full pond and the water temperature in the high forties and low 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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