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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Stuart the Flounder Fisherman
February 15, 2009
This story was written a while back. Like all fish tales, there is a bit of truth somewhere in its content. The names and places have been changed to protect the innocent. Enjoy!
Stuart went to the coast every weekend. He loved the smell of the salty air, the sound of the pounding surf, and especially, the taste of fresh fish. No one knew how he did it, but he always returned with enough filets to feed an army. On any trip, he would fill at least one big ice chest, and if conditions were right, he would fill three or four. He never returned empty handed, and usually had enough fish to share with his neighbors. Bottom fishing was his thing and flounders were his favorite. He not only liked to catch them, but also liked to eat them.
The neighbors looked forward to Sunday evenings when Stuart distributed his catch. Over time, he became a fishing hero. He was envied by those who never caught enough to eat, much less to feed the neighborhood. His reputation grew with each trip. Sometimes he was asked to take someone fishing with him, but he was a loner and his answer was always no.
One day Stuart was approached by a neighbor and asked the location of one of his fishing spots. The neighbor didn’t really expect an answer, but to his surprise, Stuart said, “Sure!” He gave precise directions to the best flounder spot on the entire North Carolina coast. He even showed how to rig the line and bait the hook. The excited neighbor followed the instructions exactly, and paid top dollar for fresh bait from a shrimp boat at the dock.
He fished very hard for three long days, but the unlucky angler never got a bite or caught a fish. In fact, fishing was so bad that he didn't hear of anyone else catching any either. Disappointed, he began his fishless trek home, tormented by the thought of having to tell Stuart he had been skunked.
Much too embarrassed to return empty handed, he stopped at a roadside fish market to purchase a couple of flounder. He picked the largest two in the display case – one was a few ounces over eight pounds. He told the clerk to leave the heads on and to put the fish on top of the ice in his chest.
As the clerk was giving him his change, he asked the dejected angler where he lived. The answer brought a grin to the fish peddler’s face. "Then you must know my best customer who lives there too. His name is Stuart, and he stops by every Sunday to purchase flounder filets.”
Upcoming Events:
A free seminar on “How to Catch LKN Striped Bass” will be held at Gander Mountain, Exit 36 in Mooresville, NC at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 25, 2009. This two-hour session will be conducted by fishing guide Capt. Craig Price and myself. For additional information, call 704 658 0822.
The Lake Norman Sail and Power Squadron will be holding the first ABC safe boating course of 2009, scheduled on February 28th, at Duke Energy Explorium, 13339 Hagers Ferry Road Huntersville, NC. This class starts at 8:00 am and will finish at 5:00 pm. Cost is $ 45.00 which includes all class materials, in addition to a free lunch. Contact Richard Todd 704 662 3647 or e-mail him at Goneboatinto@roadrunner.com
Daylight Savings Time starts on Sunday, March 8, 2009
Tips from Capt. Gus:
Free fishing advice is worth what you pay for it.
The Hot Spots of the Week:
Striper fishing continues to be good to very good for those using live baits along the edges of the major creek channels on both sides of the Highway 150 Bridge. Bass fishing is also good in the warm waters of the McGuire and Marshall Power Plants.
The lake level is 95.5 or 4.5' below full pond and the water surface temperature is in the fifties.
Captain Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is licensed by the US Coast Guard, a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association, and 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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