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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! - Fishing Forecast
March 4, 2007
Wind, sunlight and water temperature are key elements in locating fish on Lake Norman during March. Stiff March breezes will cause bait pods to collect on wind swept shorelines. The roughest points are where savvy anglers will cast for early spring bass and stripers. These turbid waters disorient bait pods and make them easy prey for marauding herds of hungry predator fish.
It isn't easy to maneuver a boat and cast when conditions are rough. But, quick creel limits and the smorgasbord of fish, are great rewards for the effort. Anglers might be surprised to hook a spotted bass on one cast, a striper on the next, and a largemouth on another. This can happen regularly when wind concentrates bait, and fish of various species join to eat the buffet.
Large bays and coves with a southern exposure to the sun will warm faster than others. Pre-spawn activity begins first in these warm waters. Banks facing the other quadrants will be last to see spawning activity.
When water temperatures reach the high 50's and low 60's, bank fishing improves dramatically. The white perch are first to arrive. They begin to spawn when water temperatures reach 52 degrees. Crappie, stripers and bass will follow. By mid-March, most lake species will be in the shallows either preparing to breed, actually spawning, or will be there to eat the eggs, fry and fingerlings of others. The effect of the full moon on April 2nd will also help to bring the spawning season to a peak.
Bass fishermen seeking warm water will find it along sunny banks and around the hundreds of private boat ramps and docks that dot the lake. The water surrounding docks with black floatation will be warmer than those using Styrofoam material. Even one or two degrees can make a difference in the early days of March.
Ramsey and McCrary Creeks are popular this month. They warm first because of the hot discharge water from the power plants. Ramsey Creek is a major breeding ground for both spotted and largemouth bass. Fish are attracted not only to the warm water, but to the sandy banks conducive to nesting bass. Miles of sandy banks stretch from Blythe Landing, the popular launch site off Highway 73, to Midtown Sundries.
Since striped bass are more tolerant of water conditions, they will be found in more diverse areas. Look for them on and around long shallow points and near the red clay banks of Reeds, Mountain and Stumpy Creeks.
March is a great time to cast artificials to shallow swimming stripers. Red Fins, Roadrunners and Bucktails usually produce nice results throughout March.
Upcoming Events:
Jim Ledbetter Memorial - Bass Tournament - March 10, 2007 - Queens Landing, Lake Norman. Total guaranteed prize money will be over $15,000. For more information, contact Bob Patrick at 828-459-1119.
Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday, March 11, 2007
NCCATS - Catfish Tournament - March 17, 2007 - Badin Works/Alcoa - Badin Lake
For more information, visit http://www.nccats.com/.
Free Fishing Seminar -Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 3:00PM – Gander Mountain, Mooresville, NC . Mac Byrum and Capt. Gus Gustafson will conduct this Fishing 101 Seminar. Adults and children are invited to attend this 90 minute presentation, that will cover fishing basic's and "the how's, when's and where's of catching, bream, perch and catfish from docks and boats. For more information call 704 658 0822.
The Hot Spots of the Week - The past weekend found a flotilla of striper boats fishing the old river channel between markers 13 and 17. Stripers are chasing bait in the deep water. Schools aren't concentrating in a single area for any length of time, so those trolling artificial were more successful than live baiters. The best bite is at dawn.
Bass fishing has been good in the warm waters of McCrary Creek. Water temperatures in the main lake are still relatively cold, so fish slowly.
The lake level is 96.1 or 3.9' below full pond and rising quickly. Surface water temperatures are 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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