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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Fish Attractors
March 8, 2009
A rendering of a fish attractor
Fish attractors work best in ponds and reservoirs with little underwater structure or natural vegetation. There is an effort underway to sink hundreds of the sputnik shaped attractors in various locations around Lake Norman. Trees and brush (woody debris) tend to decay and disappear over time, but the attractors are made from an environmentally safe plastic type material.
Fish attractors cause fish to collect in very tight areas. In addition to providing shade and cover, algae, an important food for feeder fish, will form within days on the surface of an attractor. Small algae eating minnows then lure larger fish, as well as fishermen.
Over the years, anglers have placed trees, brush, rocks, bales of straw and tens of thousands of Christmas trees in Lake Norman. Even though they like to keep their brush piles a secret, the NCWRC identifies each one with a tall, cylindrical white buoy. The buoys are taller and slimmer than regular buoys and have printed words on them to indicate that a fish attractor is below. This program is very helpful to occasional anglers who don’t have the time or resources to search out hidden underwater brush piles.
Attractors have been extremely popular with crappie fishermen. But, crappie aren’t the only fish to frequent the habitat. Bream, largemouth bass, perch, catfish and even the pelagic striped bass can all be caught when conditions are right. Spotted bass, the newest entry to Lake Norman’s fishery, are frequent visitors to deepwater brush piles and other man made attractors.
While attractors alone will not improve the quality or quantity of the lake’s fishery, they do add value. The fish attractor project, combined with other initiatives being taken by biologists, will help enhance our lake’s fisheries management program.
Upcoming Events:
A two hour class offered by Lighthouse Marine Services on “How to Safely Navigate Lake Norman” will be conducted at Gander Mountain, Exit 36 at 6:30p.m., Thursday, March 19, 2009. Capt. Gus Gustafson will discuss how to safely navigate the main channel, creek arms, danger spots, and back coves during daylight and at night. Other topics will include navigation and shoal markers, boat ramps, marinas, restaurants & other points of interest. The registration fee for this class is $25.00. To register, call 704 587 0325 or email uscgc17@bellsouth.org.
On Saturday, March 21, 2009, Light House Marine Services will offer a Boater Safety and PWC Class. The registration fee for this eight-hour session at 9:00 a.m. is $49.00. The class will be at North Point Watersports, 112 Doolie Road, Mooresville, NC. To register, or for more information, call Capt. Scott Spivey – 704 587 0325 or visit http://www.lmservice.org
A free seminar on “How to Catch Trophy Flathead Catfish while Fishing for White Perch” will be at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 26, 2009. This two-hour session will be conducted by fishing guide Mac Byrum and myself. For additional information, call 704 658 0822.
Tips From Capt. Gus!
Savvy anglers search for submerged fish attractors (brush piles) using electronics. Once located, the position is noted on a lake map or placed by a waypoint on the GPS.
Hot Spot of the Week:
Warming water temperatures have crappie, bass and perch moving to shallow water. Banks with a southern exposure to the sun, have been very productive in the afternoon. Keep in mind that Ramsey and McCrary Creeks are also warmed by the hot water from Lake Norman’s power plants. The water temperature is the low fifties and the lake level is 2.8’ below full pond.
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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