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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! - Upcoming Fishing Tournaments
April 22, 2007
How times have changed! A few years ago no one wanted to fish a bass tournament on Lake Norman because the fish were small and hard to catch. Then, in the late 1990s spotted bass and herring were introduced into the lake. The spotted bass adapted and suddenly anglers had a second species of bass to catch. The herring, a forage fish common in other area lakes, also prospered. Their presence provided an alternative food base for stripers, largemouth and the newly introduced spots.
The Bassmasters Fishing Tour returned in 2005 after a ten year hiatus. The touring pros found the lake filled with bass. In 2006, while the men's tour fished Lake Wylie, the "Lady" Bassmasters fished Lake Norman for the first time. They, too, caught lots of fish.
This week another major tournament is coming to Lake Norman. The Walmart - FLW Bass Tour - National Guard Open Tournament is a four day event scheduled to begin April 26th and will continue through Sunday, April 29, 2007. The big purse is what makes this event exciting. A total of $1.5 million in cash and prizes will be awarded to the top competitors. The angler with the highest score will receive $150,000 cash and a new Ranger Bass Boat valued at $50, 000. That's $200,000 – not bad for a few days fishing!
Boats will launch each morning from Blythe Landing, Highway 73, Huntersville, NC at safe light. The weigh-in on the first two days will be at Blythe, then moves to the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center in Concord, NC on Saturday and Sunday. Call 800 848 3740 or visit http://www.flwoutdoors.com/ for additional information. Highlights of the tourney will be shown on FSN Cable TV at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 3rd. Part II will air June 10, 2007 in the same time slot.
A second and very popular tournament with regional striper fishermen is scheduled for May 5-6, 2007. Although smaller in scope than the FLW, the Lake Norman Striper Swipers Spring Classic is one of the longest running fishing events ever held on Lake Norman. This year's tournament marks its twenty-fifth year.
The tournament offers a guaranteed first prize of $2,500 along with various other payouts determined by the number of participants. Over 200 anglers fishing from approximately 100 boats are expected. The fact that anglers can choose to fish non stop from early Saturday morning until midday Sunday, makes this tournament unique. This allows those who prefer, to fish all night Saturday. Striped bass are nocturnal, and more active between sunset and sunrise, which increases the chances of catching them.
The captain's meeting is scheduled for Friday, May 4, 2007, from 6:30 until 8:00 p.m. at Gander Mountain, Exit 36 off I-77. The weigh-in site for both days will be at Hagers Creek Access off Brawley School Rd., Mooresville, NC. Saturday's weigh-in is from 5:00 p.m.- 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.lnssfishn.com or call Tommy Messick at 704 634 6410.
Tips from Gus! When striper fishing, cover the entire water column. Stagger live baits from top to bottom. Fish free lines (no weight) on the surface, and down lines (with various size sinkers) to depths from just below the surface to the lake bottom.
Upcoming Events:
"How to Navigate Lake Norman at Night" - Saturday, May 19, 2007
Capt. Alan Stopko will conduct this three hour boating class, beginning 9:00AM. The class location is the Peninsula Yacht Club, 18601 Harbor Light Blvd, Cornelius, NC. The course fee s $20 per person. Call 704 895 6993 for more information
Free Fishing Seminar – "How to Use Sonar and GPS to Catch More Fish"
This 90 minute seminar is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 20, 2007, at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC. Local angler and author Jake Bussolini and Capt. Gus Gustafson will conduct this informative session. Call 704 658 0822 for additional information.
The Hot Spot of the week is Mountain Creek where water temperatures are in the low sixties. Stripers and bass are in shallow water. Nice stringers are being taken throughout the day, with the best bite at dawn and dusk.
Big schools of white perch are at cove entrances in water from 10-20' deep. Catfishing is improving according to Guide Mac Byrum. He says, "The best fishing is yet to come. Big cats are most active when water temps reach seventy degrees or more."
The lake level is 2.7' below full pond.
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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