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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Early Summer Striper Fishing on LKN
May 24, 2009
Good-bye, spring; hello, summer! June brings bright sun, warmer water and lower levels of dissolved oxygen. These conditions force stripers to migrate to deep water.The brightest time of the day finds them near the old river channel and in the deeper sections of creek beds. For those who can throw a cast net, herring and shad are good early summer baits. Shiners and bream can be used by those who don't throw a net. Anglers with casting rods will find vibrating lures, spoons, flukes and spinner baits extremely productive. If you haven’t striper fished on Lake Norman recently, try casting your baits in Reed Creek between markers D1 and D7, or in Stumpy Creek between B2 and B3.
A large percentage of early summer fish are taken after sunset near lighted docks, bridges, and water intake structures. Anglers normally make a few casts and then move on to the next lighted dock. Others anchor and fish with submerged portable lights. When anchored, either live or cut bait can be used. Two anchors, one fore and one aft, minimize the swinging motion of the boat, which allows the use of multiple rods and reduces the risk of tangling. Chumming with pieces of dead fish helps attract large schools of stripers as well as some very big catfish.
As June nears an end, stripers will leave the creeks and move to the depths of the old Catawba River channel. Expect to find them off deep points and near bends in the channels. Most days, down lining with live herring and shad at depths from thirty to seventy feet, will quickly produce limits. Anglers fishing above the 150 Bridge might want to concentrate on areas around the islands between markers 20 and 23. If you choose to fish the lower lake, try the old river channel from Marker 13 south to the dam.
Early summer is also a good month for bream, also known as sunfish. They are easy to find basking in the sun in shallow water. These feisty critters are found near boat docks and brush. Worms and crickets bring best results, but a piece of bread works well when this pan fish is hungry. Ounce for ounce, a bream is the hardest fighting fish in Lake Norman. A spinning rod, spooled with four to six pound test line, is recommended. Deep fried bream make a great meal!
Tips from Capt. Gus:
A five gallon plastic bucket can be very useful on a fishing trip. It not only can be filled with water to keep minnows alive, but can also be used to store a multitude of items, including trash, nets, ropes and fishing tackle. Upside down, a bucket can be used as a seat when fishing from the shore or dock, or drill holes in the bottom and attach it to the transom to slow the boat when drifting or trolling.
Upcoming Events:
“How to Use Sonar/GPS to Catch Summer Bass, Stripers, and White Perch on Lake Norman” - Thursday, May 28, 2009. This free ninety minute power point presentation seminar will begin at 6:30 p.m., Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC. Capt. Gus Gustafson will lead the informative session. Additional information is available by calling 704-658-0822.
On Saturday, June 6, 2009, Light House Marine Services will offer a State and NASBLA Certified Boater Safety and PWC class. The registration fee for this eight hour session, beginning at 9:00 a.m., is $29.99 for adults – a $20.00 reduction off the regular course price. This savings is possible due to discounts offered by the LKN Marine Commission and Light House Marine Service. The class will be conducted at North Point Watersports, 113 Doolie Road, Mooresville, NC. To register, or for more information, call Capt. Scott Spivey at 704-58-0325 or visit www.lmservice.org.
The Hot Spot of the Week:
Stripers, bass and catfish are being taken at both ends of the lake. Best times are early a.m. and late p.m. Best bets are the areas in and around the Lake Norman State Park and in the deeper feeder creeks and coves in Reed Creek. The lake level is 1.5' below full pond and the water temperature is in the seventies.
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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