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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Choices
June 7, 2009
Choices are a part of every fishing trip. Anglers who make good choices usually catch more fish than those who don’t. Some choices are difficult, others are easy, but each choice affects the outcome of a fishing trip. A right choice can help fill an ice chest; a wrong one can skunk a trip.
Following are some choices to consider:
Should I get up early and go fishing or should I mow the lawn? Give the dew time to dry and go fishing! Fish are usually hungry at daylight.
Marshall or McGuire - which hot hole is better? The answer to this depends on the time of year and the species of fish you plan to target. Some think McGuire is better for bass in the summer and Marshall is better for stripers in the winter. Both have good and bad days. It usually depends on the amount of water being discharged. As a rule, the faster the current is moving, the better the fishing will be.
Live or artificial bait? If you fish a bass tournament, you don't have a choice. Most tournament rules do not allow the use of live bait because fish are easier to catch. As a rule, live bait should be fished slowly, or it will drown or wash off the hook. Artificial baits can be trolled and retrieved quickly, which allows the angler to cover a larger area of water. Each has its time and place, so don't disregard using either.
Bass or stripers? There are more bass boats than striper boats on Lake Norman. Bass jump, but stripers tug harder. A big bass weighs five pounds. A five pound striper is considered small. Both make excellent table fare.
Weekdays or weekends? The best time to go fishing is whenever you can go! If you have a choice, go during the week when fewer boats are on the lake. If you can only fish weekends, fish early. Boat traffic is generally light until ten or eleven o’clock in the morning.
Spinning or bait casting? Spinning outfits are easy to cast and work well for most freshwater species. Bait casting outfits allow for more accuracy, but the occasional angler has more difficulty using it without tangling. The tangle is called a backlash. Spinning reels do not backlash.
The list of choices goes on and on. That’s why fishing is always a challenge.
Tips from Gus!
Where can I catch live bait? This time of year, shad locate in the very back of creek channels, particularly where the water is shallow and murky. On calm evenings, they can be found in surface schools in most coves and boat basins. After dark, look for them around lighted docks and bridge pilings.
Upcoming Events:
Thursday, June 11, 2009. Lighthouse Marine Service will offer a two hour introduction/refresher course entitled, “ First Mate Safe Boating.” The low cost, non certified course will teach the basics of boat handling and the rules of the road. The session at Mooresville’s Gander Mountain, Exit 36, begins at 6:30 p.m. To register, or for more information, call Capt. Scott Spivey – 704 587 0325 or visit www.lmservice.org.
Seminar - ”Bank and Dock Fishing for Sunfish, White Perch, Catfish and Bass” will be discussed at Gander Mountain, Exit 36 on Thursday, June 25, 2009 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Bring the family (kids) to this free fishing seminar. I will cover everything from fishing with a cane pole, hook and bobber, to the best baits and places to fish. Contact 704-658-0822 for additional information.
Hot Spots of the week:
Stripers and bass are being caught on live baits suspended off the bottom in deep river and creek channel points. For catfish, troll fresh cut baits slowly in water less than twenty-five feet, or fish stink baits around docks. The lake level is 99.7 or 0.3' below full pond and rising the water surface temperature is in the seventies and low eighties.
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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