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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Marshmallows and Hotdogs
July 15, 2007
It's time to break out the marshmallows and hotdogs! Pieces of hot dogs, Vienna sausage, cheese, bread, corn, green peas and even baked beans have been catching fish for years. So, the next time you take a trip to the lake and forget to bring the worms, share your lunch with the fish and see what happens.
Don't be surprised if you catch a bass, catfish or bream on a piece of bread. If you're fishing in the mountains, rainbow trout will take a kernel of corn quicker than a wet fly. If the bait doesn't stay on the hook because of the current, try a piece of chewing gum or a candy Gummy worm. Like fishing lures, certain flavors and colors work better on some days than others, so keep a couple different types of gum in your pocket.
Marshmallows on a hook suspended from a red and white float have taken many a catfish over the years, and have even fooled a carp or two. Whole marshmallow miniatures will catch a bream (sunny) in the shallows faster than a cricket on certain days. If the fish are running small, cut the white mini-marshmallow in pieces small enough for the pan fish to eat.
Grapes, especially muscadines, make excellent catfish bait. In fact, if you ever find ripe muscadines growing along the bank, fish the area thoroughly. Catfish are likely feeding nearby on the tender fruit dropping from the vines.
Don't throw away leftovers, particularly clams, mussels, shrimp, or crawfish. Catfish, bass and stripers will gobble them down when fished from a hook or when used for chum. Some say, "the spicier to the taste, the better," so don't be afraid to give Cajun or garlic shrimp/crawfish a try. Try dipping the leftover pieces in the same cocktail sauce that you enjoyed. The fish might like the taste better than you did.
The bacon, ham or sausage you didn't finish at breakfast might be just the tidbit that will make fish bite at sunrise. Crispy bacon is hard to hook, but an uncooked strip cut in small pieces will often entice the pickiest fish. Ham will catch its share of swimmers when left on the bottom long enough to allow the scent to spread with the current.
From time to time fish will eat just about anything you will eat. Don't be afraid to experiment and tell others about fishing with a secret bait.
Upcoming Events:
Fishing Contest - July 1 to July 31, 2001 - A tagged bass that could be worth $25,000 is swimming in Lake Norman. Early Times Kentucky Whisky is once again offering anglers a chance to catch big money in its "Early Times Tagged Fish Challenge" promotion.
How the promotion works: Early Times will tag 50 fish with one potentially winning tag number. (Winning tag numbers are selected in advance by an independent promotions agency). To be eligible for a chance at the Grand Prize of $25,000, anglers who catch a tagged bass need to remove the tag, and register their tag number on the Early Times site: http://www.earlytimes.com. Early Times will announce the Grand Prize winners and winners for the $1,000 quick prize during the first two weeks of August. For more details on the contest visit http://www.earlytimes.com.
Light House Marine Services will conduct a safe boating class at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC. July 21, 2007. Register and pay for this eight hour course at http://www.lmservice.org or call 704-361-2991 for additional information.
Lake Norman Sail and Power Squadron will have a one day boating safety class on Saturday, July 28, 2007 at the Denver Volunteer Fire Dept., 3956 N. Highway 16, Denver, NC from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Class fee is $25.00 (includes all class materials). Call Lou Schwartz at 704-896-7219 to register, or visit www.usps.org/localusps/lakenorman for additional information.
Tips from Gus!
When table scraps fail to lure your favorite species, use the basic minnows, crickets and worms for bait.
The Hot Spot of the Week: As water temperatures climb, stripers and cats are migrating to deeper water. Nice catches of both are being reported in the river channel from Marker 11 south to the dam. Fish are suspending at depths to forty five feet. Anglers are trolling deep diving lures to locate schools and then stop to deep jig metal spoons.
Lake Norman water conditions are generally clear with the lake level at 3.7' below full pond. The water temperature is in the mid to high eighties.
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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