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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Summer Night Fishing
July 19, 2009
The dog days of summer have arrived! This is the time of year when the sun’s rays shine directly on the water and the water temperature becomes the hottest. The combination of heat and bright light makes conditions ideal for fishing after dark for bass, crappie, cat and stripers. Popular fishing methods are to cast toward lighted docks or deep troll or drift using a light to attract the fish.
Depending on the depth of the water, boat docks attract a variety of fish after dark. For bass or stripers, try casting top water baits - flukes, poppers and buzz baits are popular. Next, throw a few crank baits or a bottom bumping soft plastic or bucktail. Small minnows will catch crappie and perch. Cats will take a variety of live, cut and prepared baits around the same docks where bass and stripers are caught. Once the entire water column has been covered, move to another location.
Some anglers choose to tempt fish to the boat by using portable lights. Florescent glow lights are best, but Coleman gas lights have been used for decades. Lights attract plankton and bugs, which attract bait and small fish, followed by predator fish. The technique isn’t fool proof, but it works very well for anglers crappie fishing around bridges and over deep brush. Some drift with a light overboard on calm nights, or double anchor the boat and wait for the fish to come.
Stripers are the primary targets for those who fish the Cowan’s Ford Dam area after dark in July and August. One method is to slow troll artificial lures on down riggers and/or lead core line. Another, is to drift live or cut baits at depths to seventy feet. Some fishermen troll all the time, while others troll until concentrations of fish are located. Once over a school, lines are suspend just above the fish, and are entice to bite with live minnows, cut bait or jigging spoons.
Those new to night fishing at the dam shouldn’t be surprised if they hook a very large catfish on a suspended striper bait. Since blue cats spin and wrap themselves around the line when hooked, it is wise to use a heavy leader (fifty pound test) to prevent cut-offs.
Tips from Capt. Gus!
Pre-rig as many fishing outfits as possible before your next night fishing venture. It is easier to switch rods in the dark than it is to tie on a new rig.
Upcoming events:
A free fishing seminar is scheduled at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC on Thursday, July 23, 2009 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Frequently Asked Questions about catching bass, crappie, perch, stripers and catfish on Lake Norman will be discussed. Participants are encouraged to bring any fishing questions to this informative session. The Q & A will be conducted by Jake Bussolini and myself. Jake is the author of several “how to” fishing books. For additional information call 704-658-0822.
“How to Safely Navigate Lake Norman” , a two hour class offered by Lighthouse Marine Services, will be conducted at Gander Mountain, Mooresville - Exit 36, at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2009. Capt’s Scott Spivey and I will discuss how to safely navigate Lake Norman’s main channel, creek arms, danger spots and back coves during daylight and at night. Other discussions will include understanding navigation and shoal markers, boat ramp locations, marinas, choice of restaurants & other points of interest on Lake Norman. The registration fee for this class is $25.00. To register, call 704 587 0325 or email uscgc17@bellsouth.org.
Hot Spots of the Week:
Stripers and catfish are suspended in depths to seventy feet in the main river channel and between the “T” markers in Davidson Creek. Fishing is good to very during the early daylight hours and at night
Surface feeding bass are hitting top water lures in boat basins. White perch are plentiful in deep coves at depths to thirty feet. Lake Norman’s water temperature is in the high eighties and low nineties. The water level is about two feet 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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