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Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Fishin’ Holes
August 8, 2010
Remember when you couldn’t wait to get out of school and go fishin’? I do! A fishin’ hole is often a magical place where, as kids we caught fish. It might have been an undercut bank along the edge of a stream or a farm pond out in the country. Regardless, the fishin’ hole was a place to spend time away from school and chores. It was also a place to row a boat, swim, or swing on a rope.
The Andy Griffiith Show’s theme song, hit the nail right on the head with its lyrics in the first stanza. “Well now, take down your fishin’ pole and meet me at the fishin’ hole. We may not get a bite all day, but don’t you rush away.” Doesn’t that make you want to go fishing? It does me.
Not all fishing holes are magical places. Many are honest to goodness places where anglers catch fish on a regular basis. Lake Norman has lots of them. The most popular ones are the two hot holes. One is located at the Marshall Steam Station at the Highway 150 Bridge, and the other at the McGuire Nuclear Station off Highway 73 near Huntersville, NC. Over the years, tens of thousands of fish have been taken from these warm water discharge channels.
A fishin’ hole doesn’t have to have wide spread notoriety to be a good one. Many holes are kept secret by those who fish them. When someone asks where all the fish were caught, “My secret hole,” is often the answer.
Many of the best holes for crappie, perch and spotted bass are brush piles, some made by local fishermen. Submerged brush, Christmas trees and other woody debris provide shade and cover, and when positioned properly, they attract lots of fish. Other good fishin’ holes on Lake Norman are stump fields, underwater islands, sandy banks, boat docks, bridge pilings, channel markers and rock piles.
It doesn’t take long to realize that a fishin’ hole is not a hole at all, but a place where fish are frequently caught or just a place where it’s fun to spend time waiting for a fish to bite. Regardless of how you use a fishin’ hole, it’s a great place to spend a portion of your time. And, in case you don’t have a fishin’ hole, find or make one.
A special note! High water temperatures at the lower end of Lake Norman have striped bass dying at alarming rates. This year’s kill, the biggest since 2004, will have a negative impact on the number of large stripers caught for several years.
Tips from Capt. Gus:
It is difficult to keep baits alive during the summer. Baits more tolerable to the heat are goldfish and black saltys. While stripers and bass will hit them, they’re more popular for catching flathead and blue cats.
Upcoming Events:
A Free Seminar entitled “Learning to use your Depth Finder to Catch More Fish” is scheduled for Thursday, August 26, 2010 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Gander Mountain in Mooresville at Exit 36. Lake Norman Fishing Guide, Capt. Gus Gustafson, and Jake Bussollini, author of “Freshwater Fighters” will lead the 90-minute discussion. Bring the instruction book for your depth finder along with any questions you might have. For additional information, call 704 658 0822.
Hot Spots of the Week:
White perch and catfish are biting during the day. Channel cats are hitting worms and stink baits in the back of coves, while blues and flatheads are hitting fresh cut baits drifting in water to thirty feet deep on the channel edges. White perch are near drop-offs in most major creeks. The bigger fish are deep (thirty to fifty feet of water). Bass fishing is best at night.
The lake level is about 3.0’ below full pond and the water surface temperature is in the nineties.
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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