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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Rising Fuel Costs
August 31, 2008
There has been a great deal of information lately regarding the rising cost of fuel and its effect on everything, including fishing. Sky rocketing fuel prices have hit the commercial and sport fishing charter boat industries along the coast like a brick. Some say the number of fishing trip bookings are off by as much as fifty percent. Locally, weekend anglers are feeling the fuel pinch as well.
So what is one to do? Avid anglers can’t just stop fishing! Even if they try really hard, temptations and reminders are everywhere. Weekly fishing reports, catalogs, magazine stories and television programs all tease the landlocked angler. Worst yet, are tales of big fish being caught by fellow anglers who appear to be oblivious to the high price of fuel. To add insult to injury, these are the same folks who will put a cell phone in your face with a picture of the trophy fish they are boasting about! The price of fuel might slow a fisherman down, but will not cause many to give up the sport. You may want to consider a few pointers to help ease the pain at the gas pump.
Rather than fishing alone, take one, two or more buddies with you. The math is very simple. One angler pays a hundred percent of all fuel costs, two split it fifty-fifty, and with a third angler, the cost is divided three ways.
Getting from one fishing spot to another can become expensive. If your boat gets three miles per gallon at cruising speed, it will cost over a dollar a mile with gas at $3.75 a gallon. Therefore, it is wise to select a launch site near the area you intend to fish. Now is not the time to do bonsai runs from dam to dam in search of fish.
Plane the boat as quickly as practical. The longer it takes to reach plane, the more fuel the motor will guzzle. Once on plane, optimize fuel consumption and speed by trimming the outboard motor and trim tabs. Proper trimming is accomplished by leaving the throttle in a fixed position while at speed and watching both the speed and tachometer as you adjust the trim controls. Continue adjusting until the RPMs rise to a point where there is no noticeable increase in speed. At that time, optimum performance has been achieved.
The underside of your boat should be free of algae, grass, barnacles, etc. A clean, smooth hull will result in better performance and improved fuel economy. A premium quality bottom paint will help prevent slime and growth and will allow the boat to slide through the water with ease. Waxing the bottom of a fiberglass hull will also enhance performance.
A big factor in saving fuel is to run at a reduced cruising speed. Every boat is different, but for optimum fuel consumption, the motor should turn at 65 to 90 percent of its maximum RPM capacity.
Tips from Gus!
* When possible, turn the gasoline motor off instead of allowing it to idle at the dock.
* Drift or use an electric motor when slow trolling.
* Rebuild or replace a bent, nicked or chipped boat propeller.
* Reduce weight by removing all non essential gear and running with a minimum, but safe amount of gas.
* Redistribute the remaining boat load so the boat will run at its optimum speed.
A boating update from the North Carolina Resources Commission: Canoes and kayaks are not exempt from the Life Vest Law. A new state regulation requires that all vessels be equipped with personal flotation devices. The regulation previously stated “motorboat” and not “vessel,” which excluded canoes, kayaks and rowboats. All vessels are required to have at least one PFD (Type I, II or III) for each person onboard. If the vessel is over 16 feet in length, it is also required to have a flotation device that can be tossed overboard (Type IV PFD). The regulation update brings state law in line with existing federal regulations.
Upcoming Events:
A Safe Boating Class is scheduled at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC, Saturday, September 6, 2008, from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The fee for this session is $49.95. Call Lighthouse Marine Services (704 587 0325) for additional information and to pre-register.
A course entitled “How to Safely Navigate Lake Norman”, is scheduled at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC, Thursday, September 11, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. Topics will include, “Understanding Lake Norman’s Marker & Buoy System”, “The Ten Most Dangerous Places to Navigate”, “ Points of interest”, “How to Navigate with the Aid of a GPS”, “Sonar”, and “Lake Maps”. The fee for instructions and materials is $25.00. For more information or to pre-register, contact Capt. Scott Spivey – 704 587 0325 or visit Lighthouse Marine Services at www.lmservice.org.
A Free Fishing Seminar conducted by Capt. Gus Gustafson - “Fall Striped Bass Fishing on LKN - How to Find, Catch & Cook this Popular Gamefish”. Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC, Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. Call 704 658 0822 for additional information.
Hot Spot of the Week:
Suspended stripers are being caught in the main river channel by trolling deep diving lures, jigging, and drifting live bait. The best action is from the triangle formed by Markers D1and D3 in Reed Creek and Marker 3 in the old river channel. Big bass, both largemouth and spots, are hitting shaky hit jigs in water up to forty feet deep around humps and submerged structure. White perch and catfish are in deep water along the twenty, thirty and forty foot contour lines
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The water level is currently close to full pond because of recent rainstorms. Water surface temperature is in the high eighties and low 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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