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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Michelle Armstrong
September 16 2007
A few years ago the Bassmasters announced a new tournament trail. This one was designed to provide lady anglers with an opportunity to fish for money and recognition on a national basis. One of the first tournaments was held on Lake Norman in 2006. It was a big success. Thousands of spectators attended the blast offs and weigh-ins. The Women's Bassmaster Tour, now in its second year, fields as many as two hundred lady anglers in six events each season.
A charter member of this elite group of "new generation bass anglers" is Michelle Armstrong of Denver, NC. Michelle recalls fishing with her dad as a child and has had a successful tournament career, fishing with her husband, Troy, for fifteen years. Michelle has two children, Fischer, eight and daughter, Brooke, a four year old.
The youngsters love to eat fish. Their favorite is Michelle's recipe for Pretzel Fish:
Buttermilk
2 egg whites
2 cups of pretzels ( crushed)
1 tsp thyme
Pepper to taste
Soak fish in buttermilk for ten minutes.
Mix pretzels, thyme and pepper.
Dip fish in egg, then in pretzel mix, coat both sides.
Pan fry until light brown and crispy-----Enjoy.
Today, Lake Norman's favorite professional angler is preparing for tour stop number five on the Women's Bassmaster circuit. This event is scheduled for September 20, 21 and 22, 2007 in Shreveport, LA. The ladies will fish the Red River's shallow delta basin. Michelle's tournament goal is to better her finish of ninth, achieved at Kentucky Lake in June. In a recent conversation, she mentioned that the recent flooding along the Louisiana-Texas border has muddied the Red River. The high water and mud should make the tournament even more of a challenge. Michelle sited one report that said, "The water is so thick with mud, you can see raccoon tracks where they crossed the river".
Michelle enjoys sharing her experiences and fishing knowledge with others. She makes regular appearances for sponsors at local outdoor stores and conducts fishing seminars to acquaint others with bass fishing. When asked how long she plans to fish the tournament trail, she said, "Only time will tell." For now, she plans to continue her quest to win tournaments and to be the best at what she enjoys doing.
Upcoming Events:
The Norman Fishery Alliance will hold its annual meeting and fish fry on Saturday, September 22, 2007 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on the parking lot at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC. The NFA encourages members and prospective members to attend this fun filled event.
The Lake Norman Sail and Power Squadron has scheduled an ABC Safe Boating Class on Saturday, September 22, 2007 (originally scheduled for Sept. 15, 2007) from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The class will be at the Mt. Mourne VFD, Highway 115 in Mt. Mourne, NC. Cost is $35.00 and includes all materials. To register, call Clyde Starr at 704 947 2729.
Captain Alan Stopko is conducting a seminar on "How to Read Lake Norman Charts, Plan a Trip, Anchor and Tie Knots." This three hour session will be at the Peninsula Yacht Club on Saturday, September 29, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. To register, call 704 895 6993.
Mitchell Community College in Mooresville, NC is offering a Continuing Education Class entitled "Understanding GPS and Fish Finders." This four hour course, conducted by Capt. Gus Gustafson and crew, will be on two consecutive Wednesday nights beginning October 10, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call 704 663 1923.
Tips from Gus!
If the line on your spool is low, appears opaque, is twisted or frayed, replace it. Don't risk the chance of losing a big fish.
Hot Spots of the Week: Cooling water temperatures have bass surface feeding at daylight near marina basins and in the backs of narrow coves. Good schooling activity is also occurring at the south hot water discharge. Stripers are holding along deep channel drop offs, with the best action from Marker 7 south to the dam. The lake level is 6.2' below full pond and dropping everyday. Water surface temperature is in the 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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