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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ My Heroes
October 12, 2008
“My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys” is a country music song made popular by Willie Nelson. While cowboys have their place in the minds of many, most readers of this column will not be surprised to know that my heroes are fishermen - both fictional and in real life. Those who have inspired others, particularly youngsters, to fish and enjoy the outdoors, are my all time favorite heroes.
“Santiago”, the fictional Cuban Fisherman who tangled with a giant marlin in Hemingway’s “Old Man and the Sea”, comes to mind first. Then, there is Ahab, the Captain of a whaling ship that roamed the seven seas in search of Moby Dick. Their adventures led many anglers down a path that took them fishing. Quint was the captain that was devoured by “Jaws”, a great white shark. Quint prided himself in capturing very large fish, but at the end of story, he didn’t have a boat big enough to finish the job. Regardless of his demise, Quint stimulated many an angler to give big game fishing a try.
The faces of real life fishermen fill television screens each weekend. The shows not only entertain, but teach techniques that help even the savviest angler improve his catch rate. I, like many, have learned with age that fishing is much more than catching fish. It is also the adventure, the thrill of the chase and the dream of going to far off places where real trophy fish hide. That’s why Bill Dance, Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston and other television hosts have been taking viewers to new fishing holes for decades. Even before their time, a fisherman named “Gadabout Gaddis” took anglers to exotic fishing places in a single engine Piper Cherokee. The show was appropriately named “The Flying Fisherman.” In each episode, “Gadabout Gaddis” caught big lunkers in far off places.
My earliest recollections of fishing are with my father in a rowboat. The boat was small, but the fish were always big in my mind’s eye. I recall him watching and smiling when I caught my first fish. This was the beginning of a recreational pastime for me that has lasted a lifetime, and is also the reason that my real heroes will always be the moms, dads, and others who introduce children to the sport.
The next time you hear that Willie Nelson song, take a kid fishing!
Tips from Capt Gus!
When unhooking a fish, hold it upside down. Belly up, it becomes almost lifeless and makes un-hooking much easier.
Upcoming Events:
Saturday, October 18, 2008 from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. saltwater Charter Boat Captain, Shannon Miller will be in the fishing tackle department at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC. Capt. Miller will answer questions and discuss offshore fishing techniques he uses on Carolina and Virginia coastal waters. Call 704 658 0822 for additional information.
A two-hour course entitled “Introduction to Bass Fishing on Lake Norman” will be held at Mitchell College, 219 N. Academy St., Mooresville, NC, on Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. Capt. Gus Gustafson will discuss tackle, tactics and techniques he uses to catch largemouth and spotted bass on Lake Norman. To pre-register and pay the $25.00 fee, call 704 663 1923.
A free fishing seminar, “How to Read and Interpret a Fish Finder to Catch Perch, Stripers and Bass” will be conducted by myself and Jake Bussolini at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC, Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. Call 704-658-0822 for additional information. Jake is the author of two books, “Jake’s Take on the Lake” and “Freshwater Fighters” Both books focus on the specifics of fishing Lake Norman.
Hot Spot of the Week:
At daylight, surface feeding stripers and spotted bass are being taken in Reed and Mountain Creeks. Largemouths are plentiful around docks and riprap. White perch are schooling off points and bottom contour drops to forty feet. Striper, bass and cat fishing has been very good the past week.
The lake level is down about 2.5 feet from full pond and the water’s surface temperature is in the seventies.
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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