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  Fishin' With Capt. Gus! - Choices
October 22, 2006
Choices are part of every fishing trip. An angler who makes good choices usually catches more fish than the one who doesn't. Some choices are difficult, while others are easy, but each affects the outcome of a fishing trip. A right choice can help fill an ice chest; a wrong one can skunk a trip.
Here are a few choices to consider.
Should I get up early and go fishing or should I mow the lawn? Give the dew time to dry and go fishing. Fish are usually hungry at daylight.
Marshall or McGuire, which hot hole is better? The answer to this depends on the time of year and the species of fish you target. Some think that McGuire is better for bass in the summer and Marshall is better for stripers in the winter. Both have good and bad days. Much depends on the amount of water being discharged. As a rule, the faster the current is moving, the better fishing will be.
Live or artificial bait? If you fish a bass tournament, you don't have a choice. Most tournament rules do not allow the use of live bait, because fish are easier to catch with live bait. As a rule, live bait should be fished slowly or it will drown or wash off the hook. Artificial baits can be trolled or retrieved quickly, which allows the angler to cover a larger area of water. Each has its time and place, so don't disregard either.
Bass or stripers? There are more bass boats than striper boats on Lake Norman. Bass jump, but stripers tug harder. A big bass weighs five pounds. The same size striper is considered small. Both make excellent table fare.
Weekdays or weekends? The best time to go fishing is whenever you can. If you have a choice, go during the week when fewer boats are on the lake. If you can only fish weekends, fish early. Boat traffic is generally light until ten or eleven o'clock in the morning.
Spinning or baitcasting? Spinning outfits are easy to cast and work well for most freshwater species. Bait casting outfits allow for more accurate casting, but the occasional angler has difficulty learning to use it without tangling. The tangle is called a backlash. Spinning reels do not backlash.
The list of choices goes on and on. That's why fishing is so challenging.
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Upcoming Seminar
Fishing 101- Bank and Dock Fishing for Pan and Game Fish
Bring the family to this free and informative seminar. Catfish Guide, Mac Byrum and I will explain the basics of fishing and will cover everything from cane poles, hooks and bobbers, to the latest in artificial baits and casting techniques.
Where: Bass Pro Shops, Concord Mills Mall upstairs meeting area
When: Monday, November 6, 2006
Time: 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Contact: 704-979-2200
Hot Spots of the week are the back of major creeks where shad and herring are most plentiful. Both bass and stripers are taking live and artificial baits throughout the day. Bass and striper fishing have both been very good to excellent. Cat fishing has been fair to good. The lake level is 3.0 ' below full pond and the water surface temperature is in the low seventies.
Tips from Gus! Where can I catch live bait? This time of year, shad and herring swim along creek banks during the day, particularly where water is murky. Evenings, they can be found in surface schools at the back of coves. After dark, they will be around lighted docks and bridge pilings.
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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