It has been said, “Doctors make the best fishermen, because they have lots of patients.”

While “patients” is a play on words, it is a fact, that it takes a lot of patience to catch fish. The reasons fish don’t bite are many, but suffice it to say, they’re not always hungry. The impatient angler can get “skunked” if he doesn’t bide his time and wait for the bite. Patience is a virtue, but there are other reasons that even the persistent angler comes up short.


Photo: Eleven year old, Carter Busse holds a spotted bass caught while fishing with grandfather, Andy Beard on a recent Lake Norman outing.
Photo courtesy of Capt. Gus Gustafson

Fishing fast, or trying to cover too much water in a short amount of time, is often counterproductive. Like Aesop’s fable about the tortoise and the hare, fishing slow and steady is a winning combination. Slow means to keep the bait wet and in the strike zone as long as possible. You can do this by fan casting, trolling or simply leaving a live bait in one place long enough for a fish to see and eat it.

While totally unpredictable, there are times when the likelihood of catching fish is higher than at other times. For example:
* The half hour before and after sunrise
* The hour before and after a tide change on the coast
* The day before a weather system arrives, not the day after it clears
* On days when the wind is blowing out of the south
* Just as the sun is setting
* Weekdays versus weekends

Know where the fish are biting, and you can reduce the amount of time and patience needed to catch them. In November, it is productive to fish near the shoreline. More specifically, cast toward boat docks and rip-rap in boat basins, around trees that have fallen into the water (blow downs), and anywhere you see bait fish swimming on the surface.

Tips from Capt. Gus! Never let the fish know you are fishing for them!

Upcoming Events: Free seminar: “The Lifestyle & Habits of Bass and How to Catch Limits This Winter” - Jake Bussolini and I will conduct this informative session on November 13^th, 6:30 p.m. at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC. For additional information, call 704 658 0822.
Fishing Report:
Fishing is great! Spotted bass and a few trophy largemouths are filling live wells on most days. Sixty degree water temperatures and south winds are good reasons for the fantastic fishing.

The crappie bite is “on” as well, with limits taken around boat houses and submerged brush piles. White perch are also hungry and plentiful. Best lures to use are Sabiki flies, tipped with minnows or gulp baits.

The water level on Lake Norman is approximately 2.9' below full pond. Mountain Island Lake is 3.3' below full. Surface water temperatures are in the sixties, depending on time of day, location or proximity to a power plant on Lake Norman.

Capt. Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is an Outdoor Columnist and a full time Professional Fishing Guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his website, www.fishingwithgus.com or call 704-617-6812. For additional information, e-mail Gus@LakeNorman.com.