Just one more cast!

How many times have you heard a fishing buddy say, “Just one more cast!” This usually happens about the time you’re ready to call it a day. If you’re an avid fisherman, it happens quite often. Veteran anglers have come to understand that it doesn’t necessarily mean only one more cast. In fact, it’s a neat way to say that we’ll probably be fishing longer than originally planned.



More importantly “just one more cast” symbolizes the optimistic attitude necessary to outwit a fish that might not be hungry or is playing hard to catch. It also speaks to the perseverance it takes to be successful in a sport in which the opponent (the fish) is not always visible.

There are times when the “just one more cast” mind set has turned a bad day’s fishing into a good one. But, most of the time, it’s a good excuse to extend the fishing trip because it’s fun to be on the water. When one considers the alternatives, such as doing yard work or cleaning out the garage, it’s no wonder so many choose to fish longer.

It’s really interesting how many times the last cast of the day produces a fish, and often, the biggest fish of the trip. The other day, I took a few youngsters crappie fishing. Two of the three caught several thirteen inch or larger fish, while the other one only had a few that were close to eight inches. When it came time pull the fishing lines in for a final time, the third youngster made one more cast. And, guess what? He caught a seventeen inch crappie, the largest fish of the day!

Many believe that the last cast has a very high likelihood of hooking a fish. So, maybe that’s why you hear “just one more cast” spoken so often at the end of a fishing trip.

See you out there!

Tips from Capt. Gus! Conversely, catching a fish on the FIRST cast of the day is said to bring bad luck for the rest of the trip.

Hot Spots of the Week: Post spawn bass are aggressively feeding on channel points at dawn, where they are hitting a variety of top water lures. If casting around docks the later in the day, bottom bumping soft plastics are the preferred bait. White perch are in the back of coves in water to thirty feet deep. Most are being caught on live minnows, small spoons and crappie jigs. Like bass, crappies have finished spawning and have moved to deeper water. Best bets are around submerged brush piles and bridge pilings. Cat fishing has improved dramatically since water temperatures are now approaching eighty degrees. Chicken parts, fresh cut bream and white perch are the baits of choice for blue cats, while chicken livers and stink baits are preferred by those targeting channel cats.

Upcoming Events: The Lake Norman Sail and Power Squadron will conduct a NASBLA approved Boating Education Course on May 31^st at a cost of $45.00. This eight hour course, beginning at 8:00 a.m., will be held at the Denver Volunteer Fire Department, 3956 Highway 16 N. in Denver, NC. For additional information, call 516-547-7737.

Lake Norman’s water level is about 1.3’ below full pond and is 2.8’ below on Mountain Island Lake. The surface water temperature is in the mid to high seventies in water not affected by power generation on Lake Norman.