• Lake Norman Fishing Report - NC

    Fishin' With Gus
    (704) 617-6812 http://www.fishingwithgus.com/index.php Gus@LakeNorman.com
  • With Capt. Gus you will learn fishing techniques that will improve your fishing and allow you to catch more fish on you own boat. Light tackle is used to maximize the excitement of lake fishing. Guide boats can accommodate from one to six anglers. Fishing guides are available year round. They fish daily, including weekends and holidays.

  • Lake Norman Fishing Report - NC

    The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission stocked 162,500 fingerling hybrid striped bass in Lake Norman on June 23, 2014. This is the second year that hybrids, rather than striped bass, have been stocked by state biologists. Early indications are that last year’s stocking was successful. Anglers reported catches of ten to fourteen inch hybrids up and down the lake.

    The reason for a change in the stocking of species was because stripers have had a difficult time surviving when Lake Norman’s water surface temperatures pass ninety degrees, as it often does in July and August. After striper kills for several summers, the decision to replace them with the much hardier hybrid striped bass was made in 2012.

    Hybrids are the results of the crossbreeding of a female striped bass with a male white bass. This game fish, conceived in a hatchery, is perfect for Lake Norman’s summers. It can withstand water temperatures that exceed ninety degrees and can survive relatively low dissolved oxygen levels. Hybrids are so resilient to warm water that they thrive in lakes and ponds in Florida where they’re known as Sunshine Bass. In North Carolina, hybrid striped bass are also called Bodie Bass. This newcomer to Lake Norman is similar in appearance and easily confused with a white perch. While their profiles are the same, the distinguishing feature is the broken lines down the side of the hybrid bass.

    Hybrids have the reputation of being hard fighting game fish that grow quickly in lakes with large shad and herring populations in deep water impoundments. While it’s common for them to exceed ten pounds or more, it’s expected that the average fish taken from Norman will be between five and eight pounds. The state record of 17 pounds, 7 ounces, was caught on March 15,1996 from Lake Chatuge in Western North Carolina.

    Anglers will learn that the same tactics used to catch striped bass will work when fishing for hybrids. In fact, there are times when hybrids and stripers are caught in the same general area. For now, since the fish are relatively small, baits of choice are spoons, buck tails, shad-raps, Sabiki rigs and small minnows.



    Tips from Capt. Gus! The size limit for hybrid striped bass on Lake Norman is sixteen inches, with a daily creel limit of four (in combination with striped bass), from October 1st until May 31st. During the summer months (June 1st-Sept.30th), there is no minimum size limit, but the creel limit remains the same.

    Upcoming Events:
    “How to Navigate Lake Norman Day or Night” will be a free safe boating class at The Peninsula Yacht Club, 18501 Harbor Light Blvd, Cornelius, NC 28031 on July 9th at 6:30 p.m. Becky Johnson and I will cover topics that include “Understanding LKN’s Channel Marker and Buoy System”, “How to Avoid Shallow Water”,” The Ten Most Dangerous Spots”, and “Interpreting Lake Maps”. For more information, call Ashley at 704 892 7575.

    Free Fishing Seminar – “How to Use Sonar, Down/Side Scan and GPS to Catch Summer Bass, White Perch and Crappie” - Jake Bussolini and I will conduct this ninety minute seminar beginning at 6:30 p.m. on July 16th at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC. For additional information, call 704 658 0822.

    Hot Spots of the Week: Hot weather hasn’t stopped the fish from biting on Lake Norman. Spotted bass are schooling in creek channels and on river points. To catch them, use top water lures, swim-baits and soft plastics rigged drop-shot or with shaky head jigs. For largemouth bass, try skip-casting soft plastics under deep water docks during the heat of the day.

    We know summer is here because white perch fishing is excellent. It’s common to land two, three or more fish on a single drop when fishing with the multi hook Sabiki rig. Anglers trolling river and creek channel edges with Alabama rigs are landing a mixed bag of white perch, spotted bass and an occasional striper. Catfishing is excellent, as well.

    The surface water temperature varies by location, but is mainly in the eighties in open waters not affected by power generation. The water level is about 1.8’ below full pond on Lake Norman and 2.9' below full on Mountain Island Lake.

    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 web site, www.Fishingwithgus.com or call 704-617-6812.
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