Bass will be surface feeding off main channels and secondary points above and below the Highway 150 Bridge. Long points that extend well into the lake are the areas most frequented by anglers who search for these hungry fish. The Reed Creek arm of Lake Norman, south from The New Stutts Landing to the confluence of the Catawba River, is one of the most popular areas for surface feeding action. The mouth of Ramsey Creek and "The Islands" north of the State Park are other areas where significant surface action will occur on most October mornings.
Anglers wishing to get a later start can still enjoy good action by slow drifting live baits or power trolling artificial lures along the edges of the above mentioned areas. During mid-day, bass will suspend at depths to twenty feet. But as water temperatures cool later in the month, they will move toward the shallows and the headwaters of major creeks.
While most anglers are familiar with the largemouth bass, Lake Norman is fortunate to also have spotted bass, another member of the black bass family. Spots can be identified by a rough patch on their tongue, dark green spots below the lateral line, and a bright green hue. The mouth of a spotted bass is smaller than that of a largemouth, (but larger than a smallmouth bass.)
Cool weather is also welcomed by live bait anglers. Falling temperatures make it easier to catch and keep bait fish alive. Striped bass, hybrids and black bass prefer soft bodied baits like shad, herring and shiners over small bream and white perch that were used during the summer.
Like bass, crappie, catfish and perch will also move to shallower water, making them easier to catch. Mountain Creek is a popular area to fish for crappie. Minnows, dunked around brush piles near deep water boat docks, will produce nice stringers of this popular pan fish. Note: The daily creel limit is 20 crappies per angler with an 8" minimum.
Striper and hybrid striped bass fishing is best during low pressure and rainy periods that precede a cold front. If your schedule is flexible, plan to fish before a weather system clears.
October is a great month to take a child fishing. See you out there!
Tips from Capt. Gus: Match the size of the lure to that of the forage fish that game fish are feeding on.
Hot Spots: Hybrid striped bass are surface feeding in coves and bays. Best bets are on the windy side of the lake where forage fish have collected. The windward side is also good for hungry spotted bass that are hitting top water, swim and crank baits. The closer the water temperature gets to sixty degrees, the better crappie fishing will be. Look for them on deep banks with lots of submerged brush.
October Events: Free Fishing Seminar: “Top Ten Bass Lures for Catching Lake Norman Bass” will be discussed at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, on Wednesday, October 15th at 6:30 p.m. Jake Bussolini and I will cover the basics of lure selection and how and when to use them when casting or trolling. Contact 704-658-0822 for additional information.
“How to Navigate Lake Norman Day or Night” will be the topic of a free safe boating class to be held at The Peninsula Yacht Club, 18501 Harbor Light Blvd, Cornelius, NC 28031 on October 16th at 6:30 p.m. Becky Johnson and I will cover “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.
The surface water temperature varies by location, but is mainly in the seventies in open waters not affected by power generation. The water level is about 2.0’ below full pond on Lake Norman and 3.9' 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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