• 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

    What do birds and fish have in common? They prey upon one another.

    On Lake Norman, blue heron stalk small fish in the shallows, osprey and eagles dive from the sky to snare fish in their talons, while crows and buzzards eat dead fish that wash ashore. Bass and catfish even things out by preying upon hapless ducklings and small birds that fall into the water. But, to fishermen, it’s the sea birds (terns and gulls) that are of the greatest interest.



    Beginning in November, tens of thousands of sea birds return to Norman and other area lakes where they spend the winter feasting on shad and other forage fish. On most mornings, they can be seen flying low to the water where they might occasionally pick up a few shad swimming close to the surface. But, when shad are chased to the surface by schools of hungry bass, perch or hybrids, things really get exciting. During these feeding frenzies, sea birds screech loudly between dives as they snare the fleeing shad with their sharp bill.

    Fishermen look for tight knit clusters of sea birds through binoculars, and sometimes can see them a mile or more away. When located, anglers will quickly run the boat to the area in an attempt to reach the fish before they sound. Best lures to toss into the fray are spoons, jigs, flukes and swim-baits. If it’s multiple hook-ups you want, attach an ice-fly trailer to your favorite top water bait. The Alabama rig, a multi-lure swim-bait harness, is also quite effective when thrown in the direction of diving sea birds.

    It is important to note that fish will scatter if you approach too closely or if a big disturbance is caused by the boat. It is best to stop some distance away and use the electric trolling motor to maneuver within casting distance. Sooner or later, the school will sound. Switch to a slow sinking bait while waiting for the fish to reappear on the surface.

    When surface feeding activity subsides, birds will come to rest on the water or on a nearby shoal and wait for a signal from the birds still scouting above, that another blitz is underway. Upon hearing this high pitched signal, not audible to human ears, they will take flight again and renew their diving attack on the forage fleeing from the predator fish.

    Note: According to the 2014-2015 NCWRC Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest, a new regulation states: “White perch may be taken when captured in a cast net used to collect nongame fishes in all impounded waters west of Interstate 95 and in the Tar River Reservoir (Nash Co.).”

    Tips from Capt. Gus! Most jigging spoons are made of lead, and can be bent to allow them to flutter slowly as they fall through the water column. Best colors are chartreuse, white, silver and gold.

    Hot Spots: Hybrid striped bass are biting at dawn and dusk in Reed and Mountain Creek and in the main river channel north of the State Park. While most of the action has been on the surface, fish are also hitting live and artificial lures fished throughout the water column. Spotted bass are schooling with the hybrids at times, but most are taking lures fished around underwater humps and channel points. Live bait fishermen are catching crappie and white perch in nice numbers near submerged brush and bridges. Expect overall fishing to improve as water temperatures continue to drop into the mid-sixties.

    Lake Conditions: Surface water temperature varies by location, but is mainly in the low seventies in open waters not affected by power generation. The water level is about 1.7’ below full pond on Lake Norman and 3.0' 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 website @ www.Fishingwithgus.com or call 704-617-6812.
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