Fishing forecast
Anglers who fish during the holidays can expect plenty of action while field-testing their new tackle. Fishing conditions should be ideal, with water temperatures in the 50s and an abundance of sunny days. As in years past, diving sea birds will show anglers where fish are feeding just below the surface.
Hybrid striped bass, a cross between a striped bass and a white bass, will locate in the same general areas as stripers do and can be caught from schools suspended throughout the water column.
When fish are actively feeding, it’s not unusual to catch a four-fish limit in a matter of minutes while using Alabama rigs. Often, multiple species are taken on the same cast, confirming the theory that bass, perch, striper and hybrids swim together when foraging during the winter months.
Traditional holiday hotspots are Ramsey, Reed, Little, Mountain and McCray Creeks below the N.C. 150 bridge and Stumpy and Hicks creeks farther north.
Lake conditions
The water level on Lake Norman is about 3.3 feet below full pond. The level is 2.9 feet below full on Mountain Island Lake. The surface water temperature is in the high 40s and low 50s in water not affected by power generation on Lake Norman.