• 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

    There are times during the summer when the lake water gets so warm that fish stop biting. Catfish, however, are the exception. The warmer the water, the more actively they feed. The reasons are many, but simply stated, catfish have a higher tolerance for warm water than other hook and line fish.

    Lake Norman has three types of catfish - channel, blue and flatheads. The average channel cat weighs from one to three pounds and is fun to catch on light tackle. Channel cats are frequently caught on heavily scented store-bought baits known as stink baits. In addition, fishermen have learned that catfish eat chicken parts, table scraps and left-over foods. Some of the more popular refrigerator baits are chicken livers, shrimp, cheese, and bacon strips. Minnows (dead or alive), night-crawlers and red wiggler worms are also good baits.

    Blue catfish grow to over one hundred pounds. The Lake Norman record is eighty-five pounds. Knowing that a big one can be taken at any time, savvy anglers use heavy tackle, large hooks (3/0-7/0) tied to fifty to eighty pound leader material. While blues will hit the same baits as channels, anglers prefer to use fresh-cut strips of bream, herring, shad and perch. Some believe the head of a bream or white perch will produce more strikes than a filet strip. The theory is that the head holds more scent and juices, which seems to attract larger fish. Another bait, and one that has that has gained popularity in recent years, is small pieces of chicken breasts sprinkled with garlic powder.



    Flatheads, while not as large as blue catfish, do achieve weights of over fifty pounds on Lake Norman. The state record, however, is a seventy-eight pounder taken from the Cape Fear River in 2005. While other species of catfish are scavengers, the flathead is a predator that stalks forage and game fish. Live shad, herring, perch, bream and goldfish are frequently used by those who target them.

    Summer catfish swim close to shore, making them easy targets for anglers fishing from the bank, docks and piers. Since catfish are excellent table fare, you might try this popular recipe.
    * 1 each - 8 oz. catfish fillet per person
    * Vegetable oil
    * Blackening spice
    Preheat a 10” cast iron skillet until very hot. Brush each fillet with vegetable oil. Sprinkle blackening spice evenly on both sides. Place fillets in a hot skillet and blacken each side for 6 to 8 minutes or until the fish is firm. Use a spatula to turn the fish and to remove it from the pan.

    Tips from Capt. Gus! There is no size or creel limit on catfish taken from Lake Norman, with one exception. The daily possession limit is only one blue cat greater than 32”.

    To learn more about catfishing on Lake Norman and other area lakes, visit the Carolina Catfish Club’s website at www.carolinacatfishclub.com.

    Upcoming Events: Free Fishing Seminar: “Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Norman Fishing” - Jake Bussolini and I will answer your fishing questions on June 17, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, in Mooresville, NC. This session will be of great interest to those new to lake fishing and interested in catching bass, cats, crappie, perch and stripers. Bring your questions to this informative seminar. For additional information, call 704 658 0822.
    Hot Spots of the Week: Spotted bass are schooling on creek channels and river points. Try catching them on top water lures, swim-baits and soft plastics rigged drop-shot or with a shaky head jig. For largemouth bass, skip-cast soft plastics under deep water docks during the heat of the day.

    Summer has arrived because white perch fishing is excellent! It’s not uncommon to land two, three or more on a single drop when fishing with Sabiki rigs. Anglers trolling the river and creek channel edges with Alabama rigs are landing a mixed bag of white perch, spotted bass and an occasional striper. Cat fishing is also excellent.

    The surface water temperature varies by location, but is mainly in the seventies and low eighties in open waters not affected by power generation. The water level is about 2.4 feet below full pond on Lake Norman and 3.0 feet 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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