It’s been said many times, “To catch a fish, you have to think like a fish.” Think like a fish? Well, maybe they don’t think, but they do respond to weather, water temperature, and seasonal conditions. They also react to basic senses of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. So the angler who targets a particular species tries to appeal to the behavior patterns of that fish.

For example, cat fish are most active when water is warm. They depend on smell, not sight, to find forage. Since their eyesight is relatively poor, compared to other species, they’re often caught after dark and in muddy water. Knowing this, the astute angler uses baits that emit a scent, and in turn, will attract the nosey catfish. The smell of chicken, shrimp, blood, and garlic are particularly appealing. Chicken livers and strips of chicken breasts laced with garlic powder are popular baits with Lake Norman anglers.

Bass use sound and sight to alert them when prey is within striking distance. Lures that vibrate, pop, buzz or rattle are used frequently. Sound producing lures are particularly effective at night or in dingy or stained water. As far as sight is concerned, lures that flash or sparkle are preferred on sunny days when bass can see bait coming from long distances. For whatever reason, chanteuse is a popular color throughout the year. Use light colored lures when conditions are bright, and dark colors are better during low light periods.

Sunfish: While most fish shy away from direct sunlight and warm water temperatures, the sunfish relishes them. Summer is a prime time to catch these feisty pan fish. The sunfish depends on its sense of sound to alert him about bugs either hitting the water or swimming gingerly on the surface. When targeting sunfish, anglers pitch popping bugs, worms and crickets along shallow stretches of sun drenched shorelines.

Striped bass are opportunistic feeders and dine on a variety of foods, including worms, eels, clams, and shrimp, as well as, many species of fish. In order to eat well, they use sight, sound and smell to find every meal. While considered a cold water fish, striped bass can tolerate water temperatures ranging from the high thirties to the mid-seventies. In addition, striped bass are anadromous fish that migrate between fresh and salt water. Spawning takes place in freshwater, and when stocked in freshwater, striped bass can live a full life.

See ya out there!

Upcoming Events:
“How to Navigate Lake Norman Day or Night” is a free safe boating class to be held at The Peninsula Yacht Club, 18501 Harbor Light Blvd, Cornelius, NC 28031 on June 11^th 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 Catch Summer Bass, White Perch and Crappie” - Jake Bussolini and I will conduct this ninety minute seminar at 6:30 p.m. on June 18th at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC. For additional information, call 704 658 0822.

Hot Spots of the Week: Cat fishing has been excellent since the last week of May. Best bets are shallow flats adjacent to deep water. White perch have hit their summer stride, as well, with some anglers catching fifty or more per outing. Crappies are still biting, but have moved to deeper surroundings. The best time to catch them shallow is after dark around lighted docks and under lanterns suspended over the water. Bass are being caught regularly by those casting soft plastics and jerk baits to docks and channel points. Higher than normal water levels have bass hitting top water lures in the back of coves at dawn and dusk.

Tips from Capt. Gus! Where can I catch live bait? This time of year, shad locate in the back of coves and creek channels, particularly where the water is shallow and murky. On calm evenings, they can be found schooling on the surface in coves and boat basins. After dark, they congregate around lighted docks and bridge pilings.

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 1.3' 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.