According to a report compiled and published by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission in May 2014, there were 143 boating accidents statewide during 2013. The majorities (126) were classified as non-fatal, but sadly, 17 accidents resulted in 19 deaths. Furthermore, there were 180 vessels involved in the 143 accidents, and 89 people required medical treatment.

The year 2013 ended with a total of 304,658 boats registered throughout the state, a decrease of 4,831 from 2012. Statewide boat registrations are off the peak of 371,255 in 2007. Closer to home, the total number of boats registered in the four counties that border Lake Norman was 31,697, down from 32,311 in 2012 and 36,854 in 2011. A breakdown of boats registered by counties shows Mecklenburg with 11,852, Iredell 9,262, Catawba 6,179 and 4,404 in Lincoln County at the end of 2012.

Lake Norman had 14 boating accidents, up from 8 in 2012, and ranking it second in the state behind the Intracoastal Waterway with 18. The bad news was that four fatal boating accidents occurred on Lake Norman in 2013. Statewide, the leading type of fatal accidents was that the victim either jumped or fell overboard. The types of non-fatal accidents, accounting for 46 cases, were collisions with another vessel and/or collision with a fixed object. Operator inattention, operator inexperience, faulty machinery/equipment/hull, excessive speed, and careless/reckless operation were also among the leading causes of non-fatal accidents.

For information about the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) approved boating safety courses, visit the following websites:
* North Carolina Resources Commission at www.ncwildlife.org
* US Power Squadron at www.usps.org
* US Coast Guard Auxiliary at www.uscgaux.org.
* Lighthouse Marine Service at www.Lmservice.org
A total of 16,877 students received boater education certificates in 2013, compared to 25,523 in 2012.

Note: There were 43,938 Personal Water Craft (PWC’s) registered statewide and 9,332 registrations were in the four counties that border Lake Norman.

As in years past, the 2013 Boating Accidents and Fatalities report should be a red flag to boaters, particularly the statistics concerning operator inattention, carelessness/reckless driving, and the fact that a large number of the boaters on North Carolina’s waterways have not completed an approved boater safety course.

Safe boating is no accident. Do your part to make Lake Norman a safer place to navigate and enjoy.

Upcoming Events:
“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 September 10^th 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.

Free Fishing Seminar: “How to Use Topographic Maps to Improve Your Fishing” is the topic for discussion at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, on Wednesday, September 17^th at 6:30 p.m. Jake Bussolini and I will discuss the basics of interpreting topographic maps and pin point some of the best fishing locations on Lake Norman. Contact 704-658-0822 for additional information.

Tips from Capt. Gus! On Lake Norman there is a sixteen inch size limit for striped bass and hybrid striped bass, while the daily creel limit is four in combination. “In combination” means the total number for all species (striped and hybrid) combined.

Hot Spots of the Week: Nice catches of legal size hybrid stripe bass have been reported on both sides of the Highway 150 Bridge. While surface feeding happens at times, the majority of fish being caught are suspended at depths of twenty to thirty feet in waters up to sixty feet. Many of the hybrids range in size from sixteen to twenty inches. Best baits are live minnows, shad, and herring along with A-rigs, bucktail jigs and spoons. Swimming with the hybrids are “schoolie” size spotted bass and white perch weighing up to a pound. Spots are also being caught while breaking the surface on points and around open water drop offs. Top water lures, like the Rebel Pop R and the Rio Rico, are lures of choice. Warming water temperatures have blue catfish hitting a variety of baits, including fresh cut shad, herring, perch and bream.

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 2.5’ 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 web site, www.Fishingwithgus.com or call 704-617-6812.