Fishing with Capt. Gus Lake Norman September / October 2021 Fishing Report It’s late September and the weather is beginning to cool. Traditionally when water temperatures drop, feeding activity picks up. And that’s exactly what will happen between now and the end of October. Recent reports speak of very good catches of spotted and largemouth bass. Hybrid striped are feeding more actively too. This trend should continue as surface temperatures fall into the seventies. Spotted Bass are feeding early morning on shallow river points where they can be taken on topwater plugs (Whopper Plopper), rattle-traps and A-rigs. Mid-day they move to deeper water where they are smashing jigging spoons, drop shot rigs and deep diving crank baits. Note: there is no size or creel limit on spotted bass in Lake Norman. Catfish have returned to their traditional shallow water haunts. Cut baits (shad, bream and perch) are popular as are chunks of chicken breasts marinated in garlic powder. White Perch can be found along the edges of creek and river channels as well as off points and the middle of deep- coves. Most are schooling in water twenty to thirty feet deep. Jigging spoons and Sabiki rigs are preferred, but live crappie minnows will tempt them to. Note: there is no size or creel limit on white perch in Lake Norman. Hybrid Striped Bass are busting bait on the surface at day light. Some days they disappear by sunrise, while on cloudy days the bite can last an hour or two. The rest of the day the hybrids suspend at depths from twenty to fifty feet where the can be taken on live bait, mussels, jigging spoons, deep diving cranks and a variety of lures trolled on down riggers. Best bets are Mountain, Stumpy and Hicks Creeks. Note: The creel limit for hybrids is four in aggregate with striped bass, each of which must a minimum of sixteen inches long. Before you hit the lake check to see if you’re fishing license is current. If not you go to: **hidden content** to renew or purchase for the first time. See you out there, Capt. Gus

Fishin' with Capt. Gus A Fish Tail or Two September 2021 If you haven’t heard a fish tale lately, here are a few that might bring a smile to your face. The first is about a squirrel eating largemouth bass, the second concerns a talking frog and still another is a parody about the host of a long running weekend television fishing show. An angler was taking a picture of squirrel eating a hickory nut while perched on a log leaning in the water. To his amazement a large bass jumped out of the water and swallowed it whole. The fisherman returned the next day in an attempt to catch the squirrel eating largemouth bass. As he got close enough to make a cast, he sees the bass again. This time it’s putting another hickory nut on the log. One day the Bill D….. fishing show left the air without notice or fanfare. The show’s focus was on catching big bass and the bloopers that occurred while filming it. Bill’s trademark was the letter “T” embroidered on his fishing cap. He never did a show without wearing it. Everyone questioned why the show was cancelled, and as time went by, some wondered if something really bad had happened to Bill. A few even wondered if he might have passed on to the Happy Fishing Grounds in the Sky. A new fishing show filled Bill’s time slot, but it wasn’t the same without him. About six months had elapsed when one of Bill’s biggest fans was reading the morning newspaper. He was surprised when he turned to the obituary page and read the headline, “Bill D…., Fisherman and Famous Television Personality.” He was aghast, and without reading any further, said to himself; “I knew it, I knew it, Bill D….. must have been ill and died, just like I thought.” Finally he read the full obituary. That’s when his sadness turned to joy. It seems that Bill was still with us. It was his largemouth bass that had died. You know, the big one that everyone has watch him catch three or four times during each episode. ------ The next is about a talking frog with a different twist. It seems that an angler catches a frog by mistake. While unhooking it, the frog says, “If you let me go, I’ll grant you a wish.” The man unhooks the frog and puts it in his pocket. Upset it says, “I told you I would grant you a wish if you let me go.” After a moment of thought, the angler replies; “At my age, I think I would rather have a talking frog, than a wish.” September Hot Spots: The shoreline surrounding the Lake Norman State Park is especially productive for largemouth bass this month. Spotted bass will be active at the lower end of the lake in Davidson, Reed and Knox Creeks. Crappie can be taken around bridges and boat docks in Mountain Creek, best baits are small jigs garnished with live minnows. The best white perch fishing is going to be along the edges of channels in water to forty feet. Hybrid striped bass will be founded suspended in deep water on both sides of the Highway 150 Bridge. 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 **hidden content** or call **hidden content**.