Fishing With Capt Gus! Excuses 4/29/12 lake Norman

[Fishing Report]

Fishing With Capt Gus!
Excuses
4/29/12



Photo courtesy of Capt. Gus

Mike Conroy and sons showing off a spotted bass caught on recent Lake Norman fishing trip.



Everyone has heard about a late fishing partner who finally arrives at the dock with a lame excuse. One might be, “I’m sorry to keep everyone waiting, but my alarm clock didn’t go off.” If only the alarm clock could tell its side of the story!



Regardless of the bum rap the clock gets and the dozens of other excuses fishermen have used over the years to explain their tardiness, being late gets the trip off to a bad start. It not only cuts into everyone’s fishing time, but the early bite can sometimes make the difference between catching a lot of fish or only a few.



For those prone to being late, here are a few excuses that might sound more genuine, believable or even amusing the next time you try to explain your tardiness.



* I thought you said 7:00, not 6:30.
* I got behind a school bus.
* My fishing license expired and I had to stop to get a new one.
* The car’s navigation system took me the long way.
* I set the alarm for the wrong time.
* The boat trailer had a flat tire.
* I went to the wrong boat ramp.
* I had to stop and get ice/bait.
* I forgot to get gas last night.
* It was foggy.
* I couldn’t find the car keys.



Excuses are many, but few are as creative as this one. The angry anglers, waiting at the dock, saw the blue lights of a sheriff’s patrol car headed toward the boat ramp. To their surprise, their very late fishing buddy was sitting in the passenger seat. He hurriedly jumped out of the patrol car with rod /reel in hand and went directly to the boat without saying anything to anyone. To this day, no one knows the rest of the story, but he was forgiven for being late.



Up Coming Events:

A free safe boating class on “How to Navigate Lake Norman Day or Night” will be held at North Point Watersports, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC on May 9th from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Topics for discussion will include “Understanding LKN’s Channel Marker and Buoy System”, “Identifying and Learning How to Avoid the Ten Most Dangerous Spots” and “Interpreting Lake Maps”. For more information, call me at 704-617-6812 or email Gus@lakenorman.com.



Jake Bussollini and I will conduct a Free Fishing Seminar on “How to Catch White Perch” at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC at 6:30 p.m. on May 16th. Bring the entire family to this informative and entertaining session. For more information, call 704- 658-0822.



Tips from Capt. Gus: According to Lake Norman cat fish guide, Mac Byrum, “Chicken sprinkled with garlic salt and cut into strips or chunks is great bait for large blue catfish.”



Hot Spots of the Week: Bass fishing is very good in boat basins at dawn and dusk and around docks and deep brush piles throughout the day. Blue cats are hitting fresh cut bait in coves and on shallow points. White perch are hitting shiny lures and small minnows at depths to thirty feet. Best bets for white perch are Reed, Mountain and Stumpy Creeks.



The surface water temperature varies by location, but is mainly in the high sixties and low seventies in open waters not affected by power generation. The water level is about 2.6' below full pond on Lake Norman and 3.0' below 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.