Fishin’ with Capt.Gus! -NC Boating Accidents and Fatalities-2010 Aug. 7, 2011

[Fishing Report]

Photo courtesy of Capt. Gus

Jeff Mullins of Cornelius, NC holding a trophy flathead catfish caught on Lake Norman in July



Fishin’ with Capt. Gus!
North Carolina Boating Accidents and Fatalities - 2010
August 7, 2011



According to a report compiled and published by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission on May 1, 2011, there were 154 boating accidents statewide during 2010. The majorities (131) were classified as non-fatal, but sadly, 23 fatal accidents resulted in 26 deaths. Furthermore, there were 208 vessels involved in the 154 accidents, which caused 123 persons to require medical treatment. The year ended with a total of 314,105 boats registered throughout the state, a decrease of 53,899 from 2009.

Closer to home, the total number of boats registered in the four counties that touch Lake Norman was 36,854, down from 43,339 in 2009. A breakdown by county shows Mecklenburg with 13,937, Iredell 10,981, Catawba 6,987 and 4,949 in Lincoln County.

Lake Norman had 11 boating accidents, ranking it second in the state behind the Intracoastal Waterway with 18 total accidents. The good news is there were no fatal boating accidents listed for Lake Norman in the 2010 report.

Statewide, the leading type of fatal accidents (10) was that the victim either jumped or fell overboard. The types of non-fatal accidents, accounting for 58 cases, were collisions with another vessel and/or collision with a fixed object. Operator inattention, operator inexperience, excessive speed, and careless/reckless operation were the leading causes of non-fatal accidents.

The number of students completing boater education courses jumped dramatically in 2010. A total of 31,253 students received boater education certificates, compared to 17,328 the previous year. The 2010 regulation requiring boat operators under the age of 26 to have completed an approved boating safety course is a major factor in the increase. This regulation was long overdue as evidenced by the fact that only 62 of the boat operators involved in fatal and non-fatal accidents had completed a boating safety education course.

The 2010 report should be a red flag to boaters, particularly the statistics concerning operator inattention, carelessness/reckless driving, and the fact that the majority of the boaters on our 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:
The Lake Norman Sail & Power Squadron is conducting Boater Safety Training on Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 8:00 a.m. at the Mount Mourne VFD, 1577 Mecklenburg Highway, Mooresville, NC. The cost is $45.00. Pre- registration is required. For additional information, visit: www.usps.org/lakenorman.com or call 704 660 5568.



Free Safe Boating Class - “How to Navigate Lake Norman Day or Night” will be held at North Point Watersports, Exit 36, Mooresville, NC on Wednesday, August 17, 2011 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: 704-617-6812 or email Gus@LakeNoman.com.



Tips from Capt. Gus:
For more information about approved boating safety courses, visit the following web sites.
* 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



Hot Spots of the Week: Night fishing for catfish and stripers is picking up at the dam. Perch are being caught in coves and at the edges of river and secondary points in water to sixty feet deep. Largemouth and spotted bass are hitting top water at dawn and schoolie size bass are breaking the surface throughout the day on shallow points and shoals. Flathead cat fishing is good to very good, particularly beneath feeding schools of white perch.



Note: A striper kill is in progress at the Cowans Ford Dam, hundreds of dead and gilling fish have been removed since the kill began on July 29, 2011. The death toll as of August 4, 2011 is 395. The good news is that striped bass are the only species effected by the hot water at the dam..




The surface water temperature varies by location, but is mainly in the nineties in open waters not affected by power generation. The water level is about 3.2 ' below full pond on Lake Norman and 2.1' 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.