Fishin’ with Capt. Gus! -Thru the Fish’s Eyes- August 28, 2011-1.jpg

Photo courtesy of Capt. Gus

Greg Jones of Gastonia, holding a striped bass taken from Lake Norman on a recent fishing outing.



Fishin’ with Capt. Gus!
Thru the Fish’s Eyes
August 28, 2011



If you’re like most fishermen, about the time you think you have the fish figured out, they’ll do something entirely different. No one knows for sure what makes them bite or not bite. Even Yogi Berra, a man who knew a little bit about everything, wasn’t sure. He explained it this way. “When they aren’t biting, you can’t make them stop.”



To better understand how to improve your catch, examine the sport thru the eyes of a fish. What a fish sees or doesn’t see, is often the difference between catching one or reeling in an empty hook. Depending on the amount of light, water and clarity, Lake Norman fish seem to be able to see and react to objects that move at distances up to five feet. Since their eyes are angled upward, lures that swim beneath them might not be seen at all. In addition, on days when skies are bright and the water is clear, the light-colored underbelly of a baitfish or artificial lure is difficult to see. Think of it this way. Even with sunglasses, people have difficulty seeing when they look directly into a sunny sky. Fish can’t see that well either, especially since they don’t have eye-lids to squint or ears to wear sunglasses!



When fish are swimming in the shallows, they are especially leery and will spook at the slightest movement. Shadows cast on the water by anglers who fish with the sun to their back, will also cause fish to scatter. Mountain stream fishermen are aware that getting close enough to short cast to a rainbow trout is futile if the fish sees him first. That is why casting from afar is best, even though longer presentations can be cumbersome. Blue and other light colored clothing helps to make the angler invisible to fish when silhouetted against the sky. Footwear that matches the color of the bottom i.e., green waders in streams and sand colored wading shoes on bonefish flats, allow the angler to blend with the surroundings.



Matching the hatch is not just an adage used by fly fishermen, but one that makes sense for all types of sport fishing. If bass are feeding on two-inch shad, a two-inch lure with shad markings and coloration is appropriate. Fast moving baits often offend fish, if they are accustomed to hitting a much slower bait. No one knows for sure how slow or fast the speed should be. That is why varying the speed is a good idea until the right speed is determined.



Color selection - As mentioned above, silvers and grays are good colors, but they are less visible than lures in shades of chartreuse. Chartreuse is a blend of green and blue, the most dominate hues in the color spectrum and the last to fade away in the water column. While blues and greens might not match the hatch, they are easily seen thru the fish’s eyes.



Tips from Capt. Gus! - Since catfish depend more on smell more than sight, fresh cut strips of white perch and bream are excellent summer baits. Better yet, use the head if you want to catch a big Arkansas blue catfish!

Upcoming Events - Free Safe Boating Class - “How to Navigate Lake Norman Day or Night” will be held at North Point Watersports, 112 Doolie Road, Mooresville, NC 28117 on Wednesday, September 14, 2011 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Topics for discussion will include “Understanding Lake Norman’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.



Hot Spots of the Week - Lots of white perch, and schooling spotted bass are being caught on river points and humps. The best time to fish is from sunset until sunrise. Catfishing remains very good for those drifting or slow trolling in coves and on secondary points.

The surface water temperature varies by location, but is mainly in the high eighties in open waters not affected by power generation. The water level is about 4.4 ' below full pond on Lake Norman and 3.1' 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.