Good News on Hybrids

For those of you that fish the south end of the lake in Davidson or Reeds creeks, there is evidence that the hybrids have finally moved south into these areas. I have picked up one or two each day with live bait in 30 feet of water.

I have also begun to see some schools of shad in these same areas. Not as many and not as big schools but at least the shad are coming back into the coves and creeks at the south end. Unfortunately with the warm week end, it seems like a lot of inexperienced boaters are back out on the lake making a mess with little or no knowledge of the rules of the water. Week-end fishing will soon have to stop I'm afraid, unless it is in the early morning. Br healthy and safe on the water.

Signal of The Beginning of The Spawn

Yesterdays 2 hour trip was another great success and it pointed to signs that the bass spawn has started. Fishing with golden shiners I hit two big schools of fish in 25 feet of water, I boated and released more than 30 bass and on several occasions missed fish that had bitten because of multiple hits at the same time.

While Talking to other anglers and dock fishermen I was also told that there were several bass on beds close to shore. This would indicate that the big males are working on the nests while the females are actively feeding in schools in the deeper water. The bites were very aggressive and I got several multiple  hits.
I have always suggested that anglers stay away from the nests during the spawn. This is an example of how fishing can continue without bothering the active spawners.

Check Your Hook Selection

At a recent fishing lecture we hears a short discussion about the right selection of fish hooks. I have always preached the use of circle hooks because they are a necessity for catch and release anglers. The theory of the circle hook is simple and is shown on the illustration below.

On a typical Jay hook shown at the bottom illustration, the fish swallows the hook and as force is applied by the anglers retrieve, the hook lodges in the gut of the fish. We call this being gut hooked. In the top illustration, after the fish swallows the hook, the small inward curve at the tip of the hook is such that it simply comes out of the gut when pressure is applied. As the fish starts to bend its head back and forth as they always do, the hook sets itself in the top or side of the mouth of the fish where little or no damage is done.
Part of the recent discussion concerned the size of the hook that is appropriate for Lake Norman, and what size is normal for catfish. My theory is a little different from some that have been expressed. For normal fishing on this lake I believe a number 1 or better yet a 1/0 is adequate for all fish in this water. If you are specifically fishing only for catfish, you can go up to a number 4 circle and that hook will catch any catfish in the lake.
Some anglers go as high as a number 8 or even 10 circle for catfish. This is my theory. Blue cats, that are the biggest ones in the lake, like to munch on the bait for a second or two before they decide to take off with it. I your hook is too big they will feel it and let go. So for specific fishing for catfish, you want a hook that has a GAPE that is large enough to easily fit around the hard muscle around the front of the mouth. I have found that a number 4 circle is more than adequate for the biggest cats in this lake. I have caught 40 pound cats with a number 1/0 circle with no problem so I recommend a smaller hook if you have a choice.
Remember, most break-offs come from a failed knot so be sure to wet your knot when making it, especially for mono line.

Bass are Getting Hot on The Lake

With the warmer temperatures finally coming in and signs of spring all around us, nature is telling the bass that the time has come again for the male fish to eat heavily to gain strength to permit them to work hard on the nest building. The females are also feeding more often to insure healthy egg production. Normally the spawn starts at water temperatures from 60 to 65 degrees F. Sometimes other of natures signs like budding trees and flowers also signals that time to the fish. Recent signs of fish activity on the sonar screen tells me that the time has come. These images indicate that the large bass are schooled in water depths from 10 to 25 feet and they are hitting live shiners consistently.
In a recent 2 hour trip, I boated 22 bass, 5 perch and a channel cat before I ran out of bait.