| July 17, 2005 Area lakes are teeming with anglers in search of favorite fish. Summer is also the season when most boating/fishing mishaps occur. Many accidents are avoidable. Trips and falls from boats are often the cause of cuts, bruises, broken bones and man-overboard situations. Passengers should move about a boat slowly and with caution at all times. Boat wakes, rough waves, quick starts, and hard docking situations contribute to passenger injuries. Boat decks should be kept dry and clear of any nonessential gear. To keep a boat on an even keel, the weight of equipment and crew should be evenly distributed; the boat should never be overloaded. Fishing rods, gaffs, nets and anchors should be placed in holders, and dock lines stowed below deck. Tackle boxes should be secured from sliding and latched when not in use. "A place for everything and everything in its place" is a most appropriate rule to follow when fishing. To avoid being hooked or snagged, keep all hooks not being used, secured to the hook guide on the fishing rod. Swinging or tangled hooks are dangerous. Hooks can also become missiles under pressure, either from a line stretched by the weight of a fighting fish, or from being hung on an obstruction in the water. When the line breaks loose, it is likely to fly in the direction of the angler. It is wiser to cut the line and retie a new hook, than to risk the danger of a flying hook. To avoid being bitten, finned or cut by a sharp gill plate, anglers should exercise care when handling fish. Grip the fish with gloves near the head and gills. Covering the fish's eyes with a hand or rag helps calm the fish and makes it easier to handle. It is important to know which fish have teeth and which do not. "Boga Grips" and other fish holding devices are available at tackle shops. When cleaning fish, knife cuts occur frequently, but cuts can be prevented. Wear a glove, hold the fish firmly, and cut away from the hand holding the fish. A knife should be kept in a sheath when not being used. In the event of a cut or puncture, administer first aid and then see a doctor. Additional treatment and a tetanus shot may be necessary. The Hot Spot of the week is Reed Creek. Stripers are being taken at depths of thirty-five to fifty feet by anglers trolling bucktails and roadrunners. Fish are congregating in areas where two or more creeks come together. White and chartreuse baits are the colors of choice. Anglers fishing in shallow water are finding what appear to be schools of stripers on the sonar screen. However, in most cases the images are white perch, not striped bass. The past week, striper fishing has been slow, bass fishing good to very good, catfishing very good to excellent, and perch fishing has been excellent. The lake level is 98.0 or 2.0 feet below full pond. Lake waters are generally clear, with surface temperatures in the mid to high eighties. Tips from Gus! Although not required by regulation, a line attached to a throwable cushion or life ring, makes it retrievable in case the first throw should miss the person overboard. Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is an outdoor columnist and a full time professional striper fishing guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his web site, Striper Fishin' with Gus! at http://www.lakenormanstriperfishing.com/ or call 704-489-0763. For additional information, e-mail him at lknormanventures@aol.com |
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Gus Gustafson talks Fishing Accidents!
Gus Gustafson talks Fishing Accidents.
