Alabama bass now the dominant predator in Lake Norman
- Thread starter CRC
- Start date
Huffy
Eight Pointer
I guide as well on Norman and I believe that to be 100% true those things are everywhere and are as bad as white perch when it comes to how they eat! on the other had with the striper fishing being as slow as it is they do help out at time and may I add that they eat pretty well too, very white meat with no tanginess like large mouth
Jlewis74
Old Mossy Horns
The lake was dead, you would be lucky to catch a 8lb limit on a good day. the state would not do anything to anglers got pissed off and started bringing spotted bass from AL back with them. It made a drastic difference in the lake, it has helped the large mouth also as they started getting larger. Someone else on their own stocked Blue Back Herring in the lake to add some forage for the spots. Now you see some high teens 5 fish limits in the spring and at night events. You can go and actually catch fish every trip and many are good sized which makes it fun!
oldest school
Old Mossy Horns
i had to fish tournaments on norman when it was at it's worse. hammer handles is what you had. long skinny LMB.
i would think bass fishermen love the invasive bass and herring.
i would think bass fishermen love the invasive bass and herring.
Boojum
Ten Pointer
The tournament folks stocking those damn things have about wiped out our smallmouth lakes here in WNC. Anybody caught stocking a spot should be stocked along with them, with a heavy weight attached to their leg. Same with the bluebacks that ruin the walleye and white bass fisheries.
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OK, I've always heard them referred to as 'spotted bass'. Is this what you mean by 'Alabama bass'?
My son and I just started fishing Lake Norman last Fall, and had a blast with light spinning gear tossing flukes and small topwater baits to these fish. They all appear to be in the 1-3lb range, but are aggressive and active feeders. Lots of fun for everyone to catch. Never thought how they were to eat, as I've always been a 'catch and release' guy, and have heard about fish consumption warnings on Lake Norman. Looking forward to Spring to get after them a bit between turkey hunts...
My son and I just started fishing Lake Norman last Fall, and had a blast with light spinning gear tossing flukes and small topwater baits to these fish. They all appear to be in the 1-3lb range, but are aggressive and active feeders. Lots of fun for everyone to catch. Never thought how they were to eat, as I've always been a 'catch and release' guy, and have heard about fish consumption warnings on Lake Norman. Looking forward to Spring to get after them a bit between turkey hunts...
SUDDEN IMPACT
Eight Pointer
The meat hunters do more damage to the smallmouth bass than the herring. Guys taking 2,3,& 4 Pounders home for the grease by the coolers full don't help bass reproduction. (I have no problem with anyone keeping your limit of anything) I just know for a fact you can go to Fontana now through March with a bucket of minners and work on em.
What has happened is before the introduction of herring bass related to the bank, there main forage was crawfish, bluegill, perch, crappie...The herring love open water, deep too. The bass following of course. This brings on a different way to fish...Deep
After the spawn, herring compete with the bass fry for plankton, in essence starving the fry out because herring is more aggressive than the fry. I think this is the only negative impact herring have on the bass.
I'm not arguing with your theory, this is my personal opinion and things I have noticed with years of on the water experience.
By the way, I love catching big spots 😉
Boojum
Ten Pointer
Herring don't affect Micropterus black bass nearly as much as they do walleye and white bass. And, no, meat fisherman can't hold a candle to spots for wiping out a smallmouth lake. You're only allowed five bass to begin with. People keeping breeders doesn't help, but it sure doesn't do the damage that the spots do. The spots out-compete the smallmouth, and even worse, interbreed with them and just wipe them out of existence. There are several lakes in western NC that used to be fantastic smallmouth fisheries before the spots were introduced that now have no (0) smallmouth in them.
Unfortunately, smallmouth/spot hybrids are already showing up in Fontana. It's the best smallmouth lake left, but will probably go the way of Chatuge and others. The spots are so bad the regulations have been changed on some NC lakes to allow unlimited harvest of them, but they're still breeding like carp.
SUDDEN IMPACT
Eight Pointer
I misunderstood your original post... Thought you were meaning that the herring was hurting the smallmouth bass.
Boojum
Ten Pointer
No, the spots are the main threat to the smallmouth, but the herring are ruining a lot of other fisheries. Many folks who get caught up in the "professional bass fisherman" mindset tend to forget that there are a lot of other fish out there that a lot of folks enjoy fishing for just as much or more than bass.
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I fished Lake Norman a while back on my kayak. I caught 30+ fish and not one was a native. The fishing was a lot of fun though.
Justin
Old Mossy Horns
Coons gotta eat....
seen what ya did there Justin,,,,,,,,,,
Spotted/Alabama same thing, CRC likes to do that. One post he will call a smallmouth a brown bass the next a smallmouth, what he is doing is trying to draw attention.
And he got you again
Well yes and no, I have seen it in numerous other instances also and never mentioned it. I was actually explaining it to ABolt thus the quote, guess it would have been better done via p.m
Ketchum
Guest
Ive been to Fontana twice in the summertime to boat across and fly fish the Smokies. Its a beautiful lake with very clear water! Our depth finder maxed out at 250' for much of the trip and I couldnt help but think about the fish it must hold. Any tips or favorite spots you might want to share for catching the smallies? Up north ive normally thrown a dobson (hellgrammite) larvae with a weight and jigged off the deep banks. Does fontana hold Walleye as well? With a little more info (or with no replys at all) i may head up there for an overnight boat trip this month.
Boojum
Ten Pointer
At this time of year, they'll be deep, probably down 30' or more unless we get a good warm spell. 1/4 oz jigheads with a curlytail grub or other jigs usually work on them. Vertical jigging is also an option. I the springtime, they're on the banks, and will hit about anything, really. Summertime, they're usually schooled up and suspended out in open water chasing the shad.
And yeah, Fontana has a good walleye population. It's got a good variety of fish overall. I've caught largemouth, smallmouth, spots, white bass, crappie; flathead, white, and channel cats, walleye, yellow perch, rainbow and brown trout, musky, bluegills, shellcrackers, punkinseeds, carp, and rockbass out of there.
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cloningerba
Old Mossy Horns
sssshhhhhhhh....... there are no fish in fontana!! We go up a couple times a year and trout fish. Its my favorite camping trip of the year and I cant wait for spring! Its amazing the variety of fish in that lake. Im pretty sure it has just about every fish native to nc in it other then a pickerel.
Boojum
Ten Pointer
No pickerel, gar, stripers, white perch, saugers, or blue cats. Other than that, durn near everything in there. I even saw a record of a bowfin that was caught in Fontana, I guess somebody dumped it in there?
cloningerba
Old Mossy Horns
It doesn't shock me. It's def. one of the deepest lakes I've been on. Anyone know the deepest part of the lake?
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Mallard Cutter
Six Pointer
As far as the Norman spots they definitely boosted the fishery. I too remember the 7lb limits , I told my buddy one time that I would take an 8 lb limit in Norman all summer and come out on the positive end of the tournament money !!
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Boojum
Ten Pointer
The deepest I've seen on my depthfinder was well over 300. The dam is 480 feet tall.
cloningerba
Old Mossy Horns
I figured it to be deeper then that. I believe that no doubt!
thandy
Ten Pointer
google says its 440 ft deep
Boojum
Ten Pointer
Yeah, I'd say so in places. Haven't been over all of it, it's a big lake.
Ketchum
Guest
Thanks for the info, its very much appreciated!
hawkman
Eight Pointer
I went on a charter on Fontana with my son this summer. Caught a limit of walleye with a speed bad or two thrown in. Walleye were 18-21". Charter was "Smoky Mountain Outdoors Unlimited" from near Bryson City. Pontoon boat. Friendly and professional.
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