James Dyer has been “working around the clock and have not had a chance to even see the lake” so he plans to “do what I always do” on Lake Norman Saturday in the second tournament of the year on the Greene Boat & Motor Team Trail.

“This time of year I usually throw a jig and fish it really slow. Maybe throw a jerkbait every now and then,” said Dyer who is leading the points with his regular partner Jody Wright after winning the first tournament of the season Jan. 29 on Lake Wylie.

“Fishing on Wylie was tough. You had to throw out a jerkbait and just let it sit there and move it every now and then,” said Dyer who fished with a sub in that tournament. He and David Fortenberry weighed in 15.48 pounds, including the tournament big fish at 5.23 pounds, to win the first prize of $1,715 which made the team the points leader for now.

Dyer said the water in Lake Norman is still cold so fishing will probably be slow.

“Lake Norman always has shallow fish and deep fish. I’d say it probably is going to be a deep bite Saturday,” Dyer said. “This time of year the fish are running bait so where you find the bait you will find groups of fish. You just have to fish slow to catch them.”

Tournament director Brett Collins, who also runs the Carolina Anglers Team Trails on several different lakes in the Carolinas, said he has heard good fishing reports from Lake Norman this week as the weather has begun to warm up.

“I heard one report of a local fisherman who caught over 30 bass on jerkbaits and drop shots in the 8- to 12-foot range,” Collins said.

Collins said the first tournament on Lake Wylie drew 35 boats, which was right on the average per tournament in 2010, but he expects a much larger field Saturday on Lake Norman.

“We have already picked up some new teams for the tournament on Lake Norman. Last February the Lake Norman tournament drew almost 50 boats. And our two-day championship will be held Oct. 8-9 at Lake Norman so we look to have a really good crowd at all the tournaments on Lake Norman this year.”

Collins said teams must fish four of the six regular season tournaments to qualify for the championship in October. The season points champions will earn $1,000 and the runners-up will get a new Minn Kota Trolling Motor.

Membership in the Greene Trail is $15 and teams pay a $120 entry fee per tournament – $130 if they enter the morning of the tournament. The trail pays back one in every six places. There is also an optional Big Fish pot with a $20 entry fee paying back 100 percent for Big Fish and second Big Fish.

“We also have contingency opportunities, including the Stratos 2X program, Bass Cat Quest program and Nitro Tournament Rewards,” Collins said.

The regular season schedule following Saturday’s tournament includes: March 5, Lake Wylie, Buster Boyd Bridge Access; April 23, Lake Norman, Pinnacle Landing; May 21 Lake Wateree, Dutchman Creek Marina; and June 4, Lake Hickory, Whittenburg Access.

Dyer said he is pleased that the trail replaced Lake Murray with Lake Hickory this year.

“I think Hickory is my best lake personally and I think everybody will have a good time there,” he said.

 

Greene Boat & Motor Team Trail

Sat. Feb 19, 2011

Lake Norman

Pinnacle Access

www.greeneboats.com