‘A brilliant soul.’ Friends pay tribute to Lake Norman fishing guide Gus Gustafson

In the middle of a fishing trip on a sunny afternoon in the Florida Keys in February, William “Gus” Frank Gustafson proudly displayed a snook he caught as Rick Rodriguez, his friend of more than four decades, stood behind the camera filming.

Rodriguez, who runs a Florida charter boat fishing ventured called Sea Horse Private Charters in Islamorada, took Gustafson fishing in the Florida Bay numerous times during his month-long trip this past winter.

“He hadn’t fished in some time,” Rodriguez said. “I can tell you, every single day he was here, he had as much fun as he possibly could just by eating good food and telling lots of great stories. We had such a a good time.”

In another video Rodriguez filmed, Gustafson was driving his boat back to shore after another day on the water, just as the sun was beginning to set.

“It’s a beautiful day,” Gustafson said with a smile and a thumbs up. “It’s almost the first of many.”

Though the pair have been friends for years, they had only seen each other in person a few times since Gustafson moved to the Lake Norman area from Florida 20 years ago after retiring. As the trip went on, they spent time reminiscing about past fishing trips at Biscayne Bay in Miami while looking at a photo album from the late ‘70s that Rodriguez unearthed.

“We never had those conversations before,” Rodriguez said. “If you could have seen how he was enjoying himself down here in the Keys, it’s almost as if he knew this was culminating toward an end.”

Gustafson died on April 2. He was 80 years old.

Fishin’ With Gus

After a 30-year career at Sears, Gustafson retired and moved to the Lake Norman area around 20 years ago, Rodriguez said.

That was around the same time Matt Myers, a web design specialist, relocated to Mooresville. Myers said Gustafson reached out to him for help building a website for his guided fishing charter business, Fishin’ With Gus. It didn’t take long for their relationship to evolve into a friendship.

When Myers’ wife was experiencing health issues 15 years ago that she eventually overcame, he said Gustafson was a constant presence at his house.

“Sometimes he would just show up,” Myers said. “I knew his daily schedule, and he wasn’t nearby. He was just caring, and he wanted to make sure everything was OK with the both of us.”

Gustafson cultivated many friendships through his charter business, where he was able to enjoy one of his favorite hobbies while teaching Lake Norman residents the basics of fishing, Myers said. One of Gustafson’s passions was taking young, first-time anglers out on the water.

“He really liked seeing the joy on their faces when they caught their first fish,” Myers said. “He was a great entertainer, and he always told stories that would make everyone laugh, whether you were a kid or not.”

Gustafson, who served on the Lake Norman Marine Commission, was also a staunch advocate for protecting the lake and wanted to make sure that the water was safe for fishers, boaters, swimmers and anyone else who appreciated it, Myers said.

Despite being born in New York and spending the majority of his life in Florida, Myers said Gustafson considered Lake Norman home – and few people hid their adoration for a man who had a profound impact on the community.

“He was like a local celebrity,” Myers said. “Everybody knew him. “It was special that he was that important to everybody in the area.”

‘It’s not the fish you’re really after’

Gustafson’s son, Toby, attended Centennial Junior High School in Miami with Rodriguez, where both boys were members of the school’s fishing club. Gustafson took an interest in helping his son’s friends, including Rodriguez.

“He taught us about fishing, boating and life,” Rodriguez said.

While they were out on the boat, Rodriguez said Gustafson taught him life lessons in the form of playful adages that, he admitted, were not original — but they still resonated with him later in life.

“It’s not the fish you’re really after.”

“Friends come and go but enemies accumulate.”

“Don’t worry about the Joneses.”

“Charity starts at home.”

“If you go to jail, don’t call me.”

As he got older, Rodriguez applied those sayings about not comparing yourself to others and taking care of the needs of your own family to his own life, he said. And Gustafson’s wisdom didn’t stop there.

When Rodriguez retired from the Air Force, Gustafson was there to guide him as he started his first charter boat fishing business in Hernando Beach, Florida. Gustafson taught him about advertising, social media and self-promotion.

“I just feel so blessed that I had the opportunity to learn from such a great man,” Rodriguez said. “Throughout my life, I’ve been disappointed because as a child, I grew up thinking all adults would be like him. No one ever came close.”

Gustafson had the same effect on many others, including legendary college and NFL coach Jimmy Johnson, a longtime friend of Rodriguez. When the pair visited Johnson’s home in the Keys, Rodriguez said he was in awe listening to two men who had accomplished so much in their lives.

“I don’t know one person that could ever say they didn’t look up to him, because he was six foot nine,” Rodriguez joked, “but he was just one of those brilliant souls that had so much experience.

“Through humor and honesty, you would feel compelled to do good around him.”