Norfork Lake Arkansas near Mountain Home in the Ozarks Mountains Region Fishing Report and lake Condition by Scuba Steve from Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental

The lake level is 569.69 and has risen 1-1/4 inches in the last 24-hours with no damn discharge. They refuse to drop the lake and are allowing everything to remain flooded. It is a good thing it has not rained much in the last 2-weeks. The White River at Newport has now dropped over 10-feet to 17.45 feet and continues to drop because they are not letting much out of either Norfork or Bull Shoals. They are still running Table Rock as hard as they can with all generators running and spillway gates open a lot filling Bull Shoals rapidly. When Bull Shoals is rising 5-6 inches a day at these levels a lot of water is going into it while Table Rock is less than 1-ft. from being at a normal level. Bull Shoals is more than 20-feet over and rising. They must be getting ready for a big holiday weekend at Branson landing and do not want to be bothered by high water there. The rest of us do not matter. It is all about the $.  The peole managing the lake levels must own property in the Table Rock-Branson area or are trying to get rid of a time-share. The surface water temperature is 68-69 degrees and should rise with the upcoming warmer ambient temperatures. The lake is clearing and is a good color for fishing. There is a little debris out there drifting with the wind and you have to watch out but it is not bad. The full moon is monday and the threadfin shad will be spawning and the top-water bite for about everything will be at it's maximum in the very early morning. Go back in windbown creeks where the plankton has been blowing into and if they are not coming up you can call them up with a top-water lure if you know how to present it properly. Catfishing is good but will get better as the moon gets smaller if they do not drop the lake and there is not much chance of them doing that. Scuba Steve is catching nice sized Flathead and Channel Cats everyday on live Bluegill. This is the time to visit Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental on Norfork lake for the best fishing of the year. Crappie and Bass are post-spawn feeding with a few still guarding the nests and Bluegill are spawning. There is a lot of baitfish out htere but I have not seen any Bass fry yet but the visibility is not that good. They could be there. Fish are either in open water on shad or in the old shoreline before the water rise, in cover. Small spinner baits, soft plastics and creature baits on jig heads are all working along with top-water lures. White bass and Hybrids are biting off docks after dark under lights. Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental continues to have the best place with the best prices on both cabins and boat rentals in the Ozarks. A free stall at our big dock comes with a cabin rental of two days or more. Compare prices and give Debbie a call at 870-492-5115 for a reservation. It is nice here and the price is right. We are family owned and family operated and are not for sale and have not sold. We like it here and have no intensions of selling and abandoning our loyal repeat customers. We keep our prices low so you can have an affordable Family Vacation and Fishing Adventure. You deserve that after so many years of support. We have live bait on site and you can launch right here unless a local blocks the launch site. Scuba Steve buys the gravel for the road and maintains the road and the launch. There is no help from any government agencies in doing this despite the fact that it has a county road designation. If this designation is removed the Corps of Engineers will close the road. They still have the jurisdiction of all right of way. The beautification of Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental continues and you will like what you see when you get here. Scuba Steve does not understand how that helps to catch fish but Debbie says it is important.  Wait until you see the pool. We are hurrying to get it finished.