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 563.28 and has dropped 2-3/4 inches in the last 24-hours with less than one generator running since midnight. There is not much effort to drop the lake. The White River at Newport is 13.84 feet, dropping and could be a lot higher with no problems downstream. They like it high and we need new people managing the lake levels. The ones we have are incompetent. The surface water temperature is about 85-degrees and the thermocline is at 30-feet with cool water at 23 and cold at 30. There is a mud line from 23-27 feet with poor visibility and then better after that. Ther big schools of Crappie have move to Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental's brush piles a couple of weeks early this year and are on top of brush at 27-feet and roaming from pile to pile but not too far. If you spook them off they come back after a while. Both minnows and small 1/4 ounce spoons are working the best. Largemouth Bass are right in the brush along with a few walleye and some single White bass. There was a rare August top-water bite for bass a few days ago but that is over. Kentucky Bass are in front of brush in about 20-feet of water during the day and then move shallow to feed on Crawdads late evening. Black Light fishermen are catching several of them after dark. The Striper kill down by the dam is bad but not as bad as I have seen it before. I suspect it is not over. Most are in the 12-14 pound range. They go deeper and deeper when the Oxygen bubble depletes until they get to 90-feet and then run out of oxygen and come up too fast and get the bends. This is caused by the water level being up too high for too long and the green vegetation dying and creating a high Biological Oxygen Demand and depleting the Oxygen. The big Stripers like cold water and go deeper and deeper to to an Oxygen Bubble. When this is gone they come up to the top. Some die and sink to the bottom and I do not know the ratio of ones floating to the ones sinking. I suspect more sink. Scuba Diving conditions are getting better with better visibility and the thermocline dropping to 30-feet. Several fish are at 27-feet. Fall fishing is almost here on Norfork Lake and now is thje time to make your reservations at Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental. Our prices drop considerably after Labor Day on cabins and you can get a one bedroom for $69/day with a free stall for your boat. 2-3-4 bedrooms are priced accordingly.There is no better place with a better price. Scuba Steve will show where his brush piles are located and help you catch fish. Come on down. We will not charge you too much and especially welcome Veterans and Police. Call Debbie at 870-492-5115 for a reservation.