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 559.47 and has dropped 3-1/2 inches in the last 24-hours with one and 1/2 generators running about 2/3rds the time and 1/3rd generator the rest. The White River at Newport is 12.19 feet and steady indicating not much effort to drop the lake quickly. The weather has been perfect and it looks good for the holiday weekend after tomorrow's rain. It could be substantial and we need it badly. The surface water temperature is 82+ degrees and the visibility is very poor with an algae bloom down to about 23-feet and the thermocline starts below that.. It is not nearly as pronounced as it was and ranges from 27-30 feet. The visibility is very poor in the creeks. Diving conditions are not the best now but will get better after the holiday when the algae settles out and the churning of the heavy boat traffic goes away. Most of the fish are in 23-ft. or less and the Crappie are the best bite and they are on top of brush at about 20-feet. Some Catfish are showing up a little deeper in the brush and the larger Bass are in the Brush and the Kentucky are shallower feeding on Crawdads in the evening.  There are a lot of baitfish in the brush but nothing is feeding very well. It takes a Crappie about 8-12 hours to digest a minnow in 80-degree water and I am seeing nothing in them when cleaning. That means they are not feeding often and you have to be at the right place at the right time. But one thing for sure is they are there. Scuba Steve thinks they are feeding early at sunrise and late when the bait fish come in under lights. Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental goes on their off-season rates on Monday and you can get a 1-bedroom cabin for $69/day and a 2- bedroom for $89/day and they come with a free stall for your boat at our dock and you can launch right here. 3&4 bedrooms are priced accordingly. Compare prices and Call Debbie at 870-492-5115 for a reservation. It is nice here and we will not charge you too much. We especially welcome Veterans and Police. Our big pool with slide is open.