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 550.95 and is the same as it was at this time yesterday with both generators running for 3-hours and nothing the rest of the time. The lake is clearing and at a good color and level for fishing. Scuba Steve could see his lure down to about 5-feet. The surface water temperature is 68-degrees and stable but should drop with the upcoming cold fronts. The ambient temperature is to be cold for Sunday and Monday but warm back up on Tuesday. It will be our first heavy frost. The White River at Newport is 4.56 feet and stable but very low indicating not much water is being released anywhere. The top of the Norfork Lake Power pool is 553.75 now and until the end of the year and I am surprised they have let it go this low. It is not low but is lower than it has been the last several years when they started to let it flood out every spring. Scuba Steve would like it down to the high 540's going into May and make room for the spring rains. Water level management techniques change as the Corps of Engineers' officers rotate in and out. The lakes should be under control of the Departmant of Interior and the Minimum and Maximum flood control release rules be reviewed and updated. Let the Army Corps of Engineers build the dams and the Department of Interior manage them. These boys just cannot handle it. Technologies have changed over the years and much better controls are available. Nobody is asking to flood out anyone downstream, just manage better. Hold and Hope is not a plan and holding the levels up until they are ready to go over the dam and then opening flood gates and flooding out farmland after the crops are planted and up is no way to run things. We do not need to hear "holding water is what the dams are for and that is what we are doing". We should hear " we are managing the lake levels the best we can to prevent downstream flooding while taking every opportunity keep the lakes at a near normal level". Crappie continue to bite on main lake brush piles  about 16-feet down and come up shallower to feed in the evening. Small Spoons, Jigs and live minnows are all working. Kentucky Bass are on the same brush. Stripers are schooled with the larger ones (the ones that did not die this summer) moving to the windblown banks to feed at dark. During the day you have to work hard to find the schools and then try to stay on them. They are moving with the shad. Drop a spoon through them during the day and use a stick bait at dark casting to the shore. A few Walleye are biting on shadowy banks starting at sunset but not a lot. I am not catching any big ones but they are there and suspended and hard to catch. Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental continues to have the best place. best location and the best prices on Norfork Lake. Our 1-bedroom cabins start at $69/day and 2-bedrooms are $89/day. 3&4 bedrooms are priced accordings and they all come with a free stall for your boat at our big dock with launch. Compare prices and call Debbie at 870-492-5115 for a reservation. It is nice here and the price is right. Scuba Steve will show you where his brush piles are located when you get here. He has some good ones.