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 548.55 and has dropped 1-1/2 inches in the last 24-hours with varying amounts of generation. It is right where Scuba Steve would like it for this time of year to help avoid a spring flood. The surface water temperature is 45-degrees and will drop quickly when we get the snow late Friday night and Saturday. It could be significant but the ice is going south of us and Scuba Steve does not like snow but he really  dislikes ice. The White River at Newport is 4.75 feet and rising but still very low. The water is clearing and I could see my lure down about 6-feet when the sun was shining. It is to stay warm for a couple more days and then get cold. The lake overall is in good condition and at a good level but fishing is just fair. Not much has changed recently. Some White bass and Smaller Stripers are still deep in about 70-feet of water and you have to drop a spoon right on their heads. Others are in open water on shad at varying depths. Several small Stripers in the 3-5 pound range are being killed with very few big ones. More of the big ones could have died late last summer than reported. Nobody knows how many sink rather than float when they die. The White Bass are trying to make a comeback after several years of low numbers but meat hunters are killing a lot of them. There are still a few showing dock floors and tables full of dead Small Stripers, White bass and Crappie and bragging about depleting the lake. Some limits need to be reduced and a limit on boats no matter how many people are on them and possession limits enforced. Some Crappie and red meat fish are coming in after dark under lights on shad and a few crappie are still feeding in the late afternoon. There are not as many migrating birds as usual in this area. I am seeing a few Sea Gulls and Loons but not a lot. There are big schools of small Stripers in the 2-pound range but too many of them are being killed. The game and fish report a good population of Crappie and stocked more Walleye than they usually do which had been 0 for several years. Missouri stocks quite a few.  Now is the time to plan your Spring fishing trip and Summer family vacation and 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 for your boat comes with a cabin rental at our big dock with launch. There will be no price increases for 2026. Come on down and we will not charge you too much. Compare prices and call Debbie at 870-492-5115 for a reservation. We especially welcome Veterans and Police. All cabins have either a screened-in porch or big covered porches to get out of the weather and all are individual with no duplexes.