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 546.03 and is up 1/2 inch in the last 24-hours with one generator running for two hours last evening. The water is warming and clearing rapidly. Scuba Steve could see his lure down about 7-feet on the main lake and the surface water temperature was 52-degrees. The lake overall is in excellent condition and at a good level for this time of year. If we avoid a big rain and they continue to generate when it rains and try to keep the level low, we might not flood out this year. It all depends on how the level is managed. They have failed the last several years. Their policy has been to hold and hope until the water almost goes over the dam and then they panic and open up the flood gates, by-passing the generators and flooding out everything down stream. What a plan and they do it over and over again. Their answer is "that is what the dams are for" or "it rained too much." It is about time for the annual dock inspections from the Corps of Engineers. I have had less vigorous inspections from a drill Sergeant in boot camp and they have nothing to do with safety. After we have put up our $10,000 surety bond, paid our dock leases, get the required dock inspections and follow up inspections passed, make sure our power lines are high enough to fly an airplane under them and required insurance proof we are ready to go. You would think we were trying to get a license to operate a nuclear reactor rather than have a floating dock. What we need is more government to tell us what we have to do to stay in business. There are more g-men riding around in new 4-wheel drive pickup trucks telling us what he have to do than there are people to do them. They do get plenty of holidays off though and they seem to be increasing every year. I do not know what some of them are for. Maybe it is better to have them home than  out riding around burning gas. They are like cowboys. They do not want to get off their horse. They could be mowing grass, doing maintenance and cleaning rest rooms rather than nothing. The whole outfit needs a good shot of D.O.G.E. The Crappie have moved up shallow around cover and docks but are finicky and are feeding only twice a day for only a few minutes. Kentucky Bass are the best bite and are on the steep wind-blown banks just off the shore in about 6-9 feet of water. Several are small but there are also some nice ones. There are a lot of baitfish out there and the predator fish are not hungry. If you see shad near the surface there are Temperate Bass and Largemouth feeding below them. Drop a spoon. It looks like rain and cloudy most of next week. Fishing should pick up. Scuba Steve has not caught a walleye in a month but he is ready. Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental will be ready for your spring fishing trip and summer family vacations and will have no price increases for 2026. We want our many repeat customers to be able to be able to have an affordable vacation here. You can get a 1-bedroom cabin for $69/day and a 2-bedroom for $89/day until Memorial Day week-end when they rise moderately until Labor day and then drop again. Compare prices and call Debbie at 870-492-5115 for a reservation. A free stall for your boat comes with a cabin rental of two days or more at our big dock. It is nice here and the price is right. We especially welcome Veterans and Police. Scuba Steve will show you where his brush piles are located and he has some good ones. Come on down and we will not charge you too much.  We have a lot of rental boats at the best prices in the Ozarks. You can launch right here. Blackburns Has it all.