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 549.59 and has risen 3-inches in the last 24-hours with three hours of running one generator last evening. The White River at Newport is 8.44 feet and normal. There is no effort to drop the lake back down. Bryant Creek is 5.26 feet and a little over a foot higher than normal with more rain coming this afternoon and tonight so the lake will continue to rise. Frost is forcast for late this weekend with a cold front coming through again. Surface water temperature is just under 55-degrees. The rains warm the surface water and the wind mixes it up again with the cooler water below the surface cooling it down a bit. The water is still stained light brown in the creeks but trying to clear. It just depends if the creeks run with the upcoming rain. Black Bass fishing is getting better and some are in the warmer shallower water biting on grubs and small crank baits. Crappie are part way back in the creeks on brush in 20-25 ft. of water and others are still on shad in open water. Minnows on slip floats right in the brush are working best and some Kentusky Bass are with them. Fishing picks up and then the weekly cold fronts slows it down again but it is still just early March. White Bass are starting to move in the backs of the larger creeks and are biting Bass Assassins on a lightly weighted nose hook. Overall fishing is better than normal for March but still not good. People are talkimg about top-water bites, fish moving back in the creeks staging for spawn, and fishing being on fire. It is just not time yet.  Stay with the basics and wait for low pressure cloudy skies with south winds about 10-15 MPH when the moon is small and get out early, take the middle of the day off and stay out until almost dark and fish where the brown water meets the clear water part way back in the creeks. Look for the warmest water. Give you locator a few minutes to adjust to the different water temperature. Do not charge back in the creeks like a tournament Bas fisherman and throw down your trolly motor and cast, cast cast and then charge back out. Take it easy and check things out. Some good fish are being caught but do not get overly excited. You can check out several good brush piles with no fish on them or they will not bite and then find the right one with feeding fish and catch several. The Corps of Engineers cleared out around the campground in Bennets Bayou of trees and in conjunction with Game and Fish put them on the marked brush piles in the area freshening them up about 2-3 weeks ago and the Crappie have moved in there already. They were already in front point 6-B. Scuba Steve cleared several Cedars from his property and freshend up all of his brush piles this winter and he will show you where when you get here. The best fishing is after the middle of April , all of May and the first 1/2 of June. It is the best combination of weather and fishing. Compare prices and call Debbie at 870-492-5115 for a reservation. You can launch and park right here. We have it all and at the best prices in the Ozarks.