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 550.63 and is up 3/4 of an inch with one generator running for three hours in the last 24-hours. The White River at Newport is 8.94 feet, normal and dropping. There is no effort to drop the lake for the spring rains. The surface water temperature is 56-degrees and rising with the very warm ambient temperatures. It is to be in the high 80's and low 90's through the weekend with a cold front coming in on Monday with warm weather to follow again. We went from a hard freeze to hail to 80-degree weather in just a couple of days.  The water is stained badly in the creeks again in Blackburns Creek area and that water is warming rapidly. Look for the fish in the warmest water that the wind has been blowing into. In this case from the south with the creeks with the mouths facing south. It is more clear down by the dam with no sense travelling way down there to fish.  Crappie, Bass and Stripers are ready to spawn. The night bite for the Stripers will start in about a week if there are any big ones left. Crappie fishermen can try East Pigeon, Middle Pigeon and Briar Creeks with the male Crappie staging for spawn shallow and getting ready to guard the eggs. This should go on for about a month with the larger females spawning first. It is a good time for catch and release. The Bluegill wait for the eggs to be left unattended and eat them up faster than you can kiss a duck or as fast as a Lowes' employee disappears when you need help. The best fishing is early morning when the low pressure is moving in just before the cold front or just before rain. The cold fronts slow the fishing way down. White Bass are in the backs of the major creeks and feeding. Most have spawned. Stripers and Bluegill like full moons and Bass, Crappie and Catfish do not. Catfish do not like lake levels dropping. Gas prices are not dropping and the money you save by staying at Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental can off-set high gas prices. There are no price increases this year at Blackburns. Compare prices and call Debbie at 870-492-5115 for a reservation. It is nice here and the price is right. You can launch and park right here and a free boat stall comes with a cabin rental of two days or more. Come on down and Scuba Steve will show you where his brush piles are located. He has some good ones. We have tackle and live bait here and non-alcohol gas very close at Cranfield Junction at Gerry's Quick Stop. No need to travel far for anything.