Norfork Lake fishing and lake conditions by Scuba Steve from Blackburns Resort and Boat rental (click here for comments)

The lake level is 552.79 and rising with 1.2 inches of rain and only one hour of generation in the last 24-hours. It has risen another 1.6 inches. They need to let some out. This is a good level but will not stay this way going into the spring. We need to be at 548 by March 1st. Tom Stanton came in with some nice stripers yesterday in the 15-lb. range. That size used to be average. Too many 5-8 pounders are being killed. He was trolling umbrellas in the Pigeon Creek area. There were a lot of white bass there too. Fishing has been the same for me the last two days. It has been warm and the wind has been very low almost like glass. Last evening it came up just a bit with the front coming in about 4:30 PM. I have been catching crappie, bass, bluegill and a few undersized walleye but not in high number and no size to brag about. If I fish for two hours I have been catching 6-8 keeper fish. The largest bass was 2-1/2 lbs and the crappie 12-inches. The big ones have eluded me for a while. It has been very pleasant fishing conditions and looks to continue today with sunny skies and temperatures in the 60's. The surface temperature is 56 degrees and you can see your lure down about 6- feet on the main lake. The crappie seem to like brush in 25-ft. of water and the fish are about 12-ft. down are are coming up to get the bait. Everything is biting slowly with very few hard bites. They play with it a lot until finally taking it. The bluegill are very nice sized and are good stocking for the pond. Those walleye, bass, crappie and catfish need lots of lunch. It is hard to believe December is already here. It has only been a month since I quit Scuba diving. Fishing overall is fair but some nice fish are being taken everyday. Come on down.  We will not charge you too much.