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

Tom caught some good bass yesterday and released them under Panther Bay Marina dock. We like that place.Image title

The lake level is 554.19 and has dropped just over an inch in the last 24-hours and they are generating about 1/2 the time. More rain is expected Wednesday and the warm weather continues until friday. The surface temperature was 46 yesterday and the lake is still stained. The bass bite continues to get better and the crappie fishing is just fair. White bass fishing is good and a few small stripers in the 10- lb. range are showing up. I am seeing none in the 20+ range and that is not good. People are killing too many and not giving them enough time to grow. I would like to see the limit dropped to two. The yearly stocking is fixed at 155,000 and  the electronics is getting better and the increased use of the spoon and  trolling umbrellas  are making them much more easily caught. There is also an increase in fishing pressure.  I persomally do not think the lake can handle an increase of stocking of the temperate bass without hurting the shad supply and growth of other fish like walleye and crappie. The bass are not stocked and seem to take care of themselves.  I caught some good fish yesterday including bass and crappie. It was beautiful out and the wind was just right. They did not bite fast but it increased in the evening. All fish were caught on the Bink's spoon. A lot of shad are in about 40 ft. down outside brush no matter what the water depth is. There are a few bass and mostly red meat fish on them but are slow in biting and you have to work at it unless you just happen to find feeding fish. One day you catch a lot and the next nothing. A lot of the crappie that I am catching are black-nosed indicating they are stocked fish.  Fishing in general is fair but some fish are being caught everyday. It is typical Norfork Lake winter fishing.