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

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The lake level is 573.94 and has risen 1/2 inch in the last 24-hours with about 5-hours of generation. They continue to drop the level on the White River at Newport and reduce the discharge.  It is now at 16+ feet and dropping.  It should be at 25-feet if managed properly. The policy of hold and hope continues with rain scheduled for the next several days. I guess they will hold it until all of the lakes are full except for Branson and then open the gates and flood out everyone below bypassing the generators and wasting millions of dollars. Go figure.  You cannot allow the government to run anything. It is about politics and money. Review the policies and change the rules. They have missed many chances to drop the lakes.  The slow rise in level which began this winter has allowed the lake to remain clear and fishing and boating to be good. The beaches, day use areas, camping and launch parking has been the most affected. Most resorts have not lost services.  Spearfishing season starts tomorrow and I am anxious.  I hopefully have all of my scuba gear ready. It only takes one item to fail to ruin a trip. Remember divers are only allowed 1/2 the daily limit of fish.  Not sure why because it is much more difficult to spearfish than pole fish. Pole fishing is doing pretty well now but catfishing has slowed way down. Flatheads are the last fish to spawn on the lake and now their spawn is over. Bass continue to spawn all summer, especiall Kentucky bass, but the bigger ones have been finished for some time. Fish are scattered all over with all of the cover as are shad. Texas rigged worms with a very light nose weight, hooked weedless, are working pretty well. One person caught several bass on a rattle trap yesterday during the day. Come on down. We will not charge you too much here at Blackburns and you will need the covered porches this next week with some rain most days. I would never stay at a place with no covered porches.  It should not rain you out all day. We still have cabins for $75/day and a free stall for most boats and free trolling motors on pontoons for fishing.