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

Tom Kelly with some good ones. He is fishing in Float Creek with a whacky worm. Image title

The lake level is 559.91 and is still rising after the rain a week ago with very little generation. It came up about 2-inches in the last 24-hours. The one big change that I saw when i went out yesterday was somewhat of a surprise. A wide band of brown water has made it down from the border and is in the main lake channel. It has made it to the bridges and is heading south. Hopefully it will settle out over time. It took it a long time because of the small amount of generation and little current. I have been here 25-years and do not remember seeing the water level approaching 560 in the middle of January. They have had ample time to drop it. If we get a big rain and the level rises five feet and the level is at 548 it becomes 553 which is perfect.  If they keep it at 553.75 which is power pool and this happens it approaches 559 which is one big rain away from trouble.  Someone with a brain needs to reassess the rules about lake management. What they are doing does not work. Everything needs to evolve. We got our brush permits Tuesday and are busy putting in trees for fish cover for Blackburns Resort customers.  We already had some good ones but have added to them and a few new ones. They are holding fish already. Bass, crappie, and bluegill are the best bite now but more schools of white bass are showing up.  They are small but I am glad to see them. Spoons are the best lure for me but jigs are working for crappie too.  I am fishing the lightly stained water but fish are biting in the brown water too. The creeks are clearing from the runoff last week. What you have is creeks clearing but still light brown, main lake channel brown from Missouri to the bridges moving south with areas of clear water outside the channel and in the big creeks and clear water south of the bridges on the main lake. The 6-feet total rise has made the brush piles deeper so i am putting in some to be at 25-feet at this level. It is hard to tell what level to put them. I try for them to be at 25-ft. at 552 which is ideal. People are catching good fish everyday.