The lake level is 568.57 and has risen about 9-inches in the last 24-hours with one generator running just part of the time. They have spillway gates open on both Beaver and Table Rock and are really blasting Bull shoals and using the hold and hope theory on Norfork. They should have been regulating to 24 or 25 feet at Newport all winter. When are they going to change this? It would not hurt one thing. I went out yesterday afternoon to check things out and do a little fishing. The lake is brown from Missouri to past the 62 bridge and then pretty much stays in the river channel to where you turn off to Fall and Panther creeks. It is spread out wide between the bridges. Fall and Panther are both in excellent condition as is Float creek. Panther is a good place to check for topwater fish after the shad spawn. I fished Float creek for about an hour with a 3-inch finesse worm and caught three bass and a crappie. The fish are on the old shoreline. The buckbrush is under water several feet and also several feet from the bank and that is where the fish are. All kinds including bait. Bink reports getting out early with a jerk bait and then later switching to the 3-inch worm on a 1/4 ounce jig head. No color needed on jig head but a green worm works nicely. I use a 5/16 but he catches more fish than I do. I have guests also switching to a gold single spin when it is windy. All are working. Trollers are having a hard time because it is impossible to troll where the fish are. At least most of them. They have to really fish now if they want to catch anything. Binks also reports the night bite for stripers will start soon. Just use the same jerk bait and turn it into a suspending crank bait. The only difference is how you fish it. Stay as far from the bank as you can cast and cast to the bank. Using a suspending lure, crank it down about three or four turns and reel slowly to the boat. Make sure your lure runs true. If it pulls off to the side you will not catch anything. Some people cast parallel to the bank but I do not. Fish for walleye with a soft plastic until after sundown and then switch to the lure before dark. The male crappie have moved to the creek banks to prepare for the spawn. There are plenty of places for that now and they are scattered all over the place. Tom Kelly reports catching bass and walleye south of Robinson Island on his finesse worm. I sure have some good people helping me with this report and good fishermen too. One person cannot go out a few times a week and write an accurate report. Other news: Baxter County still has not had a positive test for the China virus and people are coming to Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental for social distancing and taking advantage of the best prices on the best cabins in the area. Come on down we will not charge you too much. We have 300 meg internet and two computers in the game room and food delivery to your cabin.
