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

The lake level is 570.52 and has risen almost 2-inches in the last 24-hours. The new news is that they are still running one generator continuously and  have opened up three spillway gates 1-foot and that is equal to almost exactly two generators. That should drop the level just a bit depending on the rainfall if they continue. The rules say they are to regulate the White River at Newport to 21 feet starting tomorrow if the lakes are over 50% full but that would be a decrease from the 24-feet they are trying to do now. If they do follow these guidelines they will keep all of the lakes just one big rain from them being in trouble and then opening the gates and flooding everything downstream after planting.  Hold and hope is not a solution. Get the levels down. That number goes to 18 feet on May 1st and there is no way they can drop the lakes at that level except slowly even if it does not rain, which it will. Fall and winter is the time to draw down the levels but they just will not do it. Taking 1.75 feet of flood control away from the lake for the rivers minimum flow did not help anything either. That sure dispelled the idea that the dams were just for flood control and not for recreation. At least the put and take trout have plenty of cold water with low oxygen to keep the rivers running. There will be very little wade fishing again this year on the rivers. The level on Norfork has not varied very much the last few weeks and it has been good for the crappie spawn. There is plenty of wood near the shore for them and cover to protect them. This will make good crappie fishing  for years to come. We will see what happens to the bass who are getting ready to get on beds. Walleye and White Bass are finished. The surface temperature was in the high 50's early yesterday morning and just at 60 in the afternoon. It is to get much warmer starting tomorrow. The normal high is 70 and the normal low is 46. The lake is starting to clear again after the rain and the lake overall is in good condition for fishing. I am catching some big fish every day. Mostly bass and catfish and a few crappie. I am not fishing for them now though but will soon after the fry starts showing up.