Norfork Lake Condition and Fishing Report by Scuba Steve from Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental (click here for comment)

The lake level is 556.34 and has dropped almost 5-inches in the last 24-hours with one generator running continuously and some spillway gates open part way. This shows what they can do if they want to. The main lake surface temperature is in the early 70's and the lake is turning everywhere. (It alway does in October). It will take a few days to start clearing. It does not look like we will have much effect from the hurricane but we sure could use some rain. The last two months have been very dry but we seem to get some when we need it.  The best way to catch fish now is to use a small three inch worm on a jig head, twister tail tipped with a minnow or a Bobby Garland Blue Ice Baby shad and work the bank around wood. Do not use a heavy jig head or you will get hung up a lot. Spooning has slowed way down for me now but will pick back up again. The last of October and all of November look to be excellent for fishing with the lake at a good level and the turn over finished for a while. The full moon is the 31st and it will be interesting to see if the stripers (what is left of the big ones) go to the bank to feed near dark. A good place to look for them is in the late afternoon on the steep bank just south of the first dock at Cranfield marina in deeper water and then they move up stream to the area around the walleye rearing pond on the points at dusk. It just depends if the shad are there for them to feed on. The next full moon is not until the last day of November and that will be too late for them but not for other species. I catch a lot of fish in November and the time around Thanksgiving is always good. We caught bass, crappie and bluegill yesterday but not a lot with several smaller fish mixed in. You could see your lure down less than two feet in the area that I was fishing. Fish are really scattered and roaming now but some are feeding early and late shallow. There is plenty of feed out there.