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

Cool early morning and nice afternoon.Image title

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The lake level is 553.58 and has dropped one inch in the last 24-hours with one generator running continuously. The lake surface temperature was just above 60 yesterday afternoon and the water continues to clear especially in the creeks by the shore. It was a beautiful Thanksgiving day here at Blackburns after a chilly start. Bass, crappie, walleye, bluegill and a few small White Bass were caught. It was a fun day. The best fishing is still on and around brush from 15-35 feet of water on the spoon. I was also using a jig and caught a very large crappie and a few smaller ones on it. I like casting the jig past the brush and letting it sink into it slowly with a 1/16th ounce jig head. I switch back and forth from the 3/8th ounce Bink's Spoon fished straight down and the jig. If the wind is still I also use a slip float and minnow right over the brush and about 5-feet above it using a marker buoy to stay right on it. I am not into the self deploy trolling motors with remote control and anchor. I seem to do just fine with out them. I also know where the brush piles are located and do not use GPS. The people that depend on this stuff are lost without them like some stripers fishermen are when the seagulls migrate. The lake condition overall is excellent and the fishing is just fair but steady. It is about normal for the last of November. It is nice to have something normal for a change. The weather has held nicely but fronts have moved in and out continuously with intermittant wind. You just have to have a plan for where to fish with and without wind do not just go out and fight it. Better get out the heated gloves and sox and get them charged up.