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

Bryan Deardoff with some of yesterday's catch. Image title

The lake level is 554.50 and has risen 10-1/2 inches in the last 24-hours with several hours of both generators running. They shut off the generators but have now opened spillway gates equal to a little over one generator. They must not need the electricity and are wasting the water. If they cannot maintain the level the last part of January, fat chance they can or will do it this spring. There is no rhyme or reason to their no-plan management. Hold and hope and open spillway gates is no plan. We should be at 548 or less now to make room for the spring rains. The weather was nice after work so we went fishing. The dock renovations and new roof are now completed on cabin #9, the mobile home, and we are now resurfacing the pool deck and baskerball court. All cabins and out buildings now have a new roof. We never stop with the improvements here at Blackburns. Crappie was the best bite but a few bass were also caught. All of the bass were released on site but a few crappie were kept for dinner. We do not fish for deep stripers and release all we catch accidently to let them grow. If more people do not do this all of the big ones will be gone. Most of them are already gone.  The Kentucky bass. crappie, flathead and bluegill eat much better anyway not to mention the walleye which I am unable to catch now.  Most of the crappie were near the bottom at 40-45 ft. of water but the largest were in about 30-ft. 20-ft. down. The spoon was the best lure. The bass were with the shallower crappie. Fishing overall was just fair but we caught some nice ones. It was an overall a good day with a lot being accompilshed. We were full here all last week but have a couple of cabins open starting today. Come on down and check us out. We will not charge you too much and your first boat stall is free. We have no duplexes so you can social distance and all cabins have covered porches.