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

The lake level is 552.56 and has dropped a little less than 4-inches in the last 24-hours with both generators running most of the time, none some of the time and one some of the time. You would think they would need all of the electricity they can get with the serious shortages in the Southwest Power Administration service area, especially Texas. They have allowed the White River at Newport to rise to 14-feet which is a little improvement but they could be at 21-feet if they wanted to. A four inch drop a day until 548 would be fine with me. We are about ready to go into the spring rainy season despite the current weather. Blackburns creek is frozen over and the ice is getting almost to the mouth of the creek. When this happened before, a few years ago, it only took a few days of south wind and normal ambient high temperatures, which is 52, and it will be mostly gone except for the very backs ot the creeks and then they will thaw quickly. I miss being out fishing but most people are not out there anyway this time of year or just go out occasionally.  I ike those winter crappie. There have been no crappie stocked since 2014 in Norfork with only Striped bass and Hybrids stocked from the State Hatchery system and walleye from the Nursery pond north of Cranfield. I sure hope high water does not take the pond out this year as in the past and cause it to have damage. The last time it took several years to get it in operation again. Walleye is getting to be the most sought after fish in Norfork and I would like to see more of them stocked as they do not reporduce in Norfork well. Some do but not enough. The Norfork Lake Biologists work hard and have the interest of the lake at heart. The brush piles and habitat improvements have done nothing but get better in the last few years and they have done a lot to improve fishing which is their main goal and I thank them. Money well spent. I learn a lot from their reports. They have a good crew. I do not take pictures of tarantulas, snakes, alligators, bears, thermometers showing how cold it is or measuring sticks showing how deep the snow is. It just scares people away but some people think 7 below zero is beautiful. I do not. It might be something different to look at through the picture window while drinking coffee or wine. I do not do either but have to work outside as do several people. At least we have had no ice storms or power outages of any siginficance like Texas. Some would think it is very beautiful there. I just wish them well.