The lake level is 557.73 and has dropped about 1/2 inch in the last 24-hours with one generator running. They are dropping the discharge and level on the White River at Newport steadily as predicted and the 15th is not here yet. They cannot wait to start holding and hoping again. Any drop now will be very slow even if it does not rain. Which it will. We did receive just a very little rain last night and some more to come later this week with below average temperatures and northerly winds all week which will stop the surface water temperature rise. Fishing is getting better everyday and only slows a bit with the continuous cold fronts moving through. Many fish are wanting to spawn and they are about to do so anyway even if the water does not warm for a while. Male crappie and bass are moving to the banks now to make nests. I had a report of a nice crappie hitting a zara spook yesterday and that is not a male keeping other fish away from it's nest. Females are still pre-spawn feeding. Several walleye are being caught in 15-18 ft. of water near the bottom on the main lake but only about 1/3 are keepers. All female walleye are spawned out but almost no female crappie. The stable water level in the buckbrush is making for good spawning conditions and I hope it continues for a while. Norfork Lake bass spawn well into June especially Kentucky bass. Bass, crappie and walleye continue to be the best bite and just a few stripers are being caught. I am still seeing pictures of many small dead stripers. They may say they are being released but if you see one with it's mouth open it is not going to swim away any time soon. They are not collecting them to release them and are cutting their own throats and ruining the future for the younger fishermen. I would really like for them to make a comeback. Almost everyone caught fish yesterday and some are extending their stay because fishing is so good. It will be cool with highs just in the low 60's for several days but it does not look like any washouts. This has been a typical spring and yearly rainfall is just a little above average and most of that came in one shot in February. The lake is in good condition now.
