Caught fishing with Bink's Guide service yesterday.
The lake level is 557.35 and has dropped an inch in the last 24-hours with one generator running continuously now for several days after both being run for a couple of weeks before they cut way back. The White River continues to drop and the discharge flow reduced while holding the area lakes to a very small drop. Newport is now 15+ feet heading to 14. I still remember what happened the last of April in 2017 and that time is approaching. Southern Missouri is to get some snow tonight and we are to get cloudy this afternoon with a dropping temperature and then clear off with heavy frost tonight and a lighter one tomorrow night. It could devastate the fruit trees and ornamental shrubs and bushes but is not unusual. Most of the fish continue to be back in the creeks and many have not spawned yet with the cool weather and a surface water temperature hanging in there at just below 60 or just above for several weeks. The water in the shallower creeks is varying a lot with the rollercoaster weather. It warms quickly in the sunshine and drops with the clear nights and cool temperatures. Bass and crappie want to spawn bad and a few more are doing so everyday but the majority have not. The bigger bluegill are starting to move in under the dock but are not nearly ready to spawn yet. They need about a 10-degree warm up. People are now bragging about slaughtering big bass and that is certainly something to be proud of. Not. Most good sportsmen do not kill bass, at least largemouth and smallmouth, but some people still do. Remember the possession limit is just twice the daily limit and that is five. They are not stocked here like stripers and hybrids and are not considered put and take like trout and red meat fish. What we need the most are more carp and gar meat hunters. Several Striper Fishermen have turned into crappie fishermen by necessity. It will be hard for them to troll for crappie when they move to the brush and then plan three will have to be implemented but I wish them luck. 3-inch swim baits, 2-inch grubs, jigs, creature baits are the best lures now and gitzits for sight bed fishing are best for bass. Spook puppies and spitin image are the best for top-water. Walleye are biting both spoons on the main lake points and in the brush with the bass. The lake is clearing with the the stable level and is an excellent color for fishing. The overall Norfork lake condition is good as is the fishing. The warm weather will come. Taking things easy is not hurting much. Listen to "Live in the Boat" with Darrel Binkley of Bink's Guide Service Thursday mornings at 8:45 on KTLO radio 97.9 FM or on TV cable channel #5 for a what is happening right now report.
