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

Mike Eakle with some of yesterday's catch released under the dock. He knows where Blackburns Brush piles are located. Image titleImage title

Image title

The lake level is 559.03 and has dropped 3-inches in the last 24-hours with 1-1/3 generators running most of the time. It looks like we will miss the storm all together. We did receive a very little rain yesterday afternoon. It was spotty with some areas close getting a pretty good shower and almost none here. We are to get a little more this afternoon and then mostly sunny throught the holiday weekend with highs in the high 80's. The lake looks to be in excellent condition for boating, swimming and fishing. Blackburns remained full until this morning with several boats rented. We have just a few in now and will reload starting thursday for the weekend. They just keep coming. Usually there is a slow period between when school starts and Labor day but not this year. More and more launching, parking, swimming areas and camping spaces are opening up everyday for day use areas and things should be about normal. It is just too bad that it has to happen at the end of the summer but the high water sure has not hurt the resort business. It has been as busy as I have ever seen it in 27-years. We have all had our Covid shots here and sanitize every cabin after every use. All cabins are individual with no duplexes and no common porches. All of our cabins have covered porches to get out of the sun and rain. You will have no trouble social distancing here. Our winter rates start next week  and you can get a cabin for $59/day for two people with 2,3,4 bedrooms priced accordingly. You can save hundreds of $ by staying here. Our big pool remains open until it gets too cold to swim and your first boat stall is free unless you bring the Queen Mary and require me to pull out one of my rental pontoons of which we have 11. I do not have much time to go fishing but am catching fish everytime I go. Bass, crappie, walleye, bluegill and catfish are all biting if you know where and how. We work hard putting in brush piles for our customers and they are starting to pay off now and will be better after the holiday. Spooning in brush in 30-32 feet of water is still the best early with some nice bass being caught near the bank in the evening.The holiday boat traffic will churn up the lake but it will clear again soon after they leave and the fall fishing will start. I am ready for that. People are catching fish everyday now though.