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

The lake level is 554.63 and has dropped 3/4 inch in the last 24-hours with a little over one generator running for about 5-hours. The White River at Newport is now 6+ feet and about ready to dry up. I guess they do not need electricity anywhere. The cold front came through as predicted and it is cool but sunny and is to warm back up in the 80's later this week. The wind has shifted to the north and was breezy yesterday afternoon and is to be that way again today. The surface water temperature was 80.7 when I went out and should have dropped more last night. I wanted to get out of the wind back in a creek but the fish were just not biting there. All of my luck came from main lake points. Scuba divers reported the thermocline was starting at about 27-feet and cold at 30. They said the visibility was pretty good and they could see about as far as they could shoot on the main lake but was bad in the creeks. They saw walleye, crappie and bluegill and that conditions were much better than last year. They are mostly law enforcement people from Missouri and we welcome them here at Blackburns. They are repeat customers. We are very busy here and are nearly full with only one cabin empty. If you are staying at a place where you are nearly the only customer you are paying too much. It was hard spooning in the wind because it was variable and swirling coming down the river channel. My usual technique is to use my trolling motor and go against the wind and stay on top of the brush but it was difficult. If you drag you spoon you will lose it for sure if you stay right in the brush and that is what you want to try and do. Most of the fish that I caught were where the highest part of the brush pile was  closest to the surface and were hitting on the drop. I switched to a 1/2 ounce spoon to try and keep it straight up and down. Later a 1/16th ounce jig head with a 2-inch Bobby Garland was used and it started to catch a few crappie after several weeks of not working for me. I thought it would start soon and it did.  I was casting it past the brush and letting it sink into it. Kentucky Bass, Crappie and Bluegill were caught but no picture fish. I released all of them under the dock. There were no wake boats or jet skis out there and most that I saw were staying at Blackburns. It is to be 70 for a high today and windy. You need a jacket. Normal high is 80 and low is 57. Fall is here this afternoon and fall foliage is ahead of schedule. The rain really greened things up. We need another inch. It is good to go into the winter with some ground water.