Darren from Macon, Missouri, Donnie from Shelbyville, Missouri and Ken from Washington, Missouri show off some of yesterdays catch. Nice fellows.
The lake level is 554.30 and has dropped one inch in the last 24-hours with generation for about 7-hours with 1-1/3 generators. The White River at Newport is 5+ feet. I guess there is no need for electricity. The surface water temperature is about 80-degrees in the afternoons and the lake in general is in excellent condition. The thermocline is at 32-feet and that is about as low as it gets. The divers here are seeing at lot of fish at 28-32 feet on brush and on main lake points and both. The weather was beautiful and they had a lot of fun. Another group is diving but I have not had a chance to talk to them. Blackburns has been full with people taking advantage of the best prices on both cabins and boat rentals in the area. If you are staying at a place where you are nearly the only customer you are paying too much. We have several law enforcement and Veterans staying here and we like that. They are always welcome. Other fishermen are catching walleye, bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish with very few temperate bass being taken. Bink is still on the walleye and they have moved out a little deeper just outside the brush suspended a few feet. I caught mine on a main lake point in 35-ft. of water about three or four feet from the bottom on a 3/8th ounce spoon. I know you get tired of pictures of my old mug with fish so I try to post only customers and fishermen reporting to Blackburns when possible. A lot of fish are right around thermocline no matter how deep the water. The wind was light so I was able to keep it straight up and down. Bass and crappie were near but a little shallower. The crappie are from 28-32 ft. on top of brush. Bluegill are on every brush pile where the top of the brush comes closest to the surface. Many are under my dock. I am starting to catch crappie on the 1/16th ounce jig again but am trying harder on windy days. Catfish are showing up about everywhere and biting everything but not very fast. I caught a 5-6 pound channel on the spoon on the bottom yesterday. Not a picture fish. It is to get hot again early next week with highs in the 90's and Blackburns big pool is still open. We need more rain. Come on down. We will not charge you too much and your first regular sized boat stall is free. Can't beat that and a one bedroom cabin is $59/day and none of them are duplexes and all have covered porches. Two, three and four bedrooms are priced accordingly.