The lake level is 552 even and is about the same as yesterday at this time with no generation since noon yesterday. They just started again a couple of hours ago. The White River at Newport is 11+ ft. and they are doing a great job of holding the area lakes up high this winter despite the cold temperatures and electricity requirements in the South West Power distribution area. The lake surface water temperature was still 43 degrees yesterday afternoon and the lake is still clearing and I could see my lure down about 6-feet. The snow melts during the day and then the water freezes at night making the side roads slick early morning. There are some bare spots on the ground where the snow has melted in the sun but the ground is still mostly covered but dropping quickly. I do not like to plow snow unless I have to as long as our customers are able to get in and out easily. It just piles it up and takes it too long to go away. We only have three cabins rented and they have had no trouble getting in and out. The dock road is a little slick early but gets better in the afternoon. I have not had any trouble. I do not like snow or anything about winter but this weather was not too bad. I caught crappie on the jig yesterday and some good sized ones too. Today I will focus on Bass which should be good. I caught a couple yesterday fishing for crappie. The wind is about 5-MPH from the southeast and easy to get out of. The longer this high pressure stays around the better the fishing will get. I did not see any other boats out there but did not go far and did not have to. I am glad I do not have to pull my boat in and out but Blackburns does have some good launches so you do not have to go elsewhere to launch your boat. It is good to just go to the dock and get in the boat and be fishing in about 5-minutes. Our customers like that and so do I. The new brush piles are holding fish already and I have a few more to put in. The hillsides are a little slick on the rocks climbing to the cedar trees now until the snow is gone. The deadline for putting in brush is April 30th. By then it is spring and they are full of sap and very heavy. Now they are light and easily dragged to the shore. We have excellent brush piles here at Blackburns. I wish other resort owners would put some in for their customers. They really work well. It does not look like a shad kill this year with the water temperature still in the 40's and the days getting longer and the average highs rising again. There was a big school of shad under my dock on the underwater light last night and that is the first time that has happened in several weeks. In the fall they were there every night. I like this sunshine even though it is not the best for fishing until it has been around for a while. The moon is getting bigger again and the full moon is the 16th. I like coming in after dark in the full moon for some reason but it is not the best for fishing except for stripers and bluegill. The stripers typically go to their spawning banks before the full moon at dark in March which is is the 18th and can be caught on a stick bait. They will be shallow and can be released easily without harm from the shallow cold water. Mid April and all of May they will be coming up on top-water in the morning and the same is true. These are the best times to fish for them unless you are a meat hunter and fish for them deep. Late March and early April are the best times for big pre-spawn crappie and May for the higher numbers after the spawn. Norfork Lake has high numbers of big fish but also high numbers of small ones especially bass. Come on down. We will not charge you too much and your first boat stall is free.
