Caught fishing with Bink's Guide service.
The lake level is 568.10 and has risen 1-1/2 feet in the last 24-hours with just light generation and a two day total of 4-ft. it is rising at a rate of 1/2 inch/hour now. The White River has passed flood stage of 26-ft at Newport and is 26.22 ft. They have lowered Beaver Lake to below the spillway and the danger is over for now. It was a foot over yesterday. Dam management 101: Do not let the water go over the spillway. They have all spillway gates open and are letting out water as fast as they can and by-passing the generators. This is filling Table Rock which has all generators running and also spillway gates. That leaves Bull Shoals and Norfork to hold water with the White River at Newport above flood stage. Norfork is 15-feet over power pool and Bull Shoals is 17. There is no short-term fix for this but the only salvation is that the weather is to be dry for the next week or more and should let this slug peak. The surface water temperature was 64 degrees on Norfork Last evening and the water was pretty clear, especially near the shore. The fishing has not been affected with the water rise and everything is biting. The early top-water bite is getting better and crappie are showing up in Backs of creeks on shallow brush and also on main lake brush. Bass are scattered all over and about 1/2 have spawned. Temperate Bass are coming up but a lot fewer than in previous years with a lot fewer big stripers and white bass. Flathead fishing is excellent on live bait part way backs in creeks. Flathead will not bite dead bait or cut bait. Other catfish are slow but are on their way with the high water and warming temperatures. Everyone is catching fish now with crappie, bass and flatheads being the best bite with walleye not far behind. The meat hunters are loading up. Blackburns still has one bedroom cabins for $59/day until Memorial day so come on down. They stay full most of the time so you have to call as soon as you can. Otherwise our two bedrooms are $77/day and is less than other resort's one bedrooms plus your first boat stall is free at our large dock and all cabins have covered porches and are all individual with no duplexes. We will start filling our big pool soon. if you are normally campers and your campsite has been cancelled come on down. It will cost you less than dragging around that camper and paying $4/gallon for gas and no dock to park your boat. Sorry no camping here.
