The lake level is 558.65 and has dropped 2-1/2 inches in the last 24-hours with both generators running about 1/2 the time. Norfork Lake is 3-ft. above power pool, Bull Shoals is 5-ft. above power pool and Table Rock is 3-1/2 feet below power pool. They are doing an excellent job of holding Bull Shoals and Norfork as high as they can for as long as they can and have now changed the date that they predict the lake will drop to the power pool to August 24th. They seem to be the only ones that did not think it would take that long. It is a good thing we have been well below average rainfall ot we would not be even close yet. Baxter County is still in a severe drought but has received some recent rain that had the Judge take off the Burn Ban and things have really greened up around Blackburns. The yard and playground are beautiful. Despite the drought and earlier high water everything is in good condition and it looks to be good for the upcoming holiday weekend. The lake is in almost perfect condition for boating, swimming and fishing. The surface water temperature is 86-degrees. A couple of things have changed in the last few days. First, the water is clearing. I had not been diving for a couple of days and the visibility was not very good from 20-27 feet. The thermocline is 27-feet. It was much better yesterday and I could see from the surface all the way down to 35-feet. That is a big change. This is on the main lake on high, steep, rocky main lake points not on gradual clay banks. The backs of the creeks are also stained and do not clear up until almost out the the main lake. Usually near mid-August there is an algae bloom and the visibility is terrible. I suspect this is happening in the creeks and has not moved out into the deeper water. I hope it does not but will let you know. Another thing is the fish have moved deeper. The White Bass that were in about 25-feet are now in 35-ft and near the bottom. They were susended. I do not know where the larger stripers are located but they are not in open water on shad. The walleye have gone deeper and are now at 35-ft. on the bottom with the White Bass but the larger ones are getting harder to find. Anything shallow is small. Trollers dragging stuff through shad are catching some Largemouth Bass, White Bass and some smaller stripers but not much else. Many fish have moved out of the creeks. Jigging spoons are the lure of choice for about everything except bluegill. The smaller ones work for bluegill but crickets are the best. They are catching a lot of fish off my dock everyday and now the channel cats have moved in. Boat traffic will be light until Labor Day so it is an excellent time to get in a few days on the lake before school starts. Call Debbie at 870-492-5115 to get the best prices in the Ozarks for cabins and boat rentals in the Ozarks. We will not charger you too much and we especially welcome Police and Veterans.
