The lake level is 552.29 and has dropped 1.2 inches in the last 24-hours with a few hours of one generator running in the morning and again in the evening. The White River at Newport is 5.48 feet. The surface water temperature was just under 61-degrees yesteday afternoon when I went out. It was the nicest day weather-wise in a while with ambient temperatures in the high 40's with mostly sunshine but a few clouds especially later in the day. The wind was from the northwest but not bad. The water is getting more and more stained green everyday for some reason and I could barely see my lure down two feet. I like it a little more clear for the best fishing. There was foam on the windblown banks indicating pollution but I do not know where it came from. That is probably why the water is green. The Seagulls are back so the people with the $2,500 live scopes can throw them away and follow the birds. I was going to buy a live scope but decided to buy new mattresses for the cabins instead and will stick to my Hummingbird 4-ID. They told me in 1985 that it positively identifies fish. I am not sure if it does or not but it helps me find my brush piles. I kinda know where they are anyway since I put them there. It is more fun for me to find fish on my own than see how many I can kill. If I do not know where the fish are on Norfork Lake by now it is too late for me. There are some open water fish from Mallard Point west to the end of the docks on shad. They are more on the north side in the relatively deeper water about in front of Hensley's Creek and the cut just past it to the west. If you like White Bass give it a try in about 40-45 feet of water at various depths. Drop a 1/2 ounce Bink's Spoon on their heads or drag about anything through the shad. Something with a spinner is best but if they are biting they will hit about anything. The fish that I caught yesterday were on their normal winter banks and shallow and I was using my small grub and minnow. I caught two crappie, two bass and two big bluegill from 3:PM until 4:45 PM and got in just before dark. The fish all went into Tom Kelly's trophy Pond. The weather was better than the fishing but that has changed this morning. It is nasty with another cold front that just keep coming. The surface water has dropped from 67+ to 60+ in 8-days. That is about as fast as I have ever seen it happen. Fishing overall is tough and people bragging are working hard and long to get them. I am usually catching crappie almost at will this time of year but am fishing hard for every one. I will let you know.
