Norfork Lake Arkansas near Mountain Home in the Ozarks Mountains Region Fishing Report and Lake Condition by Scuba Steve from Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental.

Mike with some nice ones caught off our newest brush pile that we put in with the tree that fell over after the last heavy snow.Image title

The lake level is 558.97 and has risen 3-1/2 inches in the last 24-hours with not much generation. The White River at Newport is 24.51 feet and has leveled off but is still high. It would be nice if this slug would go on through before we get another big rain. It is raining lightly now. The average ambient high is now 57-degrees and we are to be below that for the next several days with rain through the weekend and then colder with a chance of frost. The surface water temperature is 53 degrees and the clarity varies almost daily with the amount of generation and runoff but the water is not muddy anymore and is a greenish light brown but not a bad color for fishing. The full moon has passed and is now waning but still big. Fish are scattered all over the place. Some are in open water on shad, some are back in the creeks near the bank, some are on brush in 25-30 feet of water, others are on the main lake on windblown banks and some are under docks back in the creeks. A good place to start is to go part way back in the creeks where the prevalent winds have been blowing and cast a grub and minnow or soft plastic on a jig head to the shore near any wood or structure and let it sink and work it slowly. Another is to find shad in open water and drop a spoon into them. Some are dragging live bait and umbrellas through shad but I do not do this. You can get some fish but miss the thump and hook set while the pole is in the rod holder. Just reeling in a fish on a huge umbrella rig is not fun for me but it works if you do not know any other way. I like to find them, cast for them and catch them one pole at a time.  I can barely handle one pole let alone a 1/2 dozen at a time. It is a recipe for disaster and a tangled up mess plus you miss a lot of fish. I do not miss very many fish and seldom if almost never break off. It does not make for much drama while telling a story about the one that got away when not very many get away. I release most of my fish but do not like them outsmarting me any more than possible. When they do I do not tell you about it. Just retie, sharpen your hook, check your line for nicks, check your drag and go at it again. Do this anyway everytime you catch a walleye. Blackburns now has all of their cabins open and ready for your visit. You can have the one of your choice. We have only two tiers of pricing: Between Memorial Day and Labor Day and the rest of the time. The rest of time time one bedroom cabins are $59/day and two bedrooms are $77/day. We do not try and sneek another rate increase in on you in March. You can save a minimum of $30+ per day by Staying at Blackburns and not sacrafice any quality and maybe increase it a bit. Some also charge for your first boat stall. We do not do this either. Loyalty is good until someone's hand is too deep into your pocket. Come on down and we will show you where our brush piles are located and help you catch fish or guide you in the right direction on any real estate needs or local events or attractions. We have it all here at Blackburns and at the best price in the Ozarks plus are the closest to Mountain Home, dining and shopping in our little 26-acre sanctuary.  Peace and quiet is our name and no drama is our game. We especially welcome Veterans and Police. I am a Veteran but do not require nearly as much policing as I used to for some reason.