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

Caught fishing with Bink's Guide Service yesterday.Image title

Image title

Image title

The lake level is 562.03 and has dropped 6-1/2 inches in the last 24-hours with one generator running continuously and spillway gates open equivalent to another 2-1/2 generators. They just opened the spillway gates more on Norfork last hour.  The surface water temperature was 68-degrees on the main lake when I came in last evening and the water was still tea colored in Blackburns area but trying to clear a bit. I could see my lure down about 2-feet. The White River at Newport is 24.02 feet and is steady at that level for several days. The fast water drop has dried up several crappie spawning beds and some bass beds. Not as many bass are spawning as crappie but it is hard to tell with the colored water. The Kentucky Bass continue their spawn way up into the summer.  The walleye that I am catching are spawned out and scattered. There is a top-water bite for bass in their normal places and also a few white bass. It is not happening everywhere. The White River at Newport is 24.02 and they are generating Bull Shoals and Norfork very heavily but keeping the level there on the river very steady. I hope the level on Norfork gets below 560 before they slow down generation. They are predicting the level to be at 553.75 by May 2nd so they must not be planning to cut down generation very much anytime soon unless thay change that prediction.Another cold front is coming this way and is to hit this area Tomorrow afternoon with storms likely and heavy winds. It is concerning but is not to bring much rain. We are getting dry and some rain would not hurt anything. We are going to get something out of this one. Work the banks back in the creeks with a creature bait on a jug head for smallmouth and walleye and a jig or grub and minnow for crappie. Crappie are biting in Bennet's Bayou in the point 6-B area on the bank and in Briar Creek and Middle Pigeon. Blackburns is still the home of the $59/day 1-bedroom cabins and 2-bedrooms for $77. All cabins are individual with no duplexes and come with a free stall for your boat. We have peace and quiet and you can relax in the shade under our big covered porches. Veterans and Police are especially welcome.