The lake level is 554.71 and has dropped 3.3 inches in the last 24-hours with sluice gates open to 1-1/4 generators for a week now. The lake has dropped a total of 2-1/2 feet and the White River at Newport is still only 7.11feet. That means we are getting dry again in this very hot weather. Things are scheduled to cool by Sunday. and looks to be normal by Labor Day. Our next best chance for rain is early next week. The surface water is very hot and above 90-degrees but it does not go down very far. It is a few degrees cooler 3-4 feet down and the thermocline is at 30-feet and very cold at 33. The visibility has diminished since the heat began and is poor where the fish are located which is 27-32 feet. There are a lot of fish down there with most being Kentucky Bass with a few walleye mixed in. There are a few crappie but the big schools have not moved to the brush yet. Your best bite is with a jigging spoon tapping bottom on and around main lake brush piles. Drop the spoon to the bottom, snap up 5-6 feet and allow it to drop on slack line. Trollers are having a tough time. I am just not going to go out in the middle of the night in pitch dark and drag stuff around the lake to catch a fish. When you do not get a report for several days it does not mean they are not out there it just means they are not catching any fish. You have to work for them. You can also wait until after Labor day and that might be your best bet. This is typical late July and Early August weather but not late August. Our normal high is 87 and we have been near 100 for a week. The people at the Baxter County Fair have been baking and the parade cancelled all of the walkers. They can surely find a carnival that can come here in September but long traditions are changing and all of the change is not for the best. As a significant tax payer I do not like to see every air conditioner in every school running full blast in August and the children not able to go outside for recess and then take a spring break in March or early April. It seems all common sense is gone. The lake is at a good level, even though I would like it to be lower, and things will get better as it cools down. It looks to be a good fall for fishing. There are a lot of fish in Norfork Lake and they are healthy. Blackburns is still the home of the $59/day one bedroom cabins after Labor day and a free stall for your boat comes with the cabin. You can't beat that.
