Amy with a couple of nice ones caught off the dock.
The lake level is 553.34 and creeping up very slowly with no dam discharge except minimum flow. Both generators are still inoperable and have been for several months. The surface water temperature is 53 degrees and has been stable for several days with the warm ambient temperatures. It is to cool down next week. They keep changing the weather forecast but it looks like we will get rain tomorrow and tomorrow night. We need it badly. It has been cloudy with no wind for several days and very pleasant fishing conditions. I have been fishing mostly for bass and crappie with a few big bluegill thrown in. On my way in last night at dark I stopped at one of my brush piles and cast a grub past it and let it sink. I had a bite after about 8-10 seconds of sinking and I was hoping for a big crappie or bass and was very disappointed when it turned out to be a striper. I had not caught one there before. I have caught my share of red meat fish and do not target them anymore. The water clarity is the same on the main lake and I could see my lure down about 6-feet in the cloudy weather and it is clearing back in the creeks. I am finding more fish partway back in the creeks than a few days ago esprcially bass. The Whjite River at Newport is 2.74 feet and very low. They are showing no signs of dropping the lake level in the winter for the spring rains. Overall the lake is in great condition and at a good level. Fishing can be tough but if you are persistent and know where to go you can catch some nice ones everyday. Stick with what works and do not throw everything in the tacklebox at them and make sure you are in your best place at sundown. I am a jig, grub and spoon fishermen but other things work also. I really like it when a big crappie hits my jig and I feel the thump and Norfork Lake Has some big crappie. Use a 1/16th ounce white with red eye jig head on a 4-lb. test clear line with no hardware. I like a Bobby Garland baby Shad, blue ice in color or a 2-inch white twister tail with the tail turned up and tipped with a small crappie minnow. I catch about the same with both. If you vertical jig a Bink's 1/4 ounce spoon straight up and down in and around brush from 18-26 feet of water you might be surprised what you might catch. Bink is very good at catching big bass with the 3-inch green stingray grub on a plain 1/4 ounce jig head with 6-lb. line. He goes part way back in certain creeks just around points near deep water and positions his boat in deep water just about as far as he can cast the lure. He casts it to the bank and lets it sink as it comes to the boat. with the depth of the water the same as the distance from the shore. The grub has little or no action but if you have ever fished with him you will be a believer. I am. The water temperature is to drop next week and it will be time for winter bassin on Norfork Lake. Come on down to Blackburns and we will not charge you too much. Your first boat stall is still free here. Give Debbie a call at 870-492-5115 for a reservation. We are open all year and are not on vacation. I have no other place that I would like to be.
