The lake level is 553.65 and has dropped 3/4 of an inch in the last 24-hours with the one operating generator running for about 8-hours from 9:AM intil 5:PM. We are now below the top of the power pool of 553.75 and they have been very reluctant to drop it much below that. I would like to see it at about 548 going into the spring rains. The White River at Newport is 6.80 feet and very low. They could be letting out much more water if they wanted to. We went from a high of 88-degrees yesterday to below freezing this morning. The March winds are here and it is not even March yet. The people that say the wind is their friend and the more windy it is the better the fishing are getting their way and they should be very happy. I am not. I consider March to be the worst fishing month of the year just ahead of October when the lake turns. The cold fronts just keep coming through and the fish can go for several days without feeding. I can catch some but have to work for them. I used to fish for stripers just before the full moon in March when they move to the spawning banks at dark but that bite has diminished the last few years with the greatly reduced number of big fish. The night bite for them in November, when they used to go to the bank to feed has been almost non-existant the last few years. It is geeting very dry here and we need some rain. The incessant wind is really drying everything out and has not even slowed down in the evenings. It is coming from the north now but will move to the south tomorrow and the fishing should pick up. It was just getting better. I had a surface water temperature of 50-degrees on the main lake and the low 50's back in the creeks. The creeks are stained green with the wind and the main lake is fairly clear and I could see my lure down about 7-feet. It is a good time now to fish the wind-blown banks just around main lake points just outside of the brush piles. Trollers are catching a few fish just outside the brush but that is because it is hard to troll brush. Fish have not moved back into the creeks in big numbers yet but a few are. I do not troll but it works especially if you cannot catch them any other way. They are using live bait, umbrellas and also dragging crank baits around the shoreline. Some of the larger crappie are full of eggs with bloodlines and are not far away from spawning. The males should start staging in Briar and Pigeon Creeks soon. You will see red meat trollers start to catch crappie soon where they do not usually know how to catch them. Not much skill involved and you miss the thump and hook set but they can get some meat. I am catching crappie, bass and a walleye or two on main lake brush in 23-ft. of water on a 1/16th ounce jig but not a lot and the best bite is from sunset until dark. The wind should slow starting tomorrow until the next cold front. I will check things out later today. The Bradford Pears are starting to bloom and there are buds on the Redbuds. Come on down and check us out here at Blackburns. We are still the home of the $59/day one bedroom cabins and a free stall for your boat comes with the cabin. We are closest to Mountain Home, ding and shopping and have the best price in the Ozarks. Give Debbie a call at 870-492-5115 for a reservation. All cabins are individual with no duplexes and all have big covered porches. We will not charge you too much and we especially welcome Veterans and Police. It is looking good here. We have no spring price increases and there will be no increases in 2024. Ask for total prices and compare before you book. You will be surprised how much money you can save by staying at Blackburns. Loyalty is good until you get charged too much then it is only one way.
