These are Scuba Steve's favorite. He only fishes his own brush piles.
The lake level is 553.89 and has dropped 1.2 inches in the last 24-hours with no generation since 10:PM last night. They are scheduled to start again at noon today but they do not go by the schedule very well. There is no accountability and they just do what they want. The White River at Newport is 5.68 feet and very low indicating not much water is being released anywhere. The surface water temperature is 74-degrees in the mornings and 75-76 degrees in the afternoon and stable with the warm ambient temperatures. It is to be sunny and warm for the next week. The water is trying to clear again after clouding up last week but the creeks are still stained green. Moss is growing on the creek shorelines and that did not used to happen on Norfork. Things are changing and I think it has something to do with the Dawt Mill Dam being gone. I know Stripers and Walleye are going a lot further upstream on the Norfork River where they were unable to do so before and it helped the Walleye spawn. I do not fish for the White bass much but am seeing more of them on main lake points near brush in 25-30 feet of water and they are spooky. Norfork used to be known for very large Crappie but not high numbers but now there are 8-9 inch Crappie everywhere. The big ones are probably there but I am not seeing very many of them yet. They may be in open water on shad but I usually see them when diving in October. So far no. Overall the lake is in excellent condition and at a good level but fishing is just fair. Channel Cat fishing using jugs with live bait may be the best now. I am using a Bobby Garland Baby Shad blue ice in color on a 1/16th ounce white with red eye jig head and tipping it with a small Crappie Minnow and casting it past the brush and letting it sink into it and catching some Kentucky Bass, Smallmouth, Walleye and small Crappie but not a lot of anything except small Crappie. If this does not work you know fishing is tough or you are in the wrong place. Scuba Steve is seldom in the wrong place. It is nice to just be out there in the beautiful weather and catch a few fish as a bonus. If you are in the area or planning a trip to the Mountain Home area stop by and check out Blackburns and give Debbie a call at 870-492-5115 for a reservation.We welcome drive throughs as long as you do not go too fast. It is nice here and the price is right. Your first boat stall is free at our big dock. Some charge for them. Compare prices and come on down. It is nice here.