The lake level is 553.65 and has dropped 1-1/3rd inch in the last 24-hours with about 10-hours of generation. They are regulating to just under the top of the power pool of 553.75 and is too high and there is no effort to drop the lake even though the spring rains are coming. The White River at Newport is 14.09 feet and dropping and the surface water temperature is 46-degrees. The water wants to clear and Scuba Steve could see his lure down 3-4 feet last evening. A low pressure is coming in and it is windy with heavy rain for tomorrow and a cold front after that with high pressure. This evening and early tomorrow will be the best fishing if you can get out of the wind. Scuba Steve went out for a little over 2-hours last evening and caught four crappie and a nice bass. Not too good but it was nice to be out there. All fish were released in Tom Kelly's trophy pond. I have it stocked up and ready to go. There are some big fish in there. I added some fathead minnows to get them through until spawn. I would not like to be a minnow released into that pond. You would have to be fast and sleep with one eye open. We are in a transition where the shallower water warms more quickly that the deep water in the spring and the bait and fish want to move, as it warms, to the creeks and then a cold front comes through and cools the water again and they move out. This is why March is hard to fish. Shad are moving in under my dock under the lights at dark and there are a lot of them. The Bluegill have already moved in and that is a sign of spring. They bring the Bass and Catfish with them. I am catching Crappie on about every good main lake brush pile in 20-25 feet of water but not very many and they do not bite often. There are more smaller ones than normal. I see no evidence of the Stripers moving to their spawning banks yet but they are following the shad back into the windblown creeks. The full moon in March is usually when they spawn and that is the 14th. It may be a little early. with the water temperature slow to rise but they seldom vary from that date but it lasts longer when the big moon comes early in the month. If the nights are warm, the moon is big in March, it is a good time to tune up your 5-inch suspending stick baits and check out the area around the dam on the flats in front of Frog Pond to the North, across the lake by the Quarry tower and by the Walleye rearing pond North of Crapfield Island. Scuba Steve has caught a lot of them there in the past. Fish the shadowy banks for walleye with a soft plastic until after sunset and switch to the suspending Rogue or Thunder Stick just at dark. and move. Stay as far from the bank as you can cast, crank it down about three feet and with your rod tip down slow roll it back to the boat. If your suspending stick bait pulls off to the side whule slow rolling it you are wasting your time. On a clear moonlit night you will see the Walleye's gleaming eyes on the bank. If you are planning a fishing trip to Norfork lake and have not been to Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental before check us out, Compare prices and give Debbie a call at 870-492-5115. It is nice here and the price is right. A free stall for your boat comes with a cabin rental of two days or more. Some charge for them. We do not. We especially welcome Veterans and Police. You can launch right here with no need to go elsewhere or have two people. We will not charge you too much.
