We had our coldest night of the year last night and the surface water temperature has dropped to 47 degrees. It is barely to get to 30 today with mid 40's for Wednesday. The lake is at 570.21 and dropping about 2-1/2 inches a day with both generators running continuously. They are going to open the gates a bit Wednesday to make the discharge equal to three generators. The lake is still an off-brown color and not what I like to see for fishing but some fish are being caught. Stripers are back in the big creeks and in 25-30 feet of water and can be caught on a jigging spoon. I am catching a few crappie but no big ones. The Corps of Enigineers are not allowing any brush permits this year do to the high water and the Game and Fish are stopping the stocking of crappie, catfish and Hybrid Stripers because they fear there is a shortage of shad like in Greers Ferry Lake where they have also suspended the stocking of game fish. There is not a shortage of shad in Norfork but there is a shortage of big stripers. If you have any imput on this please E-mail the head of fisheries at Chris.Racey@agfc.ar.gov The decisions were made by executive action rather that getting any imput from the Chamber, Striper Club, Bass Club, Walleye club or the publice in general. We ceratainly do not have too many fish in Norfork. The old regime did a good job of increasing the fish population and I do not understand why the new people are making all of these cuts. I also would like to know where the fish that were going to Norfork are now going and if the total stockings are being decreased in the state and why. The Game and Fish will be represented at the Monthly striper club meeting on the 22nd of February. Check Lake Norfork Striper Club website for time and place. We need to all share the lake and not just represent just our interests. Personally I would like more fish of all speces stocked especially stripers, walleye and catfish. I hope they are not just moving our fish to another lake. The new plan does not make up for the cuts with increases in any other kind of fish just cuts. This is not good.
