Scuba Steve From Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental On Norfork Lake Arkansas Near Mountain Home in the Ozark Mountains Blog. (Click Here For Comments)

It looks like the intense heat is over after today. At least here at Blackburns you have air conditioned cabins, a big pool and a beautiful lake to beat it. Some still have time to get the children a few days of fun before school starts. The lake water temperature is about 90 and it is very clear down to 25 feet and the level is steady at just under 553 which is a perfect level for all water activities. We have received a rain about everytime we needed it this year but not too much and everything is very green, especially for August. Blackburns has some openings starting tomorrow 1-800-635-0526 and just a few for Labor Day. This summer has gone by very fast and it is hard to believe it is about over. The fishing will get better and better as September and October get here until the lake turns over sometime in October. When the lake turns here it is not like northern shallow lakes when debris comes to the surface but the thermocline inverts and the water clarity, oxygen level and temperature is homogenous to below 30-feet and the fish have no reason to prefer one depth over another and scatter. They still bite but it is more difficult to find and catch them until the lake stratifies again. This process can happen fast or can drag on for a month depending on the weather. The full moon is the 14th of November and that is an excellent time for walleye fishing just before dark and striper fishing with a stick bait at and after dark. They both will be feeding near the bank. The crappie will be back on the brush and unless we get some real bad weather the fishing will be excellent. I am seeing some very large Kentucky Bass on brush at 26-30 feet along with big bluegill. The big walleye are eluding me but Bink is on them and catching them everyday. I cannot see where they are now but will be able to later when the water cools a bit and they move back near the bank. It is very hard to get suspended fish when diving.