Norfork Lake Scuba Report for June 7th, 2018 By Scuba Steve from Blackburns Resort and Boat rental On Norfork Lake Near Mountain Home in the Ozark Mountain Region.

This report is for the areas of the lake between Cranfield Island and the turnoff to Tracy Ferry. I do not dive anyplace else and see no need for me to do so. I have been checking things out in different areas getting the boat and gear ready for the upcoming spearfishing season which starts June 15th. It is time to get everything checked out and if your tanks need a hydro it takes a week. The conditions are as follows now.: There is a thermocline at 20-feet with what I call a mud line near that. The water is pretty clear but not gin clear as reported by people who do not dive. The mud line is about two feet thick now and will get thicker as the thermocline drops. It will drop to about 30-32 feet deep as the water warms. It rarely drops below that. The mud line will follow that with clearer water above and below in the cold water. The fish like the area just above the thermocline, in the mud line and just below the thermocline. Some fish locators can pick up the mud line but not the thermocline. You have to either get in the water or drop a temperature probe down to find it. I could see about 7-10 feet distance above and below the themocline which is good for spearfishing. I never look for clear water but for visibility just as far as I can shoot. The fish spook if the water is too clear. I saw lots of bass and several walleye in the 19-24 feet range and several big walleye. I did not see any crappie or catfish but I try to focus on walleye. There were many bluegill. If you can find brush in 20-feet there will be fish on it. If the water keeps dropping several of Blackburns Brush piles will come into play. The level is 562.84 and dropping about 3-1/2 inches a day if they keep generating. Surface temperature is 86 degrees. Blackburns has several diving pontoons for you to rent and we will help you with locating fish. Conditions are as good as I have seen in several years.