The lake level is 553.90 and is dropping very slowly with generation about 1/2 the time. The lake overall is in excellent condition but should be lower this time of year to make room for spring rains. Some places the water is very clear and other it is stained green. We had very cold weather starting on about February 14th causing surface water temperatures to drop into the high 30's resulting in a significant shad kill. They are still feeling the effects of that now and are very lethargic making for easy prey for the predator fish. This continues for several days, even weeks, after the shock of the cold water stuns or kills them. The surface water tmeperature is at about 49 degrees now where ever you check it no matter if on the main lake or back in the creeks. The shallow water that warms more quickly in the sunshine also cools faster with the cool nights. I am seeing very few dying shad at this time. The shad are not very strong now and are at the mercy of the wind and are blowing into the creeks with the prevailing winds which have been mostly from the south lately. I went out yesterday and found huge schools of shad way back in the south facing creeks in shallow water from about 12-20 ft. deep and from the bottom to the top of the water column and were blacking out the fish finder. There are few shad and fewer predator fish in the middle of the main lake. Any fish on the main lake are near the bank on shad that have not found their way back into the creeks. There are no predator fish on Norfork lake that are hungry and all of the fish that I am catching are full to the point of overflowing with shad. To catch anything you have to simulate a dying shad and make your lure bigger than the shad and easier to get. Jerk baits and spoons are your best bet. Bass fishing is about all there is. I am catching a few crappie but very few. All of the game fish are on schools of shad with not enough game fish to go around with many schools of shad with nothing under them. It is hard to tell which ones on a blacked out screen. Some fish are being caught but not a lot. I am catching about three fish on an outing total now and all I can say is I will be out there to let you know when things get better. Some of the stunned shad have to get cleaned up before any very good fishing and the stronger ones have to move out to the main lake where they are less easily eaten and can move at will. The absence of the big stripers is not speeding things up any as they would usually clean these up quickly after a kill and actually make overall fishing much better. I am not predicting when anything will happen with the variable March weather but the stripers that are left will go to the bank the end of this month to simulate a spawn near full moon and will start top water in the middle of April. I do not know where the White Bass are but I was catching some before the cold weather. Blackburns Resort still has the best prices on both cabins and rental boats and if you bring your own boat the first stall is free. There will be no price increases this year. All cabins have covered porches with no duplexes and there is plenty of parking for both your vehicle and boat trailers. I will be out there and let you know when things shake out. It will not be long I hope. I will let you know.