A cast from the past.
The lake level is 553.33 and has been almost the same for a month. The White River at Newport is 1.55 feet indicating not much water is being released into the White River anywhere. The surface water temperature is 53.3 and has also been stable with the warm ambient temperatures. The water is fairly clear and I can see my lure down about 6-feet on the main lake and less in the creeks. Ovarall the lake is inexcellent condition anf fishing is getting better especially crappie and bass. I am fishing brush in 18-25 feet of water and the fish are near the bottom and the best time is just before sunset until dark. They start a litte learlier on cloudy days. The crappie do not like the bright sunshine. I am using the Bobby Garland Baby Shad Blue Ice on a 1/16th ounce white with red eye jig head on 4-lb. test clear line. Sometimes I tip it with a live minnow on slow days and cast past the brush and let it sink into it. For bass I am using the 1/4 ounce Bink's Spoon vertical jigging and tapping bottom in and around brush. I am fishing mostly main lake points but some fish are moving part way back in the creeks to feed in the evening and for cover. Others are open water fishing for red meat fish and catching stripers in the 5-8 pound range and some Hybrids and White Bass on the bottom in 50-ft. of water. They bite best when they are on the bottom instead of suspended. Some White Bass are as big as the Hybrids. Drop it right on their heads and snap it up about 5-feet and let it fall on slack line and touch bottom. Fishing had been slow but is now about normal and the fish are slow getting into the winter pattern this year. I have not caught a walleye in a week. Several fish of different species are in open water on shad during the day and move off them late in the day. I mostly go out in the warmest part of the day and come in when it cools off or it is too dark to see. I leave it up to others to charge out there in the dark in the early morning when it is freezing. I do not hate them that bad but mostly catch quite a few fish. I just do not kill very many. There are enough meat hunters out there. Blackburns still has the best prices on both cabins and rental boats in the Ozarks and the first stall for your boat is free. All of our cabins are individual with no duplexes and all have big covered porches. Come on down and check us out. Give Debbie a call at 870-492-5115 for a reservation. We are not closed, on vacation spending your money or for sale.