Norfork Lake Bass Fishing Report

Black bass fishing on Norfork Lake contiunues to be awesome this winter, along with the air temperature that is currently 65 degrees, I'm having a great winter. Amazing January weather! In the last two days I have caught over 40 largemouth and spotted bass, in just a couple of hours per morning. This morning's big fish was 5 pounds and yesterday I got a 4.5 and a 3 pounder. The high water over the last several years is starting to show its impact on the black bass and crappie population and size. I have found the best bite starts at sunrise and is lasting for me until about 10:30AM. It has been working out well since that's time to head back to the resort anyway. During this time the fish are feeding heavily on teeny tiny shad. This morning there was a lot of top water action in the cove I was fishing, but they wouldn't touch any top water bait I thew at them. I think the size was just too big. I ended up throwing a Zara Spook puppy, but even this bait is 10 times the size of what they are feeding on. All the fish I caught came from vertical jigging a white and a white/green 1/4 ounce spoon. I have also found that the spoon does not need to move quickly, slow twitches and slow falls are working the best. I have also downsized my equipment to 4 pound test on a light action spinning rod and reel. Yesterday most fish were caught in 25 - 30 feet of water and today they were a little shallower 20 - 25 feet of water. I have been fishing coves back in East Pigeon Creek that have brush near by. The bait has been thick and so has the bass. I also caught 2 walleye, but both were just a 1/2 inch under size.

All the fish that I have caught the last couple of days have been released at my dock or where I was fishing.

The Norfork Lake level is falling slowly and currently sits at 552.25. The Corps is generating a little more frequently causing the lake to drop slowly. The main lake is clear and the creeks and coves are still stained from the rain we had last week, but they are starting to clear. The Norfork Lake surface water temperature this morning was 46.5 degrees.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.