Norfork Lake Fishing Report

The spring bite for Norfork Lake fishing is getting better and better as the weather stabilizes and warms up the water. The biggest issue for the late spring bite has been the huge weather swings that we have had for the last month. Just over the last 10 days since my last report we had major weather changes. Notice in the photos what people are wearing. These are all recent photos. We get several days in the the 70's and 80's and then a cold front to reverse the benefits the warm weather was giving. Hopefully we are over the cold weather and we can get down to a seriously good bite for all species.

The bass bite is definitely the best bite on the lake at this time. I am finding bass back in the major creeks on the shallow shoreline as well as along the deep bluff sides.  Free swimming live bait has been working great, but top water action is starting to take off with Zara Spooks. Flukes, swimming minnows and rogues are all still working. The fish are active so vary your retrieval speeds as I am finding that a fast retrieval or quick jerks have been working the best for me. I have been on the lake for the last five mornings and have fished from Float Creek, Fall Creek, Panther Creek, Bennett's area and the Cranfield area and have found bass (largemouth, smallmouth & spots) just about everywhere I try to fish.

Striped bass fishing has been challenging, but as you can see from the photos I am starting to find the fish. I have been fishing at one point on and off for the last week. The fish seem to be in this spot every morning sometime between 5:30AM and 7AM. By 7AM they are gone and I have not been able to find where they go. The bite this morning was fun. I had a couple of our guests out fishing with me and we landed 7 different species of fish including two stripers. Brian and Deb, guests from Tinley Park, Illinois, found some top water hybrids back in a creek this morning and landed this nice hybrid on a spook. The hunt is what I really enjoy about fishing. Very soon the thread fin shad will start to spawn in the sunken buck brush. When this happens the stripers will be going crazy like we typically get in the spring months on main lake and creek points. Stripers are being caught all over the lake, but mainly back in the major creeks where the bait is located.

I have not done any crappie fishing, but the spawn should be complete for most of the fish. In prior years after the spawn they have been located on brush in 20 - 40 feet of water. Live bait as well as jigs will be working. The lake is clear so you will need to stay away from the brush and cast into it.

 

Catfishing is starting to take off. This morning we landed a nice 8 pound channel catfish. I was dragging live shad through 10 feet of water and this big cat hammered the bait. I thought we had a striper on, as much as it pulled drag.  Trout lines and jugs are starting to catch some very nice size flatheads. The cat's are gearing up for their spawn.

 

We also landed a nice 19.5 inch walleye in the same area. Overall fishing for all species is picking up and will only get better. Who knows the night bite may start getting active. I'll have to start thinking about getting out at night!

 

The Norfork Lake level is rising very slowly and currently sits at 558.5. This is a great level for fishing as the buck brush is sunken in the water and will be great cover for the young fry of all species after the spawns. The main lake is gin clear with the backs of creeks and coves somewhat stained. Surface water temperature was in the low to mid 60's.

Plan your Norfork Lake getaway now. We still have a few cabins available for Memorial week end. Fireworks will be held near Cranfield Marina on Saturday, May 25. Happy fishing and see you on the lake.