WAHOOO!!! Fishing for striped bass on top water is finally happening in Arkansas on Norfork Lake. It was a dynamite morning of top water action. I was throwing my favorite Zara spook and had the first fish on at 5:30 AM. The top water action lasted solidly until 7:30, and was still going sporadically when I left at 8:00. I ended up catching 6 stripers and hybrids, 4 white bass in the 1 - 1.5 lb range, 3 spotted bass and 2 largemouth bass. I released all except these three striper/hybrids. That is a lot of fish for one person in 2 hours. (I guess it is fish for supper again. Last evening Linda made a fantastic Thai curry fish.) My big striper was 11.5 lbs and the biggest hybrid was 8.5 lbs. Talk about excitement. Remember, I only use 8 lb test on a spinning reel. Norfork Lake is clear water so you don't want heavy line that is visible. At one point the fish were pushing the shad to the shore line so hard that the shad were literally jumping up on the rocks. The birds were having a field day. Well that is two mornings in a row, so hopefully I can say officially, the top water bite is here and should be here for a while. Of course mother nature will have something to say about this. I have also talked to guide friends fishing the dam area and the top water action was the same for them. I think the whole lake erupted today.
Norfork Lake level is at 561.62 (9.52ft above normal pool) and still rising slowly. The water is clear in the main lake and stained in the creeks and coves. The water temperature is in the mid 70's and holding steady. The lake was flat calm this morning so you could see the top water action all around you.
The lake is in great shape for all water sports, swimming, waterskiing, wakeboarding, jetskiing, and of course my favorite FISHING. So plan your Ozark mountain vacation get-a-way, now.
Happy fishing & boating! See you on the lake!
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