Norfork Lake Fishing Reprt

The weather has been really nice the last couple of afternoons. Today and tomorrow are supposed to be even nicer. I fished yesterday afternoon until dark. I started in our cove looking for crappie but had no luck at all. For an hour I tried all the tricks I know, but could not get them to bite. I moved over a few coves closer to the bridges and fished the main lake points where I have sunken brush. I started to vertical jig with a 1 ounce green and white spoon with no luck. I tied on a 3/4 ounce white spoon and this was the ticket. I didn't get crappie, but wasn't really expecting them at this spot. I caught 5 bass, mixed largemouth and Kentucky. Two were keeper size. I also caught the largest white bass that I have caught on Norfork Lake. When I first saw its football shaped body I thought it was a hybrid. My fish were caught in 30 - 40 feet of water bouncing the spoon off the bottom. If you see suspended fish reel up though them real fast and usually the fish will attack the spoon. As for the crappie, I was marking fish over the brush, but couldn't get them to bite. I think it is only a matter of time until the winter crappie bite starts. The water temp is almost there.

The striped bass are still scattered. This is their normal winter pattern. They are located anywhere from Bidwell area to 6A and also from the 101 bridge to the Red Bank area. You can usually find them suspended at 40 feet in 60 to 120 feet of water.

The surface water temperature on Norfork Lake is in the 50 - 51 degree range. I am looking for the high forties to help the crappie bite. The water is clear in the main lake and still stained in the creeks due to the quick draw down of the lake. The Norfork Lake water level is 559.4 and falling about 5 inches per day. They have the flood gates closed and are only generating. It should take another couple of weeks for the lake to be at normal pool.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.