No fishing today, but I did get out the last two days on Norfork Lake. I am granddaughter sitting today. She has not gotten into fishing yet, but I keep trying. The cold spell, then the warm summer like weather have the shad moving continually. If you can find the shad you will find the fish. I have talked with 3 different striper guides today. I have also talked with two crappie guides while setting up fishing trips for spring guests. They are all having their successes and of course the slow days. Two days ago I went crappie fishing and caught several nice size black bass, no crappie. The bass are fat and sassy. I caught mine vertical jigging with a 1/4 oz spoon in 30 feet of water over (actually in) the brush piles. I was also told that one bass fisherman has been using a dark colored jig with a tail and catching quality fish anywhere from 15 - 30 feet of water. The trick is the speed. Barely move the jig over the bottom. The fish are looking for slow moving bait, but when they hit, they hammer it and are pulling like a freight train. More keeper size lunkers are being caught than I have ever seen in the past. Two guides fished several docks yesterday with live shad and just hammered the bass, one being 8 pounds.
The crappie guides are catching large healthy slabs suspended at about 20 feet over brush in 30 - 40 feet of water. Over the last several days they have also caught fish suspended at 9 feet in about 20 feet of water. The hot weather has moved them up. They aren't catching large quantities, but what is being caught is quality.
Striped bass are following the shad and the current problem is finding the shad. One day they are back in the creeks and the next they are suspended at 60 feet in the channel of 120 feet of water. One guide (STR Outfitters) graphed various hot spots all the way to the dam and found spotty fish. He ended up coming up to the mid lake area and found shad and stripers in 40 - 60 feet of water between the bridges. I fished the 62 bridge and Float creek yesterday and caught one small striper, but when I got close to the bank and points I was picking up some nice bass. I used live shiners yesterday.
I, along with the guides, believe that the spring bite should be one of the best we have seen in a long time. Lots of big fat fish. Start planning your fishing trips.
The Norfork Lake level is rising and currently sits at 553.2. The Corps is running one to two generators most of the day with short periods of no generation. We have had almost an inch of rain so far today so we should see another foot or more rise in the next day or so. The backs of creeks and coves look like chocolate milk with a mud line. From the mud line out towards the main lake the water is stained. It will take a while for the coves to clear especially after today's rain. The main lake is fairly clear, but when the lake stabilizes it will clear even more. The surface water temperature has risen to about 48 degrees.
Happy fishing and see you on the lake.
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