Spring is finally here on Norfork Lake in the Arkansas Ozarks. The daytime air temperature has been in the 50's and the forecast for the next week or so is for the upper 50's and even 60's. It is time to get serious about your spring time fishing trip. With the warmer air temperatures, which will raise the lake water temperature, the spring bite should start to take off. I'm looking for 50 degree water temperatures to bring the big bass shallow, begin the crappie spawn and start the night bite for stripers and walleye.
I fished yesterday for the first time in about two weeks. I have been busy in the resort remodeling, painting and just starting to get things ready for all the spring time fishermen and women. Our big remodel job for this winter has been to convert cabins 1 - 3 into a three bedroom three bath unit that will be able to sleep 12 to maybe 14 people. I took out a wall between the kitchen and a bedroom of cabin 3 and turned that space into a spacious open living room and kitchen area. The kitchen will have plenty of counter space and will be able to sit 12 - 14 people comfortably for meals. The living room will have two futons and swivel rockers with a wall mount LCD flat screen TV. I have added new lighting and fans. I should be getting in the new counter tops today so I guess I'll have a busy work day. But the newly remodelled cabin 3 should be a nice cabin for all to enjoy.
I fished with Robert Lee of Lee's Lite Line yesterday. He has been prefishing for upcoming striper trips. We did a lot of looking for striper and marked many big arcs, but we mainly had fun fishing for black bass and white bass with artificial baits. I started throwing a bone color rogue (jerk bait) on a point leading into a major creek back in the Bennett's area. We caught plenty of Kentucky bass, largemouth bass and one smallmouth bass. They were all under size so I think the bigger fish are still in deeper water. The jerk bait is working, but the key for cold water is a slow movement if not completely stopped. Most hits came close to shore after I got the bait down 1 - 2 ft then stopped every thing. The fish would hit the rogue when it was suspended.
After checking out the points we headed to the shallow flats. Ed, my guest from Wisconsin, fished these flats on Wednesday and caught over 50 large whites and small hybrid bass. It was a sunny day, but very windy. The wind was pushing the bait fish onto the gravel shore line and the whites were in a feeding frenzy. He was throwing a small tube jig with a 1/4 oz. jig head and dragging it on the bottom. He got a fish on nearly every cast. Most fish were on the shore line in 1 - 2 feet of water. Yesterday was not as powerful as Wednesday, but we did catch 3 whites and one small hybrid all in a short period of time. I was using a Berkley's gulp minnow with a 1/4 jig head. The fish were not on the shore line, but were still in 4 - 5 feet of water on the flats. Ed was also fishing the same area and caught some nice whites and a few small hybrids. He was using a #7 sinking Rapala and also a small spinner bait. The whites are spawning or almost ready to spawn. The white bass were all big 1.5 - 2.5 pound fish and fought like a freight train.
I talked with a guide who was crappie fishing yesterday back in Bennett's and he had caught 12 nice size fish over brush in 20 - 30 feet of water. The crappie are suspended anywhere from 5 - 15 feet down over the brush. Live minnows with a slip bobber is working the best for the guides.
Norfork Lake water temperature was in the mid 40's. The lake level is steady at normal pool of 552. The lake is still stained, but should start to clear with the lake maintaining a consistent level.
The great fishing weather is here finally. I hope old man winter is gone for good this year. It has been one of the coldest and snowiest winters that I have seen in my 8 years as owner of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort.
Happy fishing and see you on the lake.
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