Norfork Lake Fishing Report

The weather is starting to improve and the wind is slowing down on Norfork Lake. I heard that the night bite is picking up so I gave it go last evening. I fished the Cranfield area, but I guess I was in the wrong spot. I only got one bite after dark and that was a 16 inch largemouth. I fished until about 9PM trying to find "night bite" action. But the bite before dark, from 6:30 to 7:30, was just fantastic for bass. I ended up boating 7 fish, 2 keeper spotted bass, 2 keeper size and 1 undersize largemouth and 2 short smallmouth bass. I also had 5 other hits that I missed. I was throwing a bone colored rouge on a deep rock bluff. I casted to the rocks twitched it twice and paused, then slow rolled the bait back to the boat with an occasional stop in the retrieval. Most fish hit the rouge when it was stopped. The exception to this was the small mouth, they wanted it moving. All fish were released, except the spotted bass. They may be lunch. I'm not giving up on the night bite and plan to go out again this evening if all goes well.

Crappie fishing has picked up. Fish are being caught over brush in 20 - 25 feet of water and are suspended anywhere from 5 feet to 15 feet down. Crappie minnows on a slip bobber has been the best bait. You can also troll or cast a small rapala with enough weight to get down to the right depth. I have been getting good reports out of the Pigeon Creek area and Red Bank area.

The white bass are still being caught in good numbers on the flats back in creeks. They are anywhere from the shore line to 5 feet deep. Check out the shallow water everyone. Baits that have been working are small rapalas, small spinners, and a 1/8 to 1/4 oz. jig head with a Berkley's gulp minnow. Pigeon Creek, East Pigeon and Bennett's areas have been reporting good fish.

I have heard, but not confirmed that walleye are being caught back in creeks with a grub and also on rouges. I am hoping the walleye night bite starts soon.

I am still looking for the stripers.

The Norfork Lake water temperature last evening was 49.6 degrees. The water is clearing nicely. The Norfork Lake level is holding fairly steady at around 551.8. Generators are being run sporadically.

Have a great fishing day and see all of you on the lake.