Norfork Lake Fishing Report

I'm back fishing Norfork Lake after a week of being home bound. All of our boats were rented last week so I got to sleep in. The striped bass are schooling and in their summer pattern. I had a huge school go under me this morning. I missed hooking the first one. I finally landed the second striper and the third broke off. I also caught 3 big white bass and two black bass on a spook. I have had reports of stripers being caught in Float Creek, Panther Creek, Fall Creek and in the Robinson Island area. The fish are suspended at levels of 30 - 40 feet and can be found in all depths, 50 feet to 120 feet of water. I have also had reports of stripers being caught in the dam area. Live bait is working the best (gizzard and thread fin shad) but spooning works once you find the fish. I spoon all summer long. The stripers were hitting my spoon on the drop this morning. Be ready to set the hook as soon as you feel or see the line go slack, you only get one chance. I have also had positive reports on the afternoon bite for stripers.

The top photo is of one of our guests that fished with Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters. Bill landed this nice 20 pound striper and it is currently at the taxidermist. His fish dwarfed my little 10 pounder of today. His group had over 20 bites and end up landing 7 stripers and a nice 4 pound smallmouth bass.

Crappie fishing has been a little difficult with the summer heat. They have gone deep and if you get lucky you may find them on a deep ledge. They should start to move back into the deep brush piles soon. Catfishing has been good on trotlines and jugs. The guides are catching catfish on most of their trips with their shad. Big slab blue gills are being caught under docks and I have spooned up several in 30 feet of water. Walleye are being spooned up in 30 - 40 feet of water along rock bluffs as well as main lake points.

The Norfork Lake level is 555.8 and rising very slowly. Currently no generators are being run. The main lake is clear and the creeks are still a little cloudy due to the rise in water. The Norfork Lake surface water temperature is in the upper 80's.

Happy fishing and hope to see you on the lake.