Norfork Lake Fishing Report

Spring fishing on Norfork Lake is heating up and will only get better. The warm Ozark weather has helped to increase the surface water temperature which is making the fish more active. Top water action for black bass has been good at sunrise and sunset back in coves and creeks. Yesterday morning I went to check on the dock at around 6:30AM and when I got there the fish were popping all over. I always carry a rod with me when I go to the dock and of course I had a Zara spook tied on. What's the jingle? - Don't leave home without it- something to do with a credit card not really a rod and reel! In less than 15 minutes I landed 4 spotted bass in the 2 pound range. I was casting from the end of the dock. When the bass aren't breaking the surface I have been using a 3 inch curly tail grub with a 1/8 oz. jig head. I have had a lot of luck on deep bluff lines especially on bluff points.

Word has it that the crappie are starting to move to the banks. They have either started to spawn or are really close. The crappie in the photo were caught off of my dock. Several very good places to find crappie are on fallen timber that is close to the shore or brush piles in 10 - 20 feet of water. The crappies are suspended only 2 - 6 feet down. I like small twister tail grubs with a 1/16 or a 1/32 ounce jig head. Use very light line, just 2 - 4 pound test. Live minnows are also working very well.

White bass are schooling and can be found back in coves and creeks in shallow water, 10 - 20 feet. They also can be found close to brush piles. I haven't seen any top water action on whites yet, but it should start soon. Small spinners and spoons are working well.

Walleye are being caught in many different locations. They are typically being found in 10 - 20 feet of water and at night on the shoreline feeding. The same 3 inch grub I use for bass is catching walleye. Last night a suspending rogue cast to the bank was the ticket for this nice walleye. Crank baits being slow trolled along the banks are picking up a few nice walleye.

Striped bass fishing is starting to heat up. I just got back from a successful night fishing trip. I ended up catching 2 striped bass (15 pound and 10 pound), 1 walleye, 3 white bass and a couple of bluegill. I missed as many as I caught. I caught all on a Smithwick Rattlin Rogue, blue on the top, white on the sides with an orange belly. The bite really didn't start until around 10pm, but when it did the fish just started to explode around me. I could hear stripers and white bass breaking the surface all around me. As soon as I heard the splashes I got my first fish. They stuck around in the area for an hour worth of fun. I released all fish, the ones in the photo where released at my dock. The morning bite for stripers is also heating up. Stripers and hybrids are being caught all over the lake. Three of my guests from the Oklahoma area took a guided trip with Robert Lee of Lee's lite line and they landed these 3 nice hybrids and lost as many more.

The Norfork Lake water level is rising slowly and currently sits at 550.54 ft above sea level. The surface water temperature last evening was in the low 60's. The water is clear with some stained water due to the 1.25 inches of rain that we had the other day.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.