Norfork Lake Fishing Report

Fishing Norfork Lake has never been any better. I have been out the last two mornings as well as a few days last week, and have had a blast. Stripers seem to be in their normal summer pattern. That means that they are starting to feed heavily, starting to school and are going deeper. I have been catching stripers over 80 feet of water suspended at 20 - 50 feet deep. I have been using a 1 ounce egg sinker on my front two poles and a large split shot on the back two poles. I usually have the heavy weights down about 40 - 50 feet and the split shot down around 30 - 40 feet. I am getting equal number of bites on both. I have been using live thread fin shad, but I am starting to notice the fish starting to school so vertical jigging with a spoon should pick up very soon. This morning was a riot. I landed 7 stripers in the 9 - 15 pound range and lost another 4. All fish were released on sight except for the 3 in the photo. I have been fishing main lake deep bluff lines and points. Yesterday I fished with a guest and his daughter and we landed 3 stripers and missed numerous other good bites.

Last week I fished ith a couple of guests from the St. Charles area and we just hammered the black bass. We were catching a few on Zara spooks and many more on live shad. Last week I was finding them on creek points close to inside of trees and brush. Yesterday I tried some of the same areas and the fish were not there or at least would not bite. I believe they also are starting to go deeper, but are still on creek points and main lake points. You will need to start getting your bait to the bottom. I am still noticing a little top water action early in the morning, but this seems to be slowing.

Walleye are being found just outside the brush line in about 20 - 30 feet of water. Dragging nighcrawler harnesses and vertical jigging with a spoon is producing some nice fish.

Pan fish are still in the sunken brush. Crickets and worms are working very well.

The Norfork Lake level is still falling slowly and current is at 572.59. The surface water temperature has risen back to the upper 80's. The lake is still slightly stained, but it is continuing to clear.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.