Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Hummingbird Hideaway Resort

Norfork Lake fishing at Hummingbird Hideaway Resort has been outstanding the last couple of weeks. All species are biting and biting well. With the weather changes and the slow rise of the lake the fish are constantly on the move. In my last report fishing was good back in the major creeks, but here recently the fish are moving out to the main lake area. Of course this may change if we receive more rain and the lake starts to rise more quickly. Oh, by the way the lake is at a great level for fishing and boating sports and our dock is easily accessible with easy parking and launching facilities. You will find stripers on top as well as down 20 - 40 feet. Top water baits and swim baits are working the best for me. If you can get live shad you will catch a lot of fish. Stripers are all over the lake. Trolling a swim bait is still working, but recently I have switched to a 1 ounce jig head instead of the quarter ounce. Soon the bait will need to get deeper. When you are searching for stripers look at main lake points with deep water nearby and as always find the bait and you will find the fish.

The largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass bite is at its best. Live bait and artificial baits are both working well. Top water action happens most mornings and evenings, but sometimes not for a long period of time. Once they go down try throwing a 3 - 4 inch swim bait, it worked for me this morning. My 5 - 6 inch bait was getting a lot of hits, but no one would take it until I down sized. You can also work the bottom with plastics from 10 - 25 feet down. The bigger smallies are in 15 - 25 feet depths. Look for the bass in the same areas as the stripers, but they will also be back on secondary points in the creeks and off of deep bluff lines.

The white bass bite has been sporadic. One day many are caught and the next day they are gone or not feeding. Yesterday a couple of my guests were slamming the whites on a spook, but today I found them on the bottom in 50 feet of water, but could only get 1 taker. Main lake points is where they are currently being found, but they should start to move back in the creeks soon.

Panfishing is improving. Bluegills can be found up on the banks, but the bigger ones are still about 20 feet deep off of bluff lines. Find a small cut in the bluff and get up close and fish straight down. Use crickets, worms or niblets. Crappies have moved out to the brush in 15 - 30 feet of water, main lake and creeks. They will be at all depths depending on time of day and sunny conditions. Live crappies minnows are working the best. Crappie at my dock have been going nuts over the last week. Many 13 - 16 inch fish have been pulled up.

Catfishing is also good in the coves and creeks. Night crawlers and small bluegills are a great bait. Jugs, trotlines and rod and reel are all working.

The current Norfork Lake level is at 560.52 and rising slowly with intermittent power generation. The lake has risen 3.22 feet since my last report which isn't bad considering all the rain that we have had. The surface lake temperature is about 72 degrees in the main lake and slight warmer in the creeks. The creeks and coves are stained and the main lake is clear.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Hummingbird Hideaway Resort

Norfork Lake spring fishing is at its best. Hummingbird Hideaway Resort guests are having a blast. Stripers, hybrids, whites, largemouth, smallmouth, spotted bass, catfish, as well as some walleye, crappie and bluegills. This is really a fun time to fish the lake with either artificial baits or live minnows. The fish are feeding heavily and are found on both shallow and deep water, main lake and creek points. The bite is good lake wide so make your fishing plans now.


The striped bass and hybrid bass bite is excellent at this time. You can find these fish both on main lake points and deep water bluff lines as well as back in the creeks and small coves. Our resort had 5 different boats of fishermen out this morning. We were all in different areas of the lake, but still only 5 - 15 minutes away from our resort. Everyone caught fish. Look for coves that come off of a long deep water bluff line, as well as, points back in major creeks. I was actually out on a main lake wide point with bluff lines on both sides, fish were on the shallow flat of the point as well as off each side in deep water. Most fish that I marked were 10 - 20 feet down, but were coming up for top water and shallow running swim baits. I ended up landing a 18.5 pounder, a 10 pounder and couple 6 pound hybrids. Either cast or troll swim baits with a 1/4 to 1 ounce 5 - 6 inch swim bait. I like Heddon Zara Spooks for my top water bait. I have also added a trailer to the back treble hook and it seems to help attract the fish. The best bite is from daylight to around 8AM and also in the afternoon from around 6PM to dark.

The best top water action is for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. These fish seem to start feeding around 6:15AM.  Look for these fish in the same type of areas as the stripers.  Zara spooks, swim baits, flukes, and jerk baits are all working. During mid day time the fish will be slightly deeper so throw a lizard, jig & pig or a tube jig and work it along the bottom back to the boat in 10 - 20 feet of water. Spinner baits are working great after dark.

White bass are starting to show up in big numbers. I have found big schools on big flats in 20 - 30 feet of water. Top water early then down deep later. Blade baits, swim baits and spoons are working.

Catfishing is starting to get really good. This species has moved back into the creeks. Jugs and trot lines are working great, baited with a small bluegill or a shad if you have it. Look for them up shallow to 20 feet down.














Crappie and bluegill are finally moving onto shallow brush. Start looking for these species inside of the brush on the banks to right inside of the brush. Brush piles in 15-30 foot depths seem to be working the best. Use small jigs and minnows for crappie and crickets for bluegills.

Many walleye are being caught in similar areas as the stripers and largemouth. Small crank baits and swim baits seem to be catching fish. We're seeing a lot of short fish, but you get a keeeper on occasion.




The Norfork Lake Level is rising slowly with all the rain and currently sits at 557.3. Periodic power generation is keeping the level fairly stable. The surface water temperature is around 68 - 70 degrees. The main lake is clear and the creeks and coves are slightly stained.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.