Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Lou of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort

NIGHT BITE ON NORFORK LAKE: Norfork Lake's spring fishing season is starting to heat up. After many weeks of not being out on the lake I am finally back at it. I fished the last two nights with John, a friend/guest of ours. We were slow-rolling a suspending stick bait for striped bass. The bite after dark has started. The first day we had seven fish hooked and landed five and the second night we also had seven fish on and landed four. The largest fish was 10 to 11 pounds. We fished from about 7PM until 9PM each night. For me it is the battle that is exciting, no matter what the size of the fish. All of our fish were released on site. If you have interest in fishing for striped bass after dark, here are good methods to use over the next couple of months.  I use a shallow running suspending stick bait, 4 - 6 inches in length, such as a Smithwick Rogue or a Spro Mc Stick. (There are many other brands) There are two different ways to position your boat. Both are professed to be the best depending who you talk with. You can get your boat next to the shore line and cast parallel to the shoreline. This method keeps your bait in part of the strike zone at all times. The placement that I prefer to use is to get as far away from the shore as I can and still be able to cast within a foot or two of the shoreline. There is also a couple different methods of retrieval. Some like to jerk the bait 2 or 3 times to get the bait down 2 - 4 feet under the surface then retrieve to the boat very slowly. I prefer to cast to the shoreline, let the bait sit for 15 to 20 seconds, then start a steady retrieval back to the boat as slow as I can. If you think you are reeling slow, reel slower. The second method keeps the bait on the surface making a tiny wake. The first method has the bait submerged several feet down. Remember to always reel slowly all the way back to the boat, as I have had many strikes right at the boat when I am taking the bait out of the water. I have several favorite spots to fish after dark for stripers.  In general the stripers typically relate to long shallow water points. Cranfield area is a favorite spot, as well as in the major creeks in the area such as Panther, Fall and Float. I have been known to head back towards the 6A marker area and sometimes go even farther back. As you can see, you can try almost anywhere on the lake, if you don't see bait and fish on your point head to the next one.

I have many second hand fishing reports on bass and crappie fishing, but at this time no first hand knowledge. I will be updating on these species in my next report.

Norfork Lake has been stable and has been basically at normal pool of 553.68 for the last week or so with sporadic power generation. The surface water temperature is around 49 - 52 degrees. The main lake is cooler than the creeks. The water is stained, both the main lake as well as the creeks. The lake is starting to clear, but still will take some time.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Lou of Hummingbird HIdeaway Resort

 I can honestly say the fall bite is on. If you are looking to catch a lot of fish,  with live or artificial bait, you need to come to Norfork Lake. If you need a place to stay at reasonable winter rates call 870-492-5113. Yes, the weather may be cool and sometimes rainy, but it is a great time to find active fish. Over the last week big schools of striped bass, hybrid bass and white bass are roaming the large flat areas in 30 - 50 feet of water. For the last 5 days the bite has been consistently good with a lot of fish being caught. I have been mainly vertical jigging with a spoon, bouncing the spoon off the bottom or when I see suspended fish reeling up to them and jigging in the school. There has been some top water action for stripers with a few fish surfacing while feeding on shad. When I see the fish come up I have been using two different lures. I cast out a 1/2 ounce Kastmaster and let it sink down to about 15 feet. I then retrieve with a stop and go motion, twitching the rod tip on occasion. I have also thrown a Zara spook and walk the dog back to the boat. Electronics are definitely helpful this time of year. You will need to graph an area until you find the fish then start fishing. They will continually move so you are searching a lot. There is also another natural fish finder and it is the seagulls. If you notice these birds diving into the water go close to where they are feeding and you will find feeding fish. This natural occurrence only happens in the fall and winter while the birds are here. They migrate away from our lake in the late winter or early spring. Trolling a 5 - 6 inch swim bait will also catch you some fish. Set your baits at different depths starting at around 20 feet and down to 50 feet. Adjust your depth to where you are seeing the fish and of course to the depth where you start catching fish. Live shiners, thread fin shad and gizzard shad are also working very well. The shiners will be the easiest as you can buy them at a local bait and tackle shop. You may be asking yourself where are these flats that Lou keeps mentioning, so here you go. In the mid lake area, then going up river: southeast of Robinson Island, northwest side of the 101 bridge, in front of Mallard Point, east side of Cranfield Island, Seward Point, in front of Briar Creek, East of Howard Cove going towards Talbert Point. There are definitely other areas down toward the dam, going farther up river, or back in the Bayou area but the listed flats are the ones I will be fishing until the fish go into their winter pattern. The other locations where stripers will be found are part way back into the major creeks. I have been having too much fun on the flats and have not had a chance to check them out, but typically they are there, especially with rising water.

Crappie have moved under my dock and have also moved onto the brush piles in 30 - 40 feet of water. These fish will be at different depths depending on the time of day. Live crappie minnows are working the best, but small jigs with a paddle tail or a twister tail are also doing well. I like to tip my jigs with a minnow for maximum presentation.

Bass are also moving into the brush as well as up to the banks. Jerk bait time is for the most part here, so start throwing those stick baits. Spinners are also producing fish, but best method is still working your plastics along the bottom slowly. The bass are active so keep changing your retrieval speeds until you find the one they like.

Norfork lake is rising slowly with the 2+ inches of rain we received over the last 3 days. The current level is 559.0. Sporadic power generation is occurring, but I expect a continuous generation to occur shortly to bring the lake back to normal pool of 553.8. The creeks and coves are stained with the main lake partly stained to clear depending on location. The surface water temperature this morning was 58 - 59 degrees.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Lou of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort

Happy Thanksgiving to all.



Norfork Lake has gone through a lot of changes over the last week, but the fish have seemed to adjust very quickly. The lake has risen over 4 feet and we have had some really cool nights. The lake temperature has finally hit 59 degrees and should continue to fall slowly. Over the last week I have mainly fished for stripers, hybrids and white bass. I have had success with all these species.

I am still finding stripers, hybrids and whites on the large deep flats from 30 to 50 feet of water. Vertical jigging with a spoon is working the best for me, but live shad, as well as shiners should also work. Today I was graphing in 50 feet of water and not finding anything, but then
I looked in toward the shoreline and saw that fish were starting to bust the surface. I moved into 30 - 35 feet of water and found a lot of whites on the bottom with stripers hitting the surface. I starting to cast out a 1/2 ounce Kastmaster with a feather on the hook and landed a small but legal striper. My daughter and granddaughter were jigging with spoons on the bottom and the whites started to hammer their spoons. That was it for me with casting :-) We all caught whites. Trolling has also been very productive for a couple of our guests. They had their downriggers set at 30 and 50 ft and were catching nice size fish on a 6 inch swim bait at both depths. They were mainly trolling the deeper water close to the old river channels. I have not been able to check out the major checks, but typically the stripers move back into the creeks especially after a rise in the lake level. I will check it out over the next day or so.

Catfish are also feeding heavily. My guests were catching lots of cats on worms and chicken livers. They would check them in the morning and usually land 5 or 6 cats then they would rebait and check right before dark and catch a bunch more. They lost one of their floats, and on Sunday afternoon I was fishing out on the Mallard flats and saw a float out in the middle of the lake. I checked it and found their name on the float, pulled it up and there was a nice channel cat on the end. I released the fish and will save the float until they return next spring.

I have not been bass or crappie fishing over the last week so not much news on that from here. I will let you know once I have a chance.

Norfork Lake level has risen to 558.0 over the last week, but power generation is starting to occur so I would suspect the Corp. will start dropping the lake level. The lake surface water temperature has fallen to 59 degrees and should continue to fall slowly with our cool nights. The creeks and coves are stained (a great fishing color) and the main lake is semi clear.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Lou of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort

Norfork Lake fishing continues to be good in the early summer. The lake is clear and warm and great for all water sports. Whether you are a sun worshipper, boater, skier, tuber, wakeboarder, diver or fishermen. Norfork lake is the place to be. Early morning and later in the afternoon are great times to fish the lake, not many boats out and you can fish most anywhere you want.


Striped bass fishing has been good. The fish are starting to go deeper as the lake develops its summertime thermocline. I have noticed the thermocline 22 - 30 feet deep depending on where you are located on the lake. I have had my grandkids out fishing most days over the last week and they are having a blast. Thread fin shad has been my go to bait with the kids. They are doing great and all of them have learned how to fight this strong fish. Their biggest so far has been 14 pounds. I have been finding the fish back in major creeks in 50 - 80 feet of water and the stripers are suspended 20 - 50 feet down. Vertical jigging with a spoon as well as casting a swim bait are both working well. Place a 1/2 ounce jig head on the swim bait and let it sink then reel back to the boat slow and hang on. I am also starting to find larger schools of stripers out on main lake points along the deep water bluff lines. Live bait and jigging with a spoon are two great methods to catch these fish once you find the school. Still finding a few hybrids coming up at daybreak chasing shad so have a top water bait handy to have some fun.

Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass fishing has also been good. I have been finding some good topwater action at daybreak, but it typically only lasts up to an hour at the most. Top water baits, swim baits, swimming minnows are all working well early in the morning. As the sun comes up, start working the bottom with a plastic bait, jig & pigs, Texas rigged worms, craws or just about any type of bait worked along the bottom. The best depths to fish are 10 - 30 feet down. You will also notice some suspended fish in deeper water following shad, drop a spoon to their depth and start jigging. Spinner baits and jig & pigs are working after dark up along the banks.

You can still catch a few nice sized crappie, but they are deep. Find brush in 30 - 40 feet and the crappie will be on the tops and also buried inside of the brush. Live minnows seem to be working the best, but small crappie jigs and small crank baits are also working.

Norfork Lake level is currently holding steady at 564.60. We have been having about 6 hours worth of power generation per day. The main lake is clear and the creeks and coves are slightly stained. The surface water temperature is in the mid 80's.

Happy Fishing and see you on the lake. We still have a few cabins available for many weeks yet this summer. Our fishing derby is still going strong. Hope to see you at Hummingbird Hideaway!

All photos taken over the last week.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Hummingbird HIdeaway Resort

Striped bass fishing on Norfork Lake continues to be very strong. The fish are moving to different feeding grounds and are starting to go a little deeper. You can still find the stripers all over the lake. Stripers that I have cleaned are full of crawdads, which tells me you can find them laying on the bottom or close to it. Today was a very good day for striper fishing. I had a couple of our guests out with me, one a 7 year old. What fun I had helping and watching him reel in fish. We landed 5 stripers, the biggest one was 14 pounds. Mason did a fantastic job. There was a second boat that I sent to a totally different area. They ended up landing 9 stripers and kept 3. Today we were all using live thread fin shad. Another guest, Tom, has been trolling umbrella rigs. Today he thought he had a monster on but when he finally got it to the boat he had twin 8 pound stripers. That must have been a great battle. There is still some topwater action for striped and hybrid bass, but this is slowly coming to an end until the fall. I have been finding stripers part way back into creeks as well as on the main lake flats and points. Trollers are doing well in deeper water getting their baits down 25 - 35 ft. I have been working 40 - 60 feet of water and find the stripers suspended as well as on the bottom.

The bigger largemouth and smallmouth bass are in 10 - 25 ft of water. Work the bottom with a jig and pig, crawdads, grub or just about any type of plastic bait. There is still some good topwater action for bass early and late in the day. Get your topwater bait into or very close to the sunken buck brush then work it back to the boat. There are alot of bass in the sunken brush on the shoreline, but most are on the short side.
The Norfork Lake water level has risen to 562.28. The surface water temperature has also risen to around 82 degrees. The main lake is clear and the creeks and coves are somewhat stained, but clearing. The Corps of Engineers is releasing water through the generators about 6 hours per day and the lake level is fairly stable. The lake is in great shape for fishing and all summertime water sports.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report

Norfork Lake summer fishing has been slightly different from prior years. The fish are in their summer pattern, but in my view point they're in an early July pattern. Let me explain, typically in August the lake temperature is in the upper 80's to low 90's, but currently the lake is only in the low to mid 80's. This is not bad, we are still finding stripers and hybrids starting around the 62 bridge & Robinson flat area all the way down to the dam,  not only at the dam as is typical for this time of year. Crappie are still on 30 foot brush instead of being suspended out in deep water and there is plenty of top water action for largemouth, smallmouth, spots, white bass and some striper and hybrids. All species are still shallower than normal, which is good.

I have been fishing the Robinson flat area and the dam area catching hybrids and stripers from 38 - 50 feet of water sitting on the bottom. My grandaughter (top photo on the right) caught her first hybrid bass in this area and was really excited. Today I fished in the dam area and the fish erupted all around me. Big whites and medium to small size stripers were flying out of the water chasing small shad. I landed 9 fish and kept the two in the second photo because they both swallowed my spook too deep to retrieve. I also spooned up several stripers in 48 feet of water on the bottom. While spooning I noticed that the fish were not hitting the spoon on the jerk up or the fall, so I started letting it sit on the bottom and twitch it a little. I could feel a light bite then would set the hook. If you are live bait fisherman get out on the lake by 4:30AM, the bite is really strong in the dark. Spooning for stripers is just starting to take off so have a spoon ready to vertical jig and of course your top water pole.

Crappie fishing  has been good, which is  very unusual for this time of year. They are still sitting in brush that is at the 30 feet level. Also you can find them under docks especially if the dock has brush under it. My dock is just stacked with them, 4 - 6 feet down. Live minnows are working very well as are small jigs tipped with a minnow. If the lake warms to its normal temperature, I would speculate that he crappie will move off of the brush.

Catfish are also being caught on jugs, trotlines and pole fishing. Flatheads are hitting the best. You will find them around brush in the 30 ft of water during the day and in the shallow water feeding at night.

White bass are starting to school. I couldn't say this last week. You can find some good top water action early in the morning or at sunset. This action can be found at all ends of the lake. Two days ago some of my guests said they saw great top water action close to the 101 bridge and this morning I found them in the dam area. Use your topwater bait when you see then erupting and spoon for them when you find them deeper.

Black bass are hanging out around the 30 ft brush as well as along the deep bluff lines. You will find them on the bottom or suspended 30 down. Early and late in the day they will be up closer to the shore line in shallow water feeding. There is also a good topwater bite early and late in the day. Check back in the major creeks.

The Norfork Lake level currently sits at 552.9 and is falling slowly at about 2 inches per day. This level is approximated 3 feet below the new normal pool. The lake surface water temperature this AM was 83.5 degrees. The main lake is clear, and creeks and coves are stained.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.





Norfork Lake Fishing Report

It is definitely winter fishing time on Norfork Lake. No ice fishing, but plenty of good open water fishing for striped bass, and brush pile fishing for crappie, largemouth, smallmouth and walleye. All species are in their winter patterns and winter locations. I haven't been out fishing much. Going to Sport Shows, the holidays and the super cold weather have interrupted my play.  I will be home bound for a while longer since my new Minn Kota I-Pilot trolling motor fell apart. Yes, the motor came right off of the shaft while fishing yesterday, cutting my fishing time short. This was only the second time I've had it out on the water since Santa brought it.:-(

Striped bass are roaming in the deep water channels about 55 - 70 feet down in 100+ feet of water. Live bait fishing has been slow, but vertical jigging with a spoon has been producing some nice fish for me. I was out on the lake Tuesday and Wednesday with success on both days. Yesterday I landed this nice 13 pound striper on a green backed spoon. I was jigging in 60 feet of water and had a couple nice arcs come under my bait, I dropped the bait farther down and this fish hammered it on the fall. The way the striper ran and the strength of this fish made me think it was much larger. The stripers that I have been catching are very healthy with fat bellies. I guess we all put on a few extra pounds in the winter! All the fish I caught were released to be caught another day. I checked out Float and Panther Creeks yesterday and found a ton of shad. The shad was so thick that every time I tried to jig my spoon I snagged a shad. Lots of bait, but I did not mark much in the way of fish. I left and headed back to the deep water channel in the Henderson area. The best winter locations for stripers this year and in past years has been from the 62 bridge back to the 101 Marina area.

The big slab crappie have moved onto the brush piles, but look for deep brush. I haven't been out bass or crappie fishing, but a few of my lake friends have been doing pretty well. Fish over brush that is 30 - 50 feet deep. Most of the time the crappie will be on the top of the brush, but occasionally the bigger slabs are down in the brush.

Largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass will also be holding out near the brush. Most of the time I catch them vertical jigging on the bottom. With all the bait back in Panther and Float Creeks, I bet these would be great areas to fish for bass. Typically in this cold water you need to slow down your presentation and a lot of time downsize your baits.

When you are planning your spring fishing trip destination, consider Norfork Lake as a great lake to fish for all species. Another great enticement to fish our lake is our second annual Norfork Lake Fishing Derby. You will have the opportunity to win up to $1,500 for a very small investment. Give me a call for details at 870-492-5113. The derby runs from March 1 to June 15.

The Norfork Lake level is falling slowly with some generation and currently sits at 553.56 feet above sea level. This is considered to be slightly less than the new normal pool of 553.75. The lake surface water temperature has fallen to around 43 degrees, but with the upcoming deep freeze we are to have, I expect this temp to drop a little more. The creeks and coves are stained and the main lake is clear with a slight green tint.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report

Norfork Lake fishing is in its summer pattern. Fish are located below the thermocline, on the bottom as well as suspended in deep water channels. The thermocline appears to be between 26 to 30 feet deep.
 

Striper Bass fishing has been very erratic. It is good one day and tough the next. Stripers are being caught from mid lake (Robinson area) to the dam area. You can find stripers half way back in creeks and also out in the main lake. They are still very scattered and have not really schooled up as they typically do this time of year. You will find the stripers 30 to 60 feet down in 40 - 130 feet of water. It has been challenging, but that is what I enjoy about striper fish, the hunt! Live bait is working as well as vertical jigging. Trollers are finding fish in the same areas, keeping their baits 30 - 40 feet down.

The best bite for me at this time is walleye. I should have limited out the last two days, but I malfunctioned on the netting part. I guess my superstition of not having my net ready until I see the first fish has to end. The last two days I have lost very nice walleyes because I am fumbling around trying to get the net extended and the fish wiggles off the hook. I am finding walleye in 30 - 33 feet of water in and around brush. Most of the fish are inside the brush.

 

 

Largemouth and spotted bass fishing with a few smallmouth bass has also been good. Most days there has been a good top water bite starting at sunrise which ends when the sun gets over the trees. On cloudy days the bite lasts longer. I have been throwing a Zara Spook when the fish start to erupt. There are some nice fish along the shore, but don't be afraid to cast out to deeper water. The bass are chasing shad and can be in any depth of water. Mid size hybrids are also coming up in the same locations. Once the bass go down throw a crank bait that dives 10 feet. You will extend the morning bite this way. I haven't been out in the evening, but I would assume the bass are doing the same thing at sunset. Mid day look out in 30 - 45 feet of water and start vertical jigging a spoon. I have found most of the action half way back into creeks along a channel swing. The fish will be on the points and out in the middle of the channel.

The catfish bite has been good on trotlines. Set your trotline along a deep bluff. Tie both ends off to some rocks along the shore then tie on a rock half way up the line and drop it into the water. Your line will be shaped in a half moon shape. The deep side should be in 20 - 30 feet of water. Bait up the line with live bait, shiners or small gills. 

 

The current lake level is 554.65 and holding fairly stable. Slight generation is occurring. The surface water temperature fell a few degrees and this morning was 81 - 83 degrees. The water is somewhat stained in coves and creeks and clear on the main lake.

 

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.