Norfork Lake Fishing Report by Lou of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort 870-492-5113

Norfork Lake fishing is  continuing to be outstanding. There is still a little topwater action right before sunrise and then again at sunset. Hybrids, whites, largemouth and smallmouth bass are the fish coming up sporadically. Most species are located from about 18 feet of water out to 70 feet of water.

 The striped bass and hybrid bass bite is one of the best bites I have seen in awhile. This species has started to school which makes it a lot of fun. When you find the school of fish you have continuous action until you loose the school, then you are back to looking. Live bait is working very well, but artificial baits are working as well. Vertical jig with a spoon, cast out a big swim bait and cast or troll an Alabama rig. What I have noticed over the last week is that the fish I mark from the surface down to approximately 30 feet are predominately hybrid and white bass. The large arcs marked from 40  to 70 feet are typically striped bass. Striped bass need the cooler water whereas the hybrids can tolerate the warmer water. I have been vertical jigging with a spoon for the deeper fish as these are the big boys. This morning I had my spoon down 65 feet in 70 feet of water and I hooked into something big. It would not budge, but then I felt a head shake and it started to move slowly along the bottom. This fish could care less that it was hooked. I fought this fish for about 5 minutes then the treble hook just pulled out. I will get this monster the next time. :-)  The best locations at this time are part way back in creeks whether it be a major or a secondary creek. The striped and hybrid bass are feeding on crawdads during the evening and are switching out to shad when the sun starts to come up. The best depths where I have found the fish is from 50 - 100 feet of water.

The walleye bite is also very good. Most of the fish that my guests and I have caught are in 20 - 30 feet of water on the bottom. During the night if you are using a light to attract bait you will find this species suspended down about 20 feet. A crawler harness with a bottom bouncing weight is working very well, but I have caught my walleye jigging with a spoon on the bottom. Live shad or shiners are also picking up some nice fish especially after dark.

The largemouth bass bite has been good especially early and late in the day. Some topwater action up close to the bank, as well as, out in deep water while they are chasing shad. I have caught some nice fish on Zara spooks, swimbaits and a blade type bait. As the sun gets high in the sky switch out to baits you work along the bottom in 15 - 25 feet of water. You will also still find some nice fish up in the sunken buck brush, but most are deeper.

The crappie bite is good if you can locate the fish. This is the time of year when they scatter into deeper cooler water along bluff drop-offs or inside of deep brush piles. The best bite for crappie has still been in the shade of covered docks.

The Norfork Lake level is falling approximately 2 - 3 inches per day and currently sits at 561.5 which is only about 5 feet above normal seasonal pool. The surface water temperature is holding fairly stable and is currently in the mid 80's. The main lake is clear with a slight stain back in some of the coves. The lake is in absolutely great shape.

If you have not made your plans yet for your summer fishing and/or lake recreation vacation give us call. We have cabins available 870-492-5113.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report

• Happy New Year To All! May 2015 bring many heavy limits!

Winter fishing on Norfork Lake continues to be good. As you can tell by my photos I enjoy striper fishing. The bite for striped bass has been strong. I fished today and ended up landing 2 limits of stripers and hybrids. The fish are in or close to deep water channels and they are suspended anywhere form 30 - 60 feet down. I did not see any huge schools of fish, but instead found small clusters of 2 - 10 fish swimming together. They are feeding on small 2 - 4 inch thread fin shad, so large baits are not needed at this time. Later in the day they seemed to move out of the channels to nearby deep flats. At around 2:30PM I started finding fish on the bottom in 60 feet of water. Yes, these fish are roaming so the main thing you need to look for is bait. Find bait and you will typically find the fish. It is a large area, but start looking from the 62 bridge down toward the 101 boat dock and over toward Walker Hollow. I have been using live shiners as well as vertical jigging with a spoon. When jigging with a spoon,
you do not need to move the bait very fast, small light twitches have been working for me.

Largemouth bass fishing is also good. I have been finding these fish in 2 different areas. 1) along deep water bluff lines in 45 - 52 feet of water. The fish are on the bottom and if you can find a point along the bluff line it will be the best spot. 2) suspended in deep water down 30 - 50 feet feeding on shad. I have been catching nice  largemouth out in 70- 80 feet of water in the same areas where I am fishing for stripers. I caught 4 keeper largemouth today. Slow down your presentation, with the cold water the fish are moving slower.

White bass are roaming and chasing shad. Three days ago I found large schools of big whites and smaller hybrids in 45 - 50 feet of water on the bottom in a large flat area. I have also been catching some really big whites while striper fishing. They are usually buried within streams of bait 60 feet down.

I haven't been crappie fishing lately, but I have been given good reports that they are on deep brush piles. You will find the fish 20 - 40 feet down over sunken brush. Look for the fish up higher on the brush at sunrise and sunset, down deeper during the middle of the day.

Norfork Lake surface water temperature today was 47 degrees. The water level is still rising slowly with minimal power generation and currently sits at 550.76. The backs of creeks are still a little brown from the resent rain, but the main lake is clear. Lake condition is overall excellent.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report

There has been a lot of change to the fishing patterns on Norfork Lake since my last report. Fish are starting to move to their winter patterns and locations. The lake has cooled to the mid 50's which will make the fish more sluggish so you will need to consider that when you fish Norfork Lake. With cold clear water fishing you will still need to use clear, green or vanishing lines in 8 to 10 pound test for stripers and 4 pound for everything else. You need to slow your retrieval methods and presentations whether you are vertical jigging or casting. I am still using monofiliment line.

Largemouth and spotted bass have moved closer to the shoreline. I have caught a few nice fish on jerk baits and crawdad colored wiggle warts, but most of the bigger fish have come from vertical jigging in 35 - 42 feet of water. A lot of you may still feel this is deep water, but the big fish were in 50 plus feet of water not long
ago. I have noticed a few suspended bass, so when you find them throw a swim bait and get it down to their depth. The bigger bass have come from vertical jigging a spoon on the bottom. I have been using a 1 ounce to a 1/4 ounce spoon depending on water depth and the amount of bait in the area. The 1 ounce spoon seems to be working the best at the 40 feet level, but I have been using the 1/4 ounce more and more lately. The bass have also moved into and around brush piles. I have caught most fish off of bluff lines that have a secondary point (small cuts in the bluff line forming points), or at the end of the bluff line where a cove or creek begins. If there is brush in the area even better. I have found nice fish both on the main lake and also back in the major creeks.

Striped bass have also started to move more to their normal winter patterns. They have started to school and feed on small shad. I have caught stripers on both live shiners as well as a 1 ounce spoon. When I have found the fish schooling the spoon works the best. The schools have been suspended from 20 - 40 feet in 50 - 60 feet of water. I have caught stripers in the Red Bank and Float Creek areas, in or close to the channel. Other normal winter haunts for striped bass will be in the Cranfield area, Henderson area, Bidwell, 101 area and the Bennett area.
 

.The big Crappie are starting to move into brush in 30 - 40 feet of water. They may be suspended over the brush or inside of the brush. A lot of times it depends on the time of day and whether or not the sun is shining brightly. I have caught most of my fish vertical jigging with a small spoon around brush in 40 feet of water. Small grubs tipped with a small minnow, as well as minnows on a split bobber will work. We will start to see bigger schools of crappie in the brush. You still will need to work several brush piles because as normal, after you catch a few fish on on brush pile they seem to stop biting. When they stop biting move to other brushy areas and then come back to your first brush pile.

 

Walleye have also moved into shallow water areas, especially early mornings and late evenings. Vertical jigging has worked for me, but slow trolling a crawler harness will also do the trick. You will find walleye in the same brush areas that you are fishing for crappie. It will not be long until the walleye start their spawn. If you like fishing for walleye, up north around the Arkansas - Missouri border is a great place to fish for pre spawn and spawning fish.

 

When you are planning your spring fishing trip on Norfork Lake don't forget about staying at Hummingbird Hideaway Resort. Why stay somewhere else when you can stay at a resort that the owner actually fishes for all Norfork Lake species almost every day. We have very affordable pricing with clean and comfortable cabins that your wife and friends will enjoy. I will show you my favorite spots to fish and tell you the best fishing techniques to use at the time. I even like to get your cell number so I can give you a call on the lake if I get into fish. Where else can you get this service and comfort! Give us a call for reservations at 870-492-5113.

 

The Norfork Lake level is dropping about an inch a day and currently sits at 541.58. They seem to generate about 1/2 of the day in 2 - 4 hour increments. The lake surface water temperature is in the mid 50's. The main lake is clear with the creeks and coves slightly stained.

 

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.