Norfork Lake Fishing Report



 From what I have seen over the last couple of days the Norfork Lake fishing is starting to take-off, finally. The extreme weather changes that we have had during the month of April has made for an interesting time of fishing. The crappie should have been spawning a week or two ago, but it appears they have moved to the banks again and this time to stay. Largemouth and smallmouth bass have started to move to their beds over the last couple of days. We are a couple of weeks behind where we normally are, but for a positive note, this delay should make for a fantastic May bite. May is typically a good fishing month, but I think this year should be outstanding. All this said, I am assuming the air temperature is going to get back to normal and start to warm the lake. The other positive lake effect is that the water has risen a little and the buck brush is getting submerged. With this lake level the shad will move into the brush and the fish will follow making for a great shallow bite. Thread fin shad that I netted this morning are really fat, telling me they are ready to spawn. With all the brush in the water they will be all over the lake spawning. The fish will start to move out of the major creeks to feed on the spawning shad.

 

This morning was a fantastic striper bite. I caught my limit is less than an hour. I was using gizzard and thread fin shad and the fish were coming up to get the bait. I was also throwing a spook, but had no takers today, unlike a few evenings ago when I landed two nice stripers and missed several others on a clear spook with a hint of yellow on the top and a white feathered rear treble hook. That was a fun evening watching the fish jump out of the water to attack my Zara Spook. Once it became too dark to see, the bite seemed to quit. I haven't been able to get out after dark since my last report so I don't really know if the night bite has every taken off.  I do know that the stripers are in shallow water hitting rogues as Jerry landed this nice 24 pound fish in the Cranfield area last Wednesday morning, right at sunrise. The stripers still seem to be back in the major creeks in the off colored water.

 

Crappie fishing has been up and down over the last week or so. They start to move in to spawn then a cold front arrives so they move out. This weekend I had several boats out crappie fishing and even with the cool front and a lot of rain the crappie seemed to stay on the banks and on shallow brush. Try using a light weight hair jig, a paddle tail or twister tail grub. For best results tip with a crappie minnow or some crappie niblets. I had a fishing group in last week that were crappie fishing, bass fishing and striper fishing. The crappie bite was OK, but not great. They did manage to pick up enough crappie to feed 20 guys. The Eelpout Fishing Club has a great group of guys and Linda and I look forward to their next visit.

Largemouth and smallmouth bass have also started to move onto their beds over the last several days. They are coming up for spooks, rogues and flukes. You will also find some good top water action early and late in the day. I was back in Fall Creek earlier in the week and found the bass stacked on several points and off the sides of points. They were hammering my white with chartreuse head spook on just about every cast. Look back in creeks with gravel banks and you should find the fish.

Norfork lake is on the rise. We have had well over two inches of rain over the last couple of days and with little or no power generation the lake is coming up slowly. The lake currently sits at 556.7 which is only 3 feet above the new normal pool. I have been told there is a mud line toward Cranfield. I didn't go that way this morning so I can't confirm, but the main lake from Mallard Point to the bridges and beyond is very clear. Hummingbird Hideaway's cove did get somewhat stained over the gin clear conditions of 3 days ago. Great fishing color in the coves and creeks. The surface water temperature has fallen to the upper 50's, again. This should warm and stabilize over the next few days with our current beautiful weather forecast. Over all the lake is in great shape. I'm looking for an exciting May.

Don't forget to ask about the Norfork Lake Fishing Derby. The Derby continues though May 31, 2013. When you check-in to your Chamber member lodging facility sign up.  You could win $500.00.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.



Norfork Lake Fishing Report

It is another great day for fishing on Norfork Lake. The sun is shining, it's in the 30's, but should get up into the 50's and maybe even 60's as it did yesterday. I should be out on the lake, but I have decided that I needed to do some work in the resort before I head out to my last sport show. I will be in Oklahoma City this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Backwoods Hunting and Fishing Expo. It is being held at the fair grounds in the travel and transportation building. Come by to visit with me and talk a little about Norfork Lake fishing and Hummingbird Hideaway Resort. I will be more than happy to take your reservation for your spring fishing trip or summer vacation. We still have a few larger units available this summer, but they are going quick.

Since my last sport show in Tinley Park, IL I have fished every day except for yesterday and today. The best bite on the lake is for largemouth bass, spotted bass, crappie. walleye and bluegill. I have been catching  bass anywhere from 10 feet to 35 feet of water. Early in the morning I have found bass close to the banks feeding on small shad. As the sun comes up and the shad go deeper, so do the fish. I have started throwing the new Alabama rig with small 3 inch Berkley's swimbaits.



This new rig does work. There was a lot of top water action one morning and they would not hit anything I threw at them. I hooked up the Alabama rig and started casting and started to catch fish. This rig gives the illusion of a school of shad and the fish can't resist it. I will be honest and say that you do get tired of casting (at least I do). I switch back and forth from vertical jigging in deeper water to casting the swimbaits. I have been fishing back in the East Pigeon, Pigeon and Float Creek areas. We have had several fronts move through the area in the last couple of weeks, which does affect the fishing on a daily basis. One day I go out and find and catch big fish, but the next day they have moved and the fishing gets tougher. I end up catching fish every day, but somedays they are just the smaller ones. I guess that is why they call it fishing and not catching.

Crappie are still biting well. My fish are coming from brush that is in 30 - 40 feet of water and the fish that I have been catching are inside the brush. Hard to get out once you hook them. I talked with Jay Smith, of Crappies Only, the other day and last weekend he hammered the fish. His fish were caught over brush only 6 feet down. When we get a few sunny days the crappie start coming up to the warmer water. Jay has been using crappie minnows and I have been using small vertical jigging spoons.

Walleye have started their spring run up river from the Arkansas border up to the Udall, Mo area. They are being caught in 5 - 15 feet of water using live bait. River chubs are the bait of choice, but shiners are also catching fish. The small males have been the predominant fish caught, but a few large females are starting to show up. The spawn should be in full swing by beginning to mid March.

I have been catching quite a few gills in 25 - 30 feet of water jigging a spoon. The size of these fish are amazing. Striped bass are starting to show up in shallow water. I have not been targeting stripers, but have been getting reports from many bass fishermen that they are catching these fish on their Alabama rigs in 15 - 20 feet of water. The Stripers never did get to their normal deep winter pattern, but are moving in shallow water feeding on shad and crawdads.

The Norfork Lake water level is fairly stable, but has started to drop slowly due to power generation and currently sits at 552.02. Basically at normal pool. The water temperature is ranging from 46 - 48 degrees in areas that I have fished and is in the low 50's up river. The main lake is clear and the creeks and coves are stained.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Happy New Year from Hummingbird Hideaway Resort

Happy New Years to all of our fishing blog friends. We hope 2012 brings many memorable fishing trips, good health and prosperity. Be safe. See you on Norfork Lake!

Lou and Linda Gabric
Hummingbird Hideaway Resort

Norfork Lake Fishing Report

Norfork Lake is gearing up for a great fall bite. The lake temperature is dropping and is in the low 70's. The thermocline is starting to disappear in a lot of areas. The forecast for day time temperatures is in the upper 70's to low 80's and the nights in the 50's and 60's. Can't ask for much nicer fall weather. We have cabins available so call for you reservations:-)

The bass bite on artificial baits as well as live bait has been very good. I fished this morning and caught more fish vertical jigging with a spoon than I did with live bait. I was fishing in 25-35 feet of water. I had plenty of bites on live bait, but it was difficult getting to the poles when I also had a jigging spoon down. I found the fish on the end of a main lake points that had brush in 28 - 40 feet of water. The points that I am finding most productive are located on the end of bluff lines which gives the fish deep water close by. Last week one of our guests was only bass fishing and caught and released many fish. He was catching on crankbaits, plastic worms and jigs. Most of his success was on bluff lines and it was even better when he found brush.

The walleye bite this morning was also very good. I ended up spooning up 4 walleye, but they were only 17 inches long. I guess I found the day care area. They are located in the same locations as the bass. I caught all on a spoon, but did notice a few bites on my live bait. I guess I get too impatient and set the hook too soon and ended up only getting teeth marks on the the bait. With live bait you need to give them some line when they start to run, but once they stop set the hook. I will get the hang of this some day!!!

The striped bass bite is finally starting to pick up. Last Saturday one of my friends  landed 7 nice fish. Tom Reynolds of STR Outfitters took a couple of our guests out and landed 3 fish with the biggest being 22 pounds. I have reports of another guide landing 5 stripers in the midlake area on Sunday. The stripers are on the move and starting to scatter though out the lake. The best part is that they are starting to bite. Another sign that the fall bite has started. The stripers are being found in 25 - 40 feet of water both on the bottom and suspended.

Catfish are hitting trotlines and jugs baited with live bait, chicken livers and cut bait. I have been baiting up a line in our cove the last few days but have only caught two fish. Each morning when I check the line all the bait is gone. I think I have been feeding the turtles. I guess I need to move my line to another location. A couple of our guests had some good success a week ago using live blue gill as bait. Photo on the top. I also caught a nice blue cat spooning this morning. You never know what you are going to catch when you are vertical jigging with a spoon. I guess that is why I enjoy it so much.

Crappie are on brush piles and under docks. You will find them 15ft to 30ft down over and in the brush.

Norfork Lake surface water temperature is in the low 70's and I have also found the upper 60's up North. The lake is falling slowly and currently sits at 553.27. Generation is intermitent and is only dropping the lake about 1 to 2 inches per day. The main lake is clearing quickly due to the light generation, but the creeks and coves are still stained.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.