Norfork Lake Fishing Report

Striper fishing on Norfork Lake is going strong. I fish this AM with some success. I decided to check out several areas that I haven't fished in a while. I started in the Diamond Bay area. I arrived about 5:15 AM and set out two balloons and two free lines with live thread fin shad. It wasn't more than 15 minutes before both balloons started to ZINGGGG! I set the hooks on both fish, set one rod back into the rod holder and started to fight one of the fish. I had it almost in and saw it dart right into the other line. And then there was one. I landed this nice 10 pounder, but who knows what the other was. (must have been a 35 pounder!!) As soon as I reset the two balloons one of the free lines took off. I was heading into the wind at this time and I guess when I got off of the trolling motor it gave slack in the line and the fish escaped. I was fishing in 20 - 30 feet of water. Sunrise was starting and it was like someone turn off a switch and the fish stopped biting. I then headed to the dam area to see what was happening there. As chance would have it nothing was happening for me. I fished three different areas with no bites. Robert Lee of Lee's Lite Line has been fishing the dam area for the last week and has done quite well on hybrids and stripers, but I guess I didn't go to the right places. I then headed back to Fall Creek. No stripers, but plenty of bass. I landed 7 spotted and largemouth bass in about a 45 minute period. It was then time to head back to the resort and start cleaning the pool.

Jeff, one of our MO guests landed this nice 28 pound striped bass the other afternoon. He released the fish after the photo. He has caught many striped bass over the last several days all with gizzard shad. He has been fishing the Bennett's area and has had most of his success late in the afternoon. He has been pulling 4 - 6 planer boards trying to stay near the shoreline. His fish have been caught in 8 - 30 feet of water.

Bud Gauger of Howard Cove Striper Service took several of our guests out fishing yesterday. They had a successful trip, landing 6 striped bass and missed 3 others. The largest was 17 pounds. Essie caught the big fish of the day, and by the way she is 90 years young and going strong. She had a great time on her guided birthday trip and fishing off of our dock. Bud was fishing with gizzard shad back in the Bennett's area.

Norfork Lake level is on the rise and currently sits at 552.21. The surface water temperature has dropped to around 60 degrees north of the bridges and as low as 55 at the dam. A warm southerly wind is forecast for the next several days, this should help spur on the top water action. Coves and creeks are still stained and the main lake is clear.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report

Fishing on Norfork Lake has been going strong the last several days. Striped bass, hybrid bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and crappie have been hitting well. Due to the windy weather I haven't been on the lake the last two days and there were several postponed guided trips today so I have no report on how fishing was today. The low pressure and cool front might have affected the action today, but the weather forecast after today is back to normal. (Highs in the 70's lows in the 50's)- perfect spring weather is coming back soon.

I did fish Thursday evening and just slammed the bass. The photo shows a sampling of the bass caught. I landed 7 bass in the 3 - 5 pound range. All fish were released. I also had two striper hits and lost both. I was fishing with small gizzard shad in the strong wind. I have realized that fishing alone with live bait in strong wind is almost impossible. I fished Wednesday night with a couple of our guests and landed one nice striped bass, but it was a slow rogue fishing night. We did have several other hits. At sunset on Wednesday another of our guests fishing in the same area with live bait had a frenzy of top water action for about 45 minutes. He ended up landing 6 stripers in the 8 - 20 pound range. He released all fish that evening. We were fishing in the Bennett's area. Robert Lee of Lee's Lite Line had another successful trip with several of our guests. They caught plenty of hybrid bass, black bass and smallmouth bass. Last evening a couple of our guests battled the strong winds and landed a nice 28 pound striped bass. I commend their perseverance in the weather conditions we had yesterday evening.

Crappie fishing during the week was really good. The fish are moving to the banks and on shallow brush piles. It seems live bait is working the best, but artificial jigs are holding their own.

Walleye are in the same brush piles as the crappie and also can still be found on the rock bluff lines from 5 - 20 feet down.

The Norfork Lake level is rising due to 1.3 inches of rain the other day. We are currently at 551.63. The lake surface water temperature has dropped and is in the hight 50's to low 60's. Creeks and coves are stained due to the rain, but the lake is clearing quickly.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report

Spring fishing on Norfork Lake is heating up and will only get better. The warm Ozark weather has helped to increase the surface water temperature which is making the fish more active. Top water action for black bass has been good at sunrise and sunset back in coves and creeks. Yesterday morning I went to check on the dock at around 6:30AM and when I got there the fish were popping all over. I always carry a rod with me when I go to the dock and of course I had a Zara spook tied on. What's the jingle? - Don't leave home without it- something to do with a credit card not really a rod and reel! In less than 15 minutes I landed 4 spotted bass in the 2 pound range. I was casting from the end of the dock. When the bass aren't breaking the surface I have been using a 3 inch curly tail grub with a 1/8 oz. jig head. I have had a lot of luck on deep bluff lines especially on bluff points.

Word has it that the crappie are starting to move to the banks. They have either started to spawn or are really close. The crappie in the photo were caught off of my dock. Several very good places to find crappie are on fallen timber that is close to the shore or brush piles in 10 - 20 feet of water. The crappies are suspended only 2 - 6 feet down. I like small twister tail grubs with a 1/16 or a 1/32 ounce jig head. Use very light line, just 2 - 4 pound test. Live minnows are also working very well.

White bass are schooling and can be found back in coves and creeks in shallow water, 10 - 20 feet. They also can be found close to brush piles. I haven't seen any top water action on whites yet, but it should start soon. Small spinners and spoons are working well.

Walleye are being caught in many different locations. They are typically being found in 10 - 20 feet of water and at night on the shoreline feeding. The same 3 inch grub I use for bass is catching walleye. Last night a suspending rogue cast to the bank was the ticket for this nice walleye. Crank baits being slow trolled along the banks are picking up a few nice walleye.

Striped bass fishing is starting to heat up. I just got back from a successful night fishing trip. I ended up catching 2 striped bass (15 pound and 10 pound), 1 walleye, 3 white bass and a couple of bluegill. I missed as many as I caught. I caught all on a Smithwick Rattlin Rogue, blue on the top, white on the sides with an orange belly. The bite really didn't start until around 10pm, but when it did the fish just started to explode around me. I could hear stripers and white bass breaking the surface all around me. As soon as I heard the splashes I got my first fish. They stuck around in the area for an hour worth of fun. I released all fish, the ones in the photo where released at my dock. The morning bite for stripers is also heating up. Stripers and hybrids are being caught all over the lake. Three of my guests from the Oklahoma area took a guided trip with Robert Lee of Lee's lite line and they landed these 3 nice hybrids and lost as many more.

The Norfork Lake water level is rising slowly and currently sits at 550.54 ft above sea level. The surface water temperature last evening was in the low 60's. The water is clear with some stained water due to the 1.25 inches of rain that we had the other day.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report

If it wasn't for the 20 mile per hour wind it would be a great day to be on Norfork Lake. It has cooled off a bit today, but warmer and less windy days are not far off. The fishing is improving with the warm weather we had the last few days and if we get the warm south winds that are forecast, fishing should start to explode on Norfork Lake.

Stripers are being caught both during the early in the day and at dark and after dark. I fished Saturday evening and caught one nice fish and lost two others. The fish pictured was released after its photo op. I was throwing a rogue and slow rolling it back to the boat. Two important techniques to remember on the retrieval, reel really slow and reel all the back to the boat. The fish that are biting my bait are hitting it just before I lift it out of the water. I believe that they are following it all the way to the boat from the shoreline. One of my quests has been catching stripers with a 3 inch paddle tail grub. He has been catching bass, walleye and striper with this bait. He casts to the shore and lets it sink to the bottom and works it slowly back to the boat. Most of his fish are being caught in 10 - 25 feet of water. He has also had luck with a white Rapala Shallow Running crank bait. No pictures of Ed as he practices catch and release on most all fish.

Robert Lee of Lee's Lite Line Guide Service took a couple of my guests out fishing this morning. Their trip was delayed for about 2 hours due to the lightening, but the late start did not effect the fishing. They were using good sized thread fin shad and were long lining the bait as well as pitching the bait to the shoreline. They ended up catching 5 stripers, 4 were released with the 20 pound fish in the photo going to become a wall mount.

Stripers are being caught at all ends of the lake. Bennetts, Cranfield, Pigeon, upriver, and down at the dam. All of my main information sources are fishing my end of the lake.

Bass fishing has been very good for most folks. Swimming minnows, twister tail grubs, and paddle tail grubs have all been productive baits. It appears slow motion is still working the best for bass. As the lake warms up into the 60's the bass will start looking for faster moving baits. There is also a small window of top water action early in the morning and right before dark. If you can get close enough to the schooling fish cast a top water bait or a rogue and work it through the active fish. Top water action will improve as the water temperature warms.

Crappie fishing is another thing. One to two weeks ago with all the warm weather the bite was getting very good. The cool weather last week slowed the bite, at least for my guests. Crappie are on the verge of spawning so the fish will be going to the banks. Look for fallen timber close to shore and cast a small grub, small swimming minnows, or a roadrunner. You can still find fish suspended over the brush and as the water warms the fish will not be very deep. With all the warm weather a week ago the fish were only 3 - 6 feet down.

The Norfork Lake water level is rising and currently sits at 549.61 ft. This is only a little more than 2 ft below normal pool. The lake has been gin clear, but with this mornings .4 inch of rain it should cloud up the water a little especially back in the creeks and coves. The water temperature yesterday was in the mid to upper 50's, but it has dropped several degrees today. Our end of the lake appears to be about 3 degrees warmer than areas south of Robinson.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report

Striped Bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye and crappie are all being caught on Norfork Lake. The fishing has been really good and will only get better as the temperature rises. I have guests striper fishing using medium size gizzard shad and they are just hammering the fish. All of their fish were caught on free swimming baits and the stripers came out of the water to attack the bait. The best bite for them seems to be in the late afternoon. The Bennett's area has been their top location, but they have caught stripers in East Pigeon and the Cranfield area as well. I have heard that the night bite is taking off. I can't confirm that since I have fished after dark in several areas and have found no stripers. Or at least they didn't like the flavor of rogue I was casting. I will keep trying and will find them eventually.

Crappie, bass and walleye fishing yesterday under the cloudy skies was really good for Ed, a Wisconsin guest. Ed was using a small paddle tail with a 1/8 ounce jig head. The paddle tail was in the darker colors with a lighter tail. He found fish in shallow water 7 - 15 feet deep back in coves. He found some fallen timber that was laying on the shore and stretched out into the water and caught fish all day long yesterday. This almost 16 inch crappie was his prize. Ed was fishing the Cranfield area and coves heading up river. The fish were lying on the bottom to a few feet off of it.

As mentioned earlier I fished last evening. I started trolling a couple of shallow running crank baits because the wind was blowing pretty brisk. As the sun was setting I started to cast the shore with a rogue. All of sudden fish started to break the surface. I cast my rogue into the break, cranked down two cranks and largemouths would just hammer the bait. In about a 45 minute period I landed 6 bass in the 3 - 4 pound range and lost several other. It was fun!! Once it got real dark the fish went down and I started casting the shoreline again. I fished until about 9PM with only one strike. I think it was a bass. I was fishing back in the Bennett's area.

The lake level is rising slowly and currently sits at 548.31. Minimal generation. The surface water temperature has fallen to 51 - 53 degrees due to the cool nights that we have been having. The water clarity is gin clear. The clarity may change a bit as there is rain in the forecast tomorrow, then the weather is to become gorgeous and warm again. Fishing in April should be out of site!

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report

This past week has shown what spring fishing is all about. Top water action for stripers and bass, as well as the night bite starting to kick-off. What 5 days in the 70's and nights in the 50's and 60's can do for the fishing and lake water temperature. Of course my fishing time last week was very limited due to spring time cabin opening and maintenance. Work first play second.

I have credible reports that several lucky fishermen got into some nice striper, hybrid and spotted bass top water action for about 2 1/2 hours last week. They were launching their boats at Panther Bay and the fish started erupting. They were catching fish on every cast. Also back in Pigeon Creek the Kentuckys and whites were hitting top water baits.

Spawning report: The white bass are spawning back in the creeks. Crappie have either started or they are really close. Stripers are ready to go though their mock spawn as you can see white milk pouring out of the males when you catch one. Bass are still a ways off, but it appears they are staging. Walleye should be close to finishing their spawn

Stripers are being caught all day long. The best bite appears to be in the afternoon. I got a call from some of my guests yesterday at about 7:30PM for a photo opportunity, they landed 5 nice stripers. All fish were in the teens and twenties. The two larger fish (23 and 24 pound) were released and the three in the mid teens will become supper. I didn't get the photo as I was in Float Creek trying to catch my own striper. They had better luck! My guests have been catching fish all week long in different areas of the lake. The photo of Peter holding a nice 15 pound striper was caught Wednesday afternoon. They have caught fish in East Pigeon, Bennett's, and the Fouts area. They are using gizzard shad both the large and small ones and the fish don't seem to be very choosy on the size. All fish have been caught on free swimming baits without weight.

I had the chance to get out several nights during the week. Last evening I ended up landing 4 largemouth bass and 2 smallmouth bass, but no stripers. I fished Float Creek until about 9PM. A few nights ago I fished the Cranfield area and ended up landing several bass and one smaller striper. There were several other boats that landed fish and they were in the same size range. I also tried the Diamond area with zero luck, even though I had many reports of stripers and walleye being caught. I have been using different color rogues and using a very slow steady retrieval to the boat. The night bite should get much better with the warmer water assuming our current cool front doesn't mess things up.

Crappie fishing last week was really good. The fish are suspended over shallow brush and being caught in 3 - 6 feet of water. Small live minnows has been the best bait, but small jigs are producing some fish. They are ready to spawn.

The Norfork Lake water level currently is at 547.4 ft above sea level. The water is gin clear. The lake surface water temperature was 57 degrees back in float and 53-54 degrees on the main lake.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.

Norfork Lake Fishing Report

Spring has finally arrived on Norfork Lake. It has been sunny and warm the last couple of days and more of the same is in store for us next week. There are a few days of rain forecast, but this will only help the spring bite get better.

The striped bass, hybrids, white bass, black bass and crappie are starting to get very active with the warming of the lake. Yesterday I was marking 50+ degree surface water temperature for Norfork Lake.

Ed, a guest from Wisconsin, was thrilled with the battle given to him from this nice 23 pound striped bass. He states that the stripers are much stronger fish then Muskies. He caught this fish yesterday trolling a Shad Rap back in the Bennett's Bayou area. He was following the channel in around 20 feet of water and his bait should have been about 7 to 8 feet down. He was also using light tackle with only 6 pound test. The fish are coming up. He also noted that there were other boats in the area, both trolling and using live bait, that he saw boating fish. Ed has also caught his share of white bass and hybid bass in many different areas of the lake. I believe the whites have started their spring run and fishing for them will only get better. Look for the whites and hybrids on shallow sand flats. Small crank baits, jigs, rooster tail spinners and gulp minnows should all start to work.

After working around the resort all day yesterday, I decided to see if the night bite was heating up. I have heard though the grape vine that stripers are being caught after dark, but I guess I was not in the right location. I was throwing several different colors of rogues and did catch a few nice largemouth but no stripers. The largemouth bass were caught right as the sun was setting, then I did have a few bumps after dark, but did not hook them. I only fished till about 8:30PM so the bite could have been later.

Crappie are on the brush and should be close to their spawn. Whenever I crossed a brush pile last evening the fish were just stacked from 5 to 15 feet down. The brush that I was marking was in 20 - 30 feet of water. Live bait on a slip bobber should be the most active bait, but throwing a small jig tipped with a minnow will entice a few fish.

The surface water temperature last evening was 50 degrees in the main lake up to 55 degrees back in the creeks and coves. The main lake is clear with the creeks off colored due to the rising water. The lake is rising slowly and currently sits at 545.2 feet above sea level. Currently no generators are running and they have mainly been shut down for that last week or so.

Happy fishing and see you on the lake.