| 02/19/2012 |
By Tim Partin of
101 Grocery and Bait
Live Bait fishing on the magnificent Norfork Lake has been good for Crappie, Walleye, Bass and Blue gills. The water level is great, around 552 msl and surface temp is on the rise. Striper fishing has been spotty as well as white bass. The walleye are moving upstream to spawn and the stripers should be right behind them to do their thing. We have had some great weather so get ready to get out there and fish. Be kind to the spawning fish and only keep what you're going to eat put some back for the next day. FYI it is ILLEGAL to bring live bait from any other lake or state to Norfork Lake you must buy it from a local bait shop or catch it from here. |
| 02/19/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the mid to upper 40's and the lake level is 552.2. The stripers are still scattered and down with the baitfish around 60ft. You can usually see just a couple fish down around the balls of baitfish. Some walleye are moving up the river and the major creeks. Look for bass close to bluff ends and in pockets. If we get some warm rains the fish will head to the backs of the creeks. The whites will be stacked up in the creeks. Heard reports of crappie being caught in brush piles. |
| 02/18/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The warm weather & water has triggered the spring walleye run, we caught 13 walleye from 16 to 22 inches, we kept our limit. The fish were caught in 8 to 10' of water from the AR. state line pass Udall marina on creek clubs. It's a simple rig, small weight and #6 circle hook. The males have moved in first but one big female was caught, I expect the next several weeks we see a major run until the spring rains come.
|
| 02/06/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake came up this week with the 1 3/4" of rain. The lake level is 553.1 (normal is 552) and the water temp is in the mid to upper 40's. Look for fish suspended 30-40ft. When I see them suspended I drop a jigging spoon. At that depth this time of the year you can catch anything from crappies ,bass, stripers, hybrids, and walleye. Throw suspending jerk baits along bluffs, bluff ends, over deep brush piles and in coves. Try a jig or a grub and throw to the bank and work it SLOW back to the boat. When the water is cold you have to fish slower. |
| 02/06/2012 |
By Tim Partin of
101 Grocery and Bait
Lake Norfork fishing has been good water level is around 553' msl with a surface water temp. range from 42 degrees to 47 degrees. Water is stained to clear with the recent rain we had. Fishing has been good for crappie and bass. Striper are hitting live bait and small jigging spoons. The best fishing depth has ranged from 30- 40' for most species. |
| 02/06/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The bass, crappie, & walleye are biting, striper fishing is slow. The warm weather has allowed the stripers to stay roaming looking for bait. The deep water pattern that is normal during the winter has not appeared. Unless we get some really cold weather the next couple of weeks there will not be a shad kill. This will help all fish in the lake. The bass & crappie are in the brush, minnows & and small spoons are working the best. Walleye have begun their spawning run in the river above Red Bank.
|
| 01/24/2012 |
By Tim Partin of
101 Grocery and Bait
Lake Norfork has some good blue gill fishing with worms around 20' deep along the bluffs. Crappie fishing has been fair. Bass fishing is good. Stripers are hitting live bait.
|
| 01/23/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The warm weather has continued to keep the shad shallow in 50' or less. The stripers have never gone into their full winter patterns. There are reports of major top water periods mid-day around the 6A area. Look for the bait and you will see stripers. They are feeding on very small shad so keep your baits on the small side. One good thing about the warm weather and water, we should not have a major shad kill this year. Once the weather begins to warm up I expect a great spring season. The stripers are in good shape and will be feeding heavy getting ready for their spring run.
|
| 01/22/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 551.2 and the water temp is in the upper 40's. Look for fish along the bluffs and on the end of the bluffs. Throw a suspending jerk bait, jig or a grub on a 1/4 oz.jig head. If you mark fish 30-50ft. drop a jigging spoon. Keep an eye on your graph for balls of bait and fish will be close by. Check the coves too. If there is some wind blowing throw a crank bait or a spinner bait along the banks with the wind on them. |
| 01/16/2012 |
By Tim Partin of
101 Grocery and Bait
Norfork Lake fishing has been good, crappie are hitting minnows and small plastic baits from 10'-20' deep. Bass fishing has been good using flukes and jerk baits. Stripers are hitting shiners and jigging spoons. White bass fishing has been slow. |
| 01/02/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
Norfork Lake is at normal pool of 552 and the water temp is 50-52. Look for stripers suspended in 30-50ft. down during the day. Look along bluffs and creek channels. Early and late in the day some are moving up along the bank chasing shad. For the suspended fish drop a jigging spoon and throw a stick bait for the fish up on the bank. Throw a vibratail grub on a 1/4 oz. jig head to the bank and work it slow back to the boat also look for fish 35ft.deep on the bottom and drop a jigging spoon. Throw wiggle warts along the banks if the wind is blowing. |
| 01/02/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are in their winter pattern and are in 60 to 100' of water around shad in the mid lake area. Stripers are off mid-lake bluff walls and main lake creeks. There are large schools of feeding on small shad. I had baits set at 24 to 36' and all the different depths were bit. Float creek and Crystal Cove have been the best spots in the afternoon. Shiners have been the best bait. |
| 12/05/2011 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is
551.2 and
the water temp is in the upper 50's. Look for fish suspended 30-40ft.
and drop a jigging spoon. Bass are hitting crank baits, spinner baits
and jigs. Throw a jig around brush piles and work it slow. Try a drop
shot with a 4" worm or small minnow type bait. If you go out at night
throw a stick bait to the bank and reel it real slow. |
| 11/27/2011 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers have
moved to
their winter pattern, look for them in the main part of the lake
channels and creeks. They are roaming in big schools and very hard to
stay with them, most of the fish are in the 35' to 40' range in 50' to
80' of water. Shiners and small shad are working the best.
|
| 11/27/2011 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is
still
around 60 but will drop this week with the colder weather we are
expecting. Bass are still hitting on crank baits and spinner baits with
wind blowing in on the bank. For the deeper ones throw a jig and work
it slow. Check bluff ends for walleye. Stripers are in deeper water
during the day and moving up on flats at night. |
| 11/14/2011 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in
the low
60's. The lake is still turning over and we need some colder weather to
hurry the process along which will make the bite get better. Look for
fish in bays and in the creek arms. There are a few bass coming up in
the creeks chasing baitfish. Keep a top water rod on deck. Bass are
hitting spinner baits and crank baits on banks with the wind blowing in
on them. Throw a jig (green pumpkin or peanut butter and jelly). There
are a few fish hitting stick baits at night. |
| 11/07/2011 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are
beginning
their winter pattern, I found fish in 100' of water around shad that
were staging in 60' feet, the fish were in the mid lake area. There are
fish near or above the MO. state line. This is where I'm catching most
of my fish, they are in 20 to 30' of water following the bait. Stripers
will bite good one day and then the next day, nothing. It's been very
difficult getting a consistent bite, but as the weather and water cool
the bite will get better. |
| 11/06/2011 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is
549.2 and
the water temp is in the mid 60's. There are still a fish coming up on
points early and just before dark. Throw a Zara spook or a pop-r. There
are some fish suspended 30-40ft. deep. Bass are hitting jigs
from10-25ft. deep. If the wind is blowing fish the windy banks with a
crank bait or a spinner bait. The night bite is starting to get better
throwing stick baits. If you have some moonlight throw a light color
and if there is no moon and it's dark throw a dark color.
|
| 10/30/2011 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is
550.2 and
the water
temp is in the mid 60's. Some bass are still chasing baitfish to the
surface hitting top water baits early and just before dark. Watch for
the surface activity on points and in the back of bays. Throw a Zara
spook, pop-r, prop bait or a jerk bait. If the wind is blowing throw a
spinner bait or a crank bait along the bank. Try a swim bait and reel
it reel slow. Look for fish suspended and get your bait down to them.
The night bite should get going anytime. |
| 10/26/2011 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in
the mid
to upper 60's and the lake level is 550.7. Throw a Zara spook jr.
(clear or white) on points. Bass are coming up in the back of some
creeks. If you have some wind throw a spinner bait or a crank bait
along the bank. Throw a jig up to the bank and drag it slow. Look for
fish at 30-40ft. and drop a jigging spoon or if you use live bait get
your bait down to them. The night bite should start to get going soon.
|
| 10/19/2011 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is
normal at
about 552.
The water temp is in the upper 60's and will drop this week with the
cooler weather predicted for the coming week. Stripers are still around
40ft. Drop a jigging spoon or get your bait down to their level. They
will start moving shallower with the cooler weather. Watch for surface
activity early and late in the day. Throw Zara spook jr., pop-r, x-rap
or soft jerkbait. Throw a jig (green pumpkin or peanutbutter &
jelly) to the bank and work it back to the boat. If the wind is blowing
throw a spinner bait or crank bait along the bank.
|
| 9/27/2011 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is
in the low to mid 70's and the lake level is 553.6. The stripers are
still down around 40ft. so you need to get your bait down to them. Look
for surface activity on points early and just before sunset. Bass,
whites and a few hybrids are coming up with the whites. Throw a spook,
pop-r, bass assassin or a jerk bait like a x-rap. After the top water
bite slows look for the fish suspended and drop a spoon. Throw a
spinner bait (chartreuse & white)or crank bait along the bank
for largemouth and smallies.
|
| 9/18/2011 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake is getting
close to
its normal level. The
lake is 554.4 and the water temp is in the mid 70's. The stripers are
down 40-60ft.so you still need to get your bait down to them. With the
water starting to cool down they will start moving up shallower. Bass
are coming up on points and watch for them in the middle of the creeks.
Throw a Zara Spook, pop-r, soft jerk bait or a suspending jerk bait
like a X-rap. After the top water stops throw a jig and drag it or give
it short hops back to the boat. Most of the bites are coming around
10-20ft.deep. We had more bites dragging the jigs. If the wind starts
to blow fish the windblown banks with a spinner bait or a crank bait.
There were a few whites coming up too. If you mark fish down
25-35ft.drop a jig. Keep your top water rod on deck. |
| 9/11/2011 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The
Norfork Lake
water temp is in the upper 70's (78-79) and the lake is 556.5 which is
just 4 1/2ft. above normal pool. Bass are hitting top water early on
points and whites are coming up in the creeks. Any top water bait will
work. They are chasing baitfish around 3". Throw a spinner bait along
the bank back in the creeks for some bass. After the top water stops
look for the whites down 30-40ft. and drop a jigging spoon. The
stripers are still down 60-80ft. I had a guy tell me he caught one down
96ft. on his downrigger dragging a lure. |
| 9/04/2011 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The
lake level is
559 and the water temp is still in the mid 80's. With the cool weather
we are expecting this coming week the water temp will start slowly
cooling down and the bite will only get better. The stripers are still
down 60-80ft. Bass are chasing baitfish early. Watch for surface
activity on points and some of the deeper channel swings. They will hit
just about anything that you throw. After the top water is over throw a
jig, worm or a drops shot. Try a crank bait or a spinner bait back in
the creeks. |