| 02/05/2018 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
I missed the last week's fishing report due to our trip to the Chicago Sports Show. I'm back this week and then we will go to the Jonesboro Sport Show February 9th. If you are around the Jonesboro AR. area stop by our booth and we can spend some talking fishing. Right now the Norfork Lake water temperature is in the low 40's and will stay that way for the next several weeks. Once we start getting some consistent south winds we should see a quick warm up. We are experiencing the normal winter shad kill. We are seeing thousands of small 1 inch threadfin shad dying along the shoreline. Small threadfin shad cannot tolerate water temperatures in the low 40's very long. The good news is the shad kill generates tremendous opportunity for catching trout on the White and Norfork rivers. Throw a small silver spoon and you will have lots of action. The stripers have gone into their February hiding routine they seem to disappear every February so if you want to catch one, try going up a creek with a good water flow. This time of year on the lakes and rivers in Tennessee they catch stripers in 30' of water or less. Here I would look at Bennett's Bayou or up pass the state line. Historically the largest winter stripers are caught at the 160 bridge at night throwing bucktail jigs. I plan spending my February chasing walleye and crappie. Right now they are catching both off brush piles using small jigs and spoons. I will be fishing up near Udall using live bait for walleye and long line trolling for crappie in the creeks off the main lake like Bennett's, Pigeon Creek, and Big Creek. Lots of big crappie are caught trolling small jigs and minnows. |
| 01/22/2018 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The cold and snow last week sure changed Norfork Lake. The water temperature dropped almost 4 degrees and moved the stripers. I pre-fished Thursday morning and started where we caught all the fish the previous week. I found plenty of shad and that usually brings the stripers. We fished all morning and only had 1 bite. Friday I took my clients to where the bait was and fished for another 7 hours moving all around the Blue Lady and 101 flats. I was always on shad and had 2 stripers hooked but we never boated them. Sometimes in life you look at all the wrong places to find what's right in front of you. The assumption is in winter find the shad and you will find the stripers. When the water turns cold the shad will always move deeper and the stripers will follow. I have followed that logic all the time in the winter with great success. The next day I started looking in Float Creek since there was bait and a few fish caught there the day before. My son Sean was out looking around and text me an image of a massive amount of stripers and hybrids in 28' of water with no bait around. We immediate went to Duck Blind Point and hooked up and landed 3 stripers. We stayed on the fish but they quit biting when the sun went behind the clouds and the wind turned east. Sean also found stripers shallow in Float Creek near the boat docks. The moral of the story is quit doing the same thing over and over and don't be afraid to change up your pattern. You just may find the mother lode of stripers. |
| 01/14/2018 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The warming trend on Norfork Lake was short lived this past week with temperatures going below freezing for several more days now. I was fishing the Fout's Marina flats before it became cold for the shad. The water temperature had dropped down to 46 degrees and everything moved to warmer water. I had not fished for 10 days due the cold and our first sports show of the year. We went out this past week searching for stripers. We found them on the Blue Lady flats in 40 to 52' of water. The water temperature was 48 degrees. The cold snap did move the fish far this time but I suspect this current one will move them to deeper water more near the mouth of 101 Boat Dock at Howard Cove and into the channel and towards Bidwell Point. We found large schools of stripers and hybrids roaming. The schools will not be stationary so you have to keep moving and stay in the depth you have seen them and wait for the next school to come along. We were using small shad and shiners with 9 rods set out. I had 2 balloons set at 30 feet and 7 down rods set at 20 and 30 feet. The bite is very strong when the sun is out and only a slight wind.
This next week I would look for stripers in Float Creek, 101 Area, Bidwell Point, the flat above the 101 bridge, and the channel between the 62 and 101 bridge. The shad will settle in depth ranges from 40 to 80 feet but most of the time the range will be 40 feet. You should see large shad balls with stripers on top and inside the ball. Set your bait right above the shad since most of the fish are staying inside the shad balls then coming up in big bunches to feed. Small shad works great but large shiners and spoons will also work now and thorough to spring |
| 12/18/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake striper fishing is hot right now. The stripers are feeding on flats in the 30 to 40 foot range around Crystal Cove and then up to Fouts. Large schools of shad are roaming the flats and the stripers are cruising within the shad. I fished Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on the flat in front of Fout's marina using small shad and caught stripers the whole time I fished. Since it was only for fun with friends we stopped each day after we had enough to eat. Right now the bite is lasting all day. You may not see many fish for a time then a large school will swim by and everything goes crazy. Stripers are also being caught near Blue Lady. The best bait to catch stripers are shad, shiners, and spoons. Trollers using umbrella rigs are having great success. They are running the baits at 30' at 3 miles an hour. Find the bait and the stripers, hybrids, and white bass will be feeding on them.
Christmas week is usually the best winter striper fishing. This year looks like a major cold snap is coming so I expect to see the bait move out of the shallow waters and move to their winter feeding grounds. The best places to find them is Float Creek, 101 Area, Bidwell Point, the flat above the 101 bridge, and the channel between the 62 and 101 bridge. The bait will settle in depth ranges from 40 to 80 feet but most of the time the range will be 40 feet. You should see large bait balls with stripers on top and inside the ball. Set your bait right above the shad since most of the fish are staying inside the bait balls then coming up in big bunches to feed. Small shad works great but large shiners and spoons will also work now and thorough to spring. |
| 12/10/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The striper bite on Norfork Lake is very good right now. The stripers are feeding on flats in the 30 to 40 foot range. There are large schools of shad roaming the flats and the stripers are cruising within the shad. I pre-fished Friday on the flat near 6B using small shad and at one time had 5 stripers on the lines. We managed to catch all of them and for the next hour we landed 8 more. The wind was blowing hard so I quit. Stripers are also being caught near Blue Lady. The best bait to catch stripers are shad, shiners, and spoons. Find the bait and the stripers, hybrids, and white bass will be feeding on them.
As the weather turns colder in December the stripers will move to their winter feeding grounds. The best places to find them is Float Creek, 101 Area, Bidwell Point, the flat above the 101 bridge, and the channel between the 62 and 101 bridge. The bait will settle in depth ranges from 40 to 80 feet but most of the time the range will be about 40 feet. You should see large bait balls with stripers on top and inside the balls. Set your bait right above the shad since most of the fish are staying inside the bait balls then coming up in big bunches to feed. Small shad works great but large shiners and spoons will also work now and through to spring. |
| 11/18/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Stripers on Norfork Lake continue to feed during the day on flats in the 30 foot range. There are large schools of shad roaming the flats and the stripers are cruising within the shad. I pre-fished Friday on the flat pass Fout's Marina and found large schools of stripers and hybrids. What I found was large bait balls from 20' to the bottom in water depths of 30'. You may not see many fish while you are watching your depth finder. This is due to the fish staying inside the bait balls then coming up in big bunches to feed. I had 7 live bait rods out with lines set at 15 and 20'. I also had 2 free lines out with a small split shot in the back of both about 50'. I was using small shad but large shiners will also work now and thorough to spring. The stripers will continue to feed for winter until the water gets cold enough to drive the shad to deeper water. I would concentrate on the flats in the mid-lake area. As it gets colder the shad and stripers will just move to their winter feeding grounds around Blue Lady, Float, Bidwell Point and between the bridges. The best places right now is the flat above Blue Lady, Fout's flat and Bennett's Bayou although I've received reports of stripers and crappie being caught near the 1C area to the east of Hand Cove Resort and Jordan Marina. Modern gun deer and duck season is now open. So November is the best month for the Arkansas sports person. If you do not have a place to deer or duck hunt give us a call we offer guided deer, duck, and pheasant hunting trips. |
| 11/13/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Stripers on Norfork Lake are now feeding during the day on flats in the 30 foot range. There are large schools of shad roaming the flats and the stripers are cruising within the shad. I pre-fished Thursday and Friday near Reynolds Island in Big Creek and found stripers feeding mid-morning. The first day I fished in waters that were 40 to 50 feet deep and caught multiple stripers and hybrids. The next day I went back and could not find any fish there. I fished the area until 10:30 and then decided to move up on the flat near 1C and found lots of bait. We started catching stripers after 11 am and had 2 limits in 45 minutes. I thought I had it figured out so on Saturday I started out at 7 am on the flat and did not have a bite until 12 pm and then we only caught 3 stripers by 1:30 pm. What I learned was the stripers were feeding later in the day and each day the bite started about a hour later. Saturday we started fishing at 10 am and broke off one right away, then had to wait until almost noon to catch another. The bite picked up and we caught our limit by 2 pm and broke off another and loss 1 at the boat. The 1C area in Big Creek is good but wait until the sun is up and start fishing there after lunch. The other hot spots are Cranfield Island flat, the flat by Blue Lady and the Fouts area. In those areas the bite is during the morning. Stripers. whites, and a few walleye are being caught on spoons and shad. Two other areas to look are the Twin Coves, and Red Bank flats.
Modern gun deer season is now open. This coming Saturday, duck season opens. So November is the best month for the Arkansas sports person. If you do not have a place to deer or duck hunt give us a call we offer guided deer, duck, and pheasant hunting trips. |
| 11/08/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The fish on Norfork Lake cannot figure out whether its late summer, early fall or what. Several days it is fall like temperatures with cold winds, fog, and some rain mixed in. Those days the lake temperature drops and that spurs the fish to feed. Then the temperature starts climbing and now today it's in the eighties with a 25 mile south winds. On the colder days with some overcast the stripers seem to bite good. I spent 2 days pre-fishing getting ready for my Saturday trip. My clients had postponed on 2 occasions due to bad weather so I was determined to make sure we could catch some stripers. Both days I started in Float Creek and caught several stripers. I moved up to the Howard Cove area and found bait and fish but no bites. I then moved up to Fouts and again found both bait and fish but no bites. Today I started looking in the Howard Cove and Fouts area and found no bait. So I moved back to Float and found fish and bait but after 2 hours of no bites. I moved up to the Cranfield area and found 5 boats fishing for stripers. Again I found lots of bait and some stripers but no bites. This weather pattern needs to stay consistent for any real pattern to develop. I plan on moving back to the Calamity area tomorrow since I know my son caught fish up there. Stripers. Whites, and a few walleye are being caught on spoons and shad. Look at Float Creek, Cranfield, Twin Coves, and Red Bank on flats 30 to 40 feet deep. Modern gun deer season opens this coming Saturday and duck season opens in 2 weeks. So November is the best month for the Arkansas sports person. If you do not have a place to deer or duck hunt give us a call we offer guided deer, duck, and pheasant hunting trips. |
| 10/27/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Stripers, walleye, bass, & crappie are on their fall feeding pattern in Norfork Lake. Both live bait and artificial baits are working well. Stripers and walleye are hitting small to medium size shad. Crappies are biting on minnows, small spoons, and jigs. Bass are being caught on the topwater using spinners, jigs, worms, and spoons. Find the shad and the fish will be nearby.
The stripers continue to be active around Robinson Point in the morning. The colder the water gets the longer the bite will last. The upper end of Norfork Lake is still producing the most fish. The best bite has begun around 10 AM and lasting into the afternoon. Start looking for shad and stripers at Calamity Beach and work your way up past Lick Creek. Find the bait and the stripers and walleye will be there. The best bait is a mid-size gizzard shad about 4” long. Both the walleye and stripers are taking them. Big Creek will also be holding fish from Reynolds Island to 1C and past. We are catching walleye on every trip. They have been staying in the 20 foot range after sun up but you can catch them very shallow at first light. We have caught them from the Stump Hole to past point 10. Right now is the time to book your walleye trip or get out and troll shad raps and swim baits in 10 to 30 feet of water above the state line. The hot spots for crappie are the Fout area and near 1C in Big Creek. The crappies are biting on minnows, small spoons, and jigs on brush piles in 20 to 30 feet of water.. |
| 10/23/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Stripers, walleye, bass, & crappie are on their fall feeding pattern in Norfork Lake. Both live bait and artificial baits are working well. Stripers and walleye are hitting small to medium size shad. Crappies are biting on minnows, small spoons, and jigs. Bass are being caught on the topwater using spinners, jigs, worms, and spoons. Find the shad and the fish will be nearby.
The stripers continue to be active around Robinson Point in the morning. The colder the water gets the longer the bite will last. The upper end of Norfork Lake is still producing the most fish. The best bite has begun around 10 AM and lasting into the afternoon. Start looking for shad and stripers at Calamity Beach and work your way up past Lick Creek. Find the bait and the stripers and walleye will be there. The best bait is a mid-size gizzard shad about 4” long. Both the walleye and stripers are taking them. Big Creek will also be holding fish from Reynolds Island to 1C and past. We are catching walleye on every trip. They have been staying in the 20 foot range after sun up but you can catch them very shallow at first light. We have caught them from the Stump Hole to past point 10. Right now is the time to book your walleye trip or get out and troll shad raps and swim baits in 10 to 30 feet of water above the state line. The hot spots for crappie are the Fout area and near 1C in Big Creek. The crappies are biting on minnows, small spoons, and jigs on brush piles in 20 to 30 feet of water.. |
| 10/16/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The fall fishing bite on Norfork Lake has finally begun. Stripers, walleye, crappie, bass & white bass are now feeding heavy. The bass and white bass are chasing young shad and can be caught on small top water baits, small spoons and swim baits along the bluffs and the flats. The crappie are stacked on brush piles that are at least 20 feet deep. The walleye have moved up in the Udall area and feeding on small shad. The same is true for Big Creek past Reynolds Island. The stripers are being caught on Robinson Point before light using threadfin shad and up pass the state line on shad and trolled crank baits.
The stripers are in their fall pattern. Robinson Point is the early bite on the main lake before light. The best time starts around 5 AM and will last until the sun comes up. The upper end of Norfork lake is producing the most fish. We are catching stripers from first light into the afternoon using gizzard shad. Multiple limits of stripers with some over 20 pounds are being caught by us. The walleye have begun their fall feed on my last trip we caught 4 keepers and lost many more. Right now is the time to book your walleye trip or get out and troll shad raps and swim baits in 10 to 30 feet of water above the state line. The hot spots for crappie is the Fout area and near 1C in Big Creek. The crappies are biting on minnows, small spoons, and jigs on brush piles in 20 to 30 feet of water. |
| 09/13/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
September begins the transition to fall on Norfork Lake. The first half of the month striper fishing will be good but the second half of the month fishing for stripers usually falls off until the weather turns colder and the water begins to cool. Hunting season begins in the second half of September with the early season for Blue Wing Teal and Canadian Goose. Bow season for deer begins the last week of September so you can find lots of things to do before the fall fishing begins.
The first half of September you still want to fish the points with long flats and river channels in waters that range from 70 to 100’. You will see the stripers on or very near the bottom. We use 4 and 5 oz barrel weights with leaders and put the bait on the bottom then raise it a foot so the stripers need very little movement to feed on the baits. Gizzard shad are the best baits because they will live longer than the threadfin shad. Some of the best points will be along the dam buoys, Long Point, the river channel along the dam, and Dam Cove. One or more of these points will hold fish in September once you find the fish they will usually be there for a long period of time.
Striper fishing usually tails off in the second half of September because of the nature of Lake Norfork. Every year the lake warms up to 90 degrees and the oxygen level gets lower and lower and the thermocline continues to move deeper in the lake. Stripers require 6 parts per million of oxygen to stay active. By the middle of September that level of oxygen is gone down substantially and stripers become dormant and just lay on the bottom not wanting to eat or move to conserve energy. Once the weather cools and the lake start to cool down the oxygen level will start going up but will not return to normal until the lake turns over. The lake turnover is a process that begins at the head waters of Lake Norfork some 47 miles across the Missouri state line and moves down slowly to the dam. The dam area is the last place the lake will turn over since it’s the deepest part of the lake. One way to beat this is start moving your fishing up the lake towards shallower waters. Since Norfork Lake is actually a wide river, the oxygen level will increase as you move up the lake. We start testing the waters around the state line the second half of September and begin fishing there all of October and November. By far this is the best area to consistently catch limits of stripers during the later part of the year. We will be fishing in waters no deeper than 35’. You will see lots of bait and stripers feeding heavy on this year's hatch.
The bass will still be in their summer pattern. Early morning top water, then jigs, worms and spinner baits are your best baits. There is also great night fishing throwing jigs, worms, and black or red 3/8 oz spinner baits. You can catch fish all over the main lake and creeks.
As the water begins to cool he crappie will start moving up and start their fall feed. Spider rigging is the most effective technique to catch them. Brushy Creek and Big Creek, Bennett’s Bayou, Red Bank, Calamity Beach, and Pigeon Creek, will be your best choices. |
| 09/06/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Striper fishing has slowed down on Norfork Lake. The oxygen levels are too low to support an active striper bite therefore the stripers are in survival mode and have quit eating. I have suspended striper fishing until the water turns colder which is usually around the beginning of October. Then I will start fishing north towards the Missouri state line since the water is shallower and the fish become more active sooner. Now is the time to chase bass, hybrids, bluegill, and crappie. Don’t waste your time or money chasing stripers. Our last trip we had three boats fishing and between all of us we had 1 bite. The hybrids are chasing young shad in the 30’ water column. Hybrids are not affection by the oxygen so look for them in the late afternoons around Robinson Point area. They are being caught on top water with swim baits along with live shad. |
| 08/30/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Striper fishing on Norfork Lake continues to be slow but we have been able to catch limits each time we have fished. With the bad weather in Texas, Southwest Power has been generating power 24 hours a day and that has helped lower the lake and keeping an active striper bite. The main reason we have been catching stripers is we continue to use our electronics to keep on the fish and what depth they are holding at. If you are live bait fishing you must stay glued to the your locator and keep presenting your baits in front of the fish. Yesterday my son Sean did not have a bite for the first two hours. He finally figured out what they wanted and had his clients limits in 45 minutes. One troller is doing very well. He is using a crankbait with downriggers and been catching his clients a limit each day. Right now it's about fresh bait and keeping the bait in front of the fish. The stripers are now concentrated around the dam area. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. The stripers are in their summer pattern now but the fall bite is coming up fast so start you’re planning for some great fall fishing. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 08/23/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Striper fishing has slowed for some because they have not kept up with the ever changing Norfork Lake conditions. When we have high water, the stripers go into survival mode in late August and September. They will feed but not as often and for shorter periods of time. You need to find that sweet depth for the fish. As the days go by, the depth where the stripers will stay will keep going deeper. Right now the best depth is 80’ I have caught stripers on the bottom at 80’ and in water 200’ deep I have caught them at 80’. The best time to catch a striper is when the dam has started to generate like trout that gets the stripers in a feeding mood. The basic fishing rig has not changed much. Now I only use 4oz weights with a short leader, put the bait on the bottom, and then bringing it up about a foot and keep it there as we move around produces fish. One trick to fool the stripers is when you see some fish near the bottom and you know your baits are in front of them make a hard turn and kick your trolling motor up full speed then stop it and let your baits fall back down that will trigger a strike. The stripers are now concentrated around the dam area the best places is Dam Cove, the channel leading to the dam, and around Quarry Marina. My son fished Thursday through Sunday and limited out each day except Thursday. Thursday it was rainy and overcast. We were fishing our usual spots but most of those fished had moved. We did manage to land 3 stripers per boat. Friday we moved to the dam area and we both limited out. Sean was done a lot faster than me but I finally figured it out. Saturday and Sunday the bite increase due to the generation of water. By Sunday it took only and hour and 20 minutes to catch 15 stripers between the 2 boats. |
| 08/09/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Striper fishing continues to be good. The stripers are continuing to move deeper as the oxygen level gets lower. The thermocline has dropped down to 60’ and will keep getting lower as the lake level goes lower. One tip is to keep changing your bait. The bait will not live more than 10 minutes right now so keep changing the bait and you will catch stripers. The other bite is the hybrid on topwater. Lots of limits were caught this past week in the Hand Cove area. You can also catch them trolling if you set your lines between 20 and 30’. I have been seeing multiple schools of hybrids passing underneath my boat. The shad is staying up the water column that is why the hybrids are feeding on them. The basic fishing rig has not changed. A 3 or 4oz weight with a short leader and putting the bait on the bottom then bringing it up about a foot and keep it there as we move around produces fish. The stripers are still concentrated around the dam area the best places is Dam Cove, Koso, Thumb, Point 1, and the Hudson area. Trolling and spooning is also producing some fish but not the numbers the live bait is. My son took out his godson Willie along with our close friend’s grandson Logon. The boys are 4 and 5 years old. Willie’s dad Rick and Logon’s grandfather Dennis were also along. The boys did very well reeling in their limit of stripers. The fun part of the morning was when one of the boys tooted and all anybody could hear between the laughs was them blowing in their arms making the sounds everybody knows. My clients watched and were laughing as they caught their fish. It was one of the funniest days I’ve had on the lake in a long time. |
| 08/02/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This summer’s striper fishing has been the best in years. Most guides are producing limits on each trip. I can not remember when the fishing has been this good. We have had a very busy July. One or both of us have limited everyday in July. Only twice did we not have limits for our clients. We are having many happy faces when we return to the dock. The stripers are moving deeper as the water warms up. The highest temperature I have seen is 90.5 degrees in the early morning by late after its around 95 degrees. The warm water puts a lot of pressure on the stripers as the O2 levels keep reducing forcing, the stripers go to deep. The good news is that they are still feeding heavy in the morning starting around 6 AM and it continues on until at least 9 AM, more then enough time to catch your limit. Again I urge you to only catch your limit and quit fishing I have some floating stripers and that’s from people releasing fish or break offs. The basic fishing rig has not changed. A 3 or 4oz weight with a short leader and putting the bait on the bottom then bringing it up about a foot and keep it there as we move around produces fish. The stripers are still concentrated around the dam area the best places is Dam Cove, Koso, Thumb, Point 1, and the Hudson area. Trolling and spooning is also producing some fish but not the numbers the live bait is. This action should continue into August. |
| 07/09/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Striper fishing is outstanding right now on Norfork Lake. We are catching multiple limits of stripers each trip we are out. The stripers are holding right on the bottom in 45 to 50’ of water around the dam area. Live bait has been the best method to catch a limit. Very small threadfin shad has been the most productive bait. We are using a 3 or 4oz weight with a short leader and putting the bait on the bottom then bringing it up about a foot and keep it there as we move around. This action should continue well into August so now is the time to get on the lake. The stripers are starting to concentrated around the dam area the best places is Dam Cove, Koso, Thumb, Point 1, and the Hudson area. Trolling and spooning is also producing some fish but not the numbers the live bait is. This action should continue into August. One nice thing that is happening in this high water year is the lake is being lower daily about 2”. In years past we would have high water well into the fall. The lower water will help the fish later this summer. My son and I had trips last Friday morning. It was very nice for the first hour and half until the storms came. I had 3 stripers in the boat and Sean had 5. We moved to Jordan Marina to wait out the storm. I waited 2 hours and went out in a light rain since I had some rain gear my clients could wear. Sean had to wait 3 hours until the rain passed. Once I started fishing we had our limit in less then 45 minutes. Since Sean needed 7 more stripers it took longer but he ended up with his limit plus a 20 lb striper for the wall. This year the striper bite is starting later in the morning and lasting well into the day so even if the weather is bad you can still catch fish if you are patient.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. The stripers are in their summer pattern and the bite is on. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 06/28/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Striper fishing continues to be very good right now. The stripers continue to feed on crawdads very close to the bottom. If you have a 2D depth finder you will miss most of the fish. Structure Scan will show you the stripers that you would otherwise think was not there. The only way we getting them to hit is putting the bait at the bottom then bringing the weight up a foot and let the shad swim right off the bottom. The stripers have been very aggressive when they take the bait. Most often we have a hit on one pole and then another pole will get hit. The best places to fish are still around the dam area off the main points and flats. I have caught stripers from the mouth of Big Creek to the dam. This action should continue well into August so now is the time to get on the lake. I received a call from Kathy who was staying at Mockingbird Bay Resort. Kathy and Iris wanted to try striper fishing. The ladies were from south Arkansas and were up here to spend a weekend on Norfork Lake. It was their first time out on the lake and they could not get over how beautiful the lake was and the clear water. We left the dock at 6 AM and heading to my first spot. It did not take long and we had our first striper. Kathy took the pole and was having the time of her life. You could have heard half way across the lake. The action was very fast at times with 2 and 3 poles having stripers on the line. Within 2 hours we had our limit and were heading back to the dock for pictures. Both Kathy and Iris were already planning their return trip with friends and spouses. |
| 06/21/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is on fire right now. The striper bite is awesome on the lower, southern area of the lake. Starting early look for stripers as shallow as 22’ and just follow them out as the sun comes up. The best bite the last week has been around 7:30 am in 40 to 50’ of water. The striper are hugging the bottom so right now we are putting are baits on the bottom then make 3 turns on our reels to keep the weight off the bottom. We are also using a short leader to keep the bait close to the bottom this has been very effective. The threadfin shad we're using are less than 2” long. We are using #2 and #4 hooks with a 12 lb leader. The best points are Koso and Thumb. I took the Gerrish family out; Scott and Amy with their 3 boys Caleb, Connor, and Dillon. The boys were 6 to 12 years old and jumped right in on how to hook and catch the fish. I have the boys reel very fast when they see the rod tip go down to the water. This sets the circle hook and then they take it out of rod holder and fight the fish. We started early leaving the dock at 5 am and did not have a bite for the first 1 hour. The weather was not good but we were close to a marina so I was not worried. In less then 2 minutes we went from no waves to 3’ rollers. We raced to the marina and were very wet when got there. We waited for over a 1 hour until the stormed passed. When went out we had no bites but we went where Sean was fishing and started again. The fish started to bite and in less than 2 hours we caught 15 stripers and lost a few more. Everybody was very happy and had an experience they will not soon forget. |
| 06/11/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is turning back into the great lake she has always been. The water is clear and the temperature is 80 degrees and will be going up due to the warm weather we will be having. The stripers are also moving into their summer pattern. You can still catch shallow fish before the sun comes up but then they are moving out onto flats feeding on crawdads. I have been running a planner board with a 6” gizzard shad shallow over the brush and fishing in 25 to 30’ of water. The best early bite is hybrids. They are great fighters but right now they are on the smaller size so we are letting them go since they can survive warm water. As the morning progresses move out to the 40 and 50’ range the stripers are on or very close to the bottom. Place your baits a foot or two above the stripers. Right now we are running 6 downlines and are having three and four hookups daily. The bottom part of lake is the most productive from Woods Point towards the dam they are producing lots of stripers.
My son Sean and I had a double trip on Sunday. Sean had the Kalchik family who was taking their father out for his 80th birthday. They told Sean when they were leaving the dock they wanted to catch at least 80 lbs of stripers. They limited out with 12 and had close to 100 lbs of stripers. It was a great birthday present the boys gave him.
My client, the Blair family, are locals. John is a local photographer who just happened to shoot Sean’s wedding. None of them, John, Trish, or Ean had fished for stripers but was eager to catch one. After a couple of misses they got the hang of it and they caught their first striper and limited out with 9 fat ones. So both parties had a great Sunday fishing on Norfork Lake.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. The stripers are in their summer pattern and the bite is on. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 05/31/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The rain continues but not everyday as it was. The Norfork Lake level is being maintained at 3 feet under the top of the flood pool. Hopefully once we get into our hotter period the lake can be lowered. Striper fishing is outstanding right now in the mid-lake and down to the dam and east to Big Creek. Almost every point is holding fish. The shad continue to stay in the brush on the points and the stripers are staying right with them. The last week we have seen a lot of top water action around point one and out in the main lake. The only problem is its not consistent and you never know when the stripers will come up. If you can get out before sunrise you should be able to catch stripers throwing swim baits into the brush on any point in the southern part of the lake. You should also try a top water lure off the points even if you see no surface action. The stripers are there just not chasing surface baits. If you want to try live bait and cannot get shad use shiners. They are working. Try long lining them behind your boat, pitching them into the brush, and downlines set 28 feet.
Frank from Lakeview schedule a trip for his family who had never striper fished on Norfork Lake. It was rather cold and overcast with a slight miss in the air. I started in Diamond Bay and had no bites the first hour so moved to another spot and started to have some success. We caught a couple and loss a couple then the fish got active and we could not keep up with the action, I had 8 lines out and at different times we had 3 and 4 bites and fish on the line. We ended up catching 11 and keeping 9, it was very hectic and but for their first time striper fishing it was quite an experience they will not soon forget. |
| 05/16/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The rain has stopped and Norfork Lake has stabilized and the fishing has improved. The threadfin shad spawned this past week and the stripers and bass were in the brush chasing the baits. We saw lots of fish being caught early in the week but the water has warmed up and some the stripers are moving back to deeper water. I have not seen the top water action I expected. Usually when the shad get in the brush the top water action heats up but not this year yet. The lake is starting clear up. The back of Bennett’s Bayou is now clear and the main channel from Robinson Point to the dam has cleared significantly. It should be several more weeks before we see blue water on the lower end of the lake. The Corps has scheduled May 20th as Lake Norfork clean up they are asking for your help in moving debris to the boat ramps for pickup and also are providing garbage bags in designated areas for drop off so if you have some free time come on out and help make Norfork Lake beautiful again. As for fishing, don’t let the high water turn you off. Now is the time to come fish Norfork. I received a request from Robert about taking his daughter Amy fishing on Mother's Day. It seems that Robert’s wife request for her Mother’s day present was being home staying in bed. I said sure but our wires got crossed and we got a late start. I had pre-fished the day before on a main lake points and caught stripers as fast as I could get a line in the water. I was expecting the same the next morning but a late start and heavy fog changed the conditions. Miss Amy did catch her first two stripers but the action slowed and we only had a few more bites but no more stripers. However it was a fun father/daughter morning and seeing the expression on Miss Amy’s face said it all. |
| 05/10/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The rain has stopped and Norfork Lake is slowly going down. The northern part of the lake is full of debris and mud but that will start to disappear in the next several weeks. Blowing wind helps the lake by moving the debris to the shoreline where it gets stuck and as the lake goes down the debris will remain in place. The mud will disappear as the water up north returns to normal. The lower part of the lake from Diamond Bay south and from Big Creek to the dam is mostly free of trees, limbs and other debris, and water color is clear to stained. It is a good place to start your day. What most people do not realize was the lower end of the lake did not receive the major runoff from the flood. The water rose from the water coming to the dam therefore the southeast part of the lake is the place to fish. The stripers are continuing to feed heavy on threadfin shad and should keep this up for the next several weeks. We had some dear friends Alice, Dennis, and Logan came down this past weekend for two days of striper fishing. They wanted to introduce their grandson Logan to the lake and fishing. Saturday we got a late start but did manage to put 5 of the 7 stripers we hooked. Logan who is 6 caught his first striper and his limit. Logan keep telling his grandpa that his fish was bigger and he caught more than grandpa. A true fisher person was created that day. Sunday Sean came along to help out. We started earlier and they caught 7 of the 9 we hooked. Alice who never had caught a fish caught 2 which made her day. Again Logan caught the most and biggest and made sure everybody knew. The grandparent’s mission was accomplished. They created some lasting memories of their grandson’s first fishing trip on Norfork Lake. We were using threadfin shad on long lines with just a split shot and leader way back from the boat over deep water 60 plus feet. |
| 05/03/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Let it rain and it did, although we did not directly receive much of the rain Lake Norfork received the results from all the rain that occurred north of us. The flooding was a disaster but the lakes absorbed the water which is what they were designed to do. The flooding below the dams would have been a major disaster without the dams. The main lake suffered little damage but the northern part of lake and creeks and bridges in Missouri suffered major damage that will affect travel for months ahead. On a bright side the high water will is a blessing. Each year we have had a high water event the spawn for bass and crappie has produced a great class of fish. Right now the threadfin and gizzard shad are spawning in the buck brush and the stripers and bass are feeding heavy on the shad. The next several weeks we will see fantastic action for both stripers and bass. Lots of top water and limits of each species. So don’t let the high water turn you off now is the time to come fish Norfork. By the way, the Big Creek arm is mostly free of trees, limbs and other debris, and water color is clear to stained. It is a good place to start your day. I took out Daniel and Julie who were just married and was honeymooning in the area. They plan on moving here and wanted to experience their first striper trip. It was cold, rainy and very windy but they wanted to go. I started off on point 1 because when they open the dam gates the stripers will be more active due to the strong current. The only problem we had was the wind was coming out of the west and we could not fish the area very effectively. I then moved up towards Woods Point out of the wind. We are now using both small threadfin and 7” gizzard shad for bait. I set out free lines with small baits and planner boards with the bigger baits. We were fishing in water depths of 60 to 100’ feet. The first bite was on a 8” gizzard shad and once the hookup was secure Julie started off fighting the striper but it was to much for her to handle so Daniel took over and together they caught their first striper, a fat 15 lb fish. We continued to fish and finished up catching 4 keeping 3 and missing several others. Overall a great day on the water for their first striper trip.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. The stripers are in their spring migration and the bite is on. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 04/25/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
We have had significant weather change this past week on Norfork Lake. We started off with warm air temperatures raising the water surface temperatures in the back of some creeks to 74 degrees. By Saturday afternoon with the rain raising the lake level over 5 feet, the water temperature dropped to 64 degrees. The only major effect on fishing has been the change in were the shad is found and that crappie have moved off the banks to the 8 to 10 foot range. The stripers are feeding heavy on threadfin shad we caught stripers all week with the biggest fish being 33 lbs. On Saturday my son and I caught 20 stripers in the rain and Sunday we caught 15 stripers and hybrids while a major cold front moved into the area . Once the weather stays warm with south winds we should see a major feeding spree this next several weeks. Now is the time to get on Norfork Lake either with your boat or hire a guide to get on some of this great action.
Both my son Sean and I had fishing trips on Friday and Saturday in the rain. Our clients understood that we would be in the rain and still wanted to go. My clients were locals on Friday and when we left the dock it was raining, lighting with lots of thunder. We had to stay in a boat dock until the major portion had passed. My fishing was slow. We started off great with a 14 lb striper and then missed one. We had more bites but for some reason keep missing them. My son caught a 33 lb striper and his limit that day. The next day I had three ladies, Vern, Joyce, & Teresa who had fished for stripers many times and differently knew how to hook and fight the fish. We hooked 9 stripers and landed 8 in the a soft rain. We had a great time and they are looking forward next year. |
| 04/19/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Spring has sprung on Lake Norfork the water temperature has reached the desired degree for the crappie to hit the banks and begin their spawn. Stripers, hybrids, and bass are hitting on top water baits all over the lake. Walleye are being caught at night on Rouges on slopping points. The treadfin shad have begun their spawn which triggers the other fish to go on a feeding binge. The next couple of weeks should see lots of fish being caught. My son caught a 34 lb striper and another guide caught a 30 lb striper so the big fish are also moving into the shallows to feed. Now is the time to get on the lake either with your boat or hire a guide to get on some of this great activity.
I took Brian and Gerald out for their annual two day striper trips. Gerald has been fishing Lake Norfork for over 30 years and loves catching stripers. Fishing was slow for me before they arrived but with all the shad movement I knew she should have a great time. I went to one of my spring go to places and sure enough the stripers were in their feeding mood. We hooked 9 stripers but only boated 4 the first day. The boys were scheduled to trout fish the next day so we planned on striper fishing the following day. They were on their game that day and we had our limit in 1 hour. We then went out on the main lake to try and catch a big fish. We had one taker but it released the bait before we could set the hook. Overall they had a great father and son fishing outing. |
| 04/11/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake weather continues to wreck havoc on the fishing. You get on a pattern and think that the long waited spring bite is starting then the weather turns ugly and the fish go back into hiding. One day I catch a good bunch of stripers and my son only catches one or two. The next day it’s the opposite he catches a bunch and I do not catch anything. We both have great days and if the weather just stays consistent we will be bringing in limits everyday. The threadfin shad are in the early stages of spawning and the spawn will trigger all the fish to go on a feeding binge. I have fished both Bennett’s Bayou with little success, and fished Big and Brushy Creeks with better success. We were catching lots of fish in both creeks until the weather turned bad on Thursday and by Sunday we had very little success. Since the shad are moving shallow I decided to start fishing the main lake points and channel swings. I caught fish right away and have been since. The crappie are also wanting to spawn but the water temperature will not stay consistent for that to happen. One day we catch them on the banks when we are catching shad and the next day they are gone. Having watching the crappie fishermen all week tells me they are still fishing the deeper brush piles. I have not seen one crappie caught off a shallow log. That again will change when we get the water warmer.
One more bucket list item was checked off for Mike this past week. He booked a trip with us when we had a booth in Chicago and wanted to catch some stripers and hopefully a big one. Sean took him out and they caught a couple early then the bite died. Sean ask if he would like to try for a big fish and received a positive yes. Both Sean & I pre fished the day before on the main lake and Sean had a big fish explode on bait late in the morning but missed the bait. Sean has perfected a technique to get the stripers attention. He set out a 12” gizzard shad then a smaller 7” gizzard shad about 10” away from the big bait. Sure enough the big fish came up and looked at the big bait and took the smaller bait. The fight was on and in the end Mike had his big fish 35 lbs. Quick pictures were taken and it released for somebody else to catch.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. The stripers are in their spring migration and the bite is on. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 04/04/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
April is the Jekyll and Hyde of fishing month on Norfork Lake. Jekyll is when spring is early and the fish move up the creeks and the first couple of weeks your thinking this is gone to be the best spring ever then a freak snow storm comes along with cold wind and everything is gone and you have to wait for the warm weather and fish movement back to the creeks. Hyde is the opposite. You think we will never see warm weather, no south winds or warm nights to bring the fish up to the shore or creeks. Then about the time when you have given up everything explodes and you’re catching fish every time out. The normal pattern for April is warm gusty south winds that warm the northern banks and push the bait up into the creeks. The fish will follow the bait and once the water temperature hits the 60 degree mark the stripers will start their spawning cycle. The crappie will also be beginning their spawn. The white bass will be finished but their post spawn feeding cycle will be in full swing. The bass will be busting the surface chasing shad and the males will be getting ready making the beds and waiting for the big females.
Once we get the consistent April weather these patterns will work for stripers, bass, and crappie. The stripers will be staging up the creeks feeding on spawning shad. You can find them in very shallow water early and late afternoon and into evening. If the water is stained or off color and the wind is blowing into the bank you can catch stripers all day long. The night bite for stripers will be at its peak all over the lake. The best bite starts at dusk and is usually over by midnight. The best baits are 5 to 6” rouges thrown parallel to the bank and either twitched or slow reeled back. Sometimes the bite will be right at the boat. A bonus fish when night fishing is walleye. A lot of good size walleye are caught when anglers are fishing for stripers. My fishing technique in April and May for stripers revolves around shad. I like to use 4 to 6” gizzard shad and 4 to 5” threadfin shad. I use floats with no weight or a small split set far behind the boat. I then set out 2 planner boards that parallel the shore. The closest board to the shore will have a 6” gizzard shad, the next one will have a bigger shad on it, that one is my attraction shad. Stripers will come up to look at that bait then hit the smaller bait. I then set out free lines with small split shot, these lines have just a small split shot and bait. Again I let them out far behind the boat. I then putout a giant bait right behind the engine that I call a transom bait. A big striper will swipe at that bait and sometimes take it. The bait size will average 10” or bigger. Finally I will add 2 more free lines but they will be set out shorter than the others. The best places to fish in April and May are shorelines that contain old road beds, foundations, and brush piles. Stripers will hold in the brush piles waiting on bait. These techniques are tried and trued and will work on any body of water. If you cannot get shad try big shiners known as brooders or number 30's. They will also work but will not produce the numbers that shad does.
Crappie should have moved into shallow water spawning on small brush or shallow brush piles. As long as the weather stays warm and mild the spawn will continue until a heavy rain or sudden cold snap will push them off the banks into a little deeper water. Just move off the bank and fish the same method you were using but in deeper water. Once it warms back up you will find them on the bank. Minnows and small jigs are the best baits on the lake. Jig colors vary by the day but day in and out minnows is your best bait. Once the spawn is over spider rigging the deeper water will produce limits of crappie. The best creeks for crappie are Big Creek, Brushy Creek, Pigeon Creek, and Bennett’s Bayou on the main lake. The upper lake areas are Red Bank, Calamity, and Bryant Creek.
Bass fishing is very good in April. The bass will have moved up on shore and will be chasing shad. Throwing spinner baits on windward shore will catch you lots of active bass. If that bite slows try a jig and pig or worm on slopping points in the creeks. Early morning and late afternoon will see lots of top water action. Look in the bays heading into the creeks like the entrance to Bennett’s Bayou. It has a very large bay that holds whites and bass in the spring. This time of year you can catch bass on any bank on this lake. Some of my favorite spots are Big and Brushy Creeks. They get stained early and the water is usually warmer but don’t be afraid to pick a bank and start fishing. There is not a bad place on Norfork Lake that time of year. No matter when you fish in April you can expect very warm temperatures to very cold temperatures in the same day or week you’re here. You just have to be prepared for the weather and you will catch fish and have a great time doing it. |
| 03/27/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Our weather patterns continue to swing from cold rainy to hot and windy. One day striper fishing is good, then it slows down and on some days quits then picks back up. If my clients happen to pick the good days fishing is a lot of fun but those other days when you are scrambling to get a bait make for a long day. The stripers are moving up and down the creeks depending on the weather. We are still fishing near Fouts Marina. I have mainly fished near 6B and then down towards the flats. Others are starting in front of the marina and work the bluffs and points. All this is short term as the weather will improve and striper fishing will pickup all over the lake. My son did catch a 30lb striper pre-fishing. He took a picture and released it to fight another day. The crappie are hitting very good in the deeper brush piles. They are biting on minnows and jigs all over the lake. Find some off color water with temperatures in the mid-fifties and you should catch some nice slabs.
I took Bobby and Pat who flew in from California to catch their first stripers. This was their first guided fishing trip also. The bite starting off quickly with Pat getting the first hit he missed it but was very excited to see the fish chase the bait out of the water. Pat’s next strike was on the mark and the fight was on. Pat put that one in the boat and he took pictures to send back to his co-workers. Bobby was next and he caught a good one. We put 4 in the boat and missed a few more that would have gave them their limit. They both enjoyed the day and Pat had the best birthday present a brother-in-law could give. |
| 03/21/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
What a week of swinging weather and fishing patterns. We stated off with snow and very cold weather and wound up sunny with sixty degrees. Fishing was outstanding all week without the sun being out. We caught over 55 plus stripers during that period. On Friday my son and I caught 22 stripers and were excited to know the sun and warm weather was coming Saturday. I told my clients that fishing was outstanding when they came on board, boy was I wrong. We were fishing near Fouts marina which is a narrow straight of water that does not have much room for heavy boat traffic. The sun came out and then the boats. We had a striper and bass tourney which caused heavy boating, the bass boats were flying up and down the lake and the striper guys was trolling. The stripers have been shallow and all the traffic shut them down. I fished 5 ½ hours and Sean fished 9 hours and between us we boated 4 stripers. Sean caught them all and I was skunked! Sunday we went to Big Creek trying to get out of the traffic and we both caught 1 striper apiece. I expect the pattern will improve with less boat traffic and consistent weather. On a bright note the walleye are hitting crankbaits up above Calamity Beach people are catching limits of walleye from shore in the evening. I had a call about fishing Thursday from Mike who had his trip canceled in Tennessee. Mike and his sons Levi & Luke along with their friend Harlan were on their first time striper fishing trip. They booked an eight hour trip. When we left the dock it was cold, overcast, and windy. We made it to Fouts so I began my setup which is 10 baited rods; 2 planner boards, 2 floats, 2 free lines, and 4 downlines. We started off slow but our first fish was a double headed. The young boys 11 & 12 were the first ones to catch a striper then the men took over and we kept this up for the next 6 ½ hours. We caught number 12 and the boys were cold so our trip was complete with their first limit of stripers. The boys had a trip they would soon not forget. |
| 03/17/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
March showed it’s self on Saturday afternoon by dumping 4” of snow and cold weather on Norfork Lake. We will have the cold weather for the next several days and that will slow the fishing down. Look for the fish to slide back into deeper water and wait for the south winds to heat up the lake. The bass fishing has been outstanding this past week on crankbaits; I expect that to slow down some but not for long. Striper fishing has been good all week with an early morning bite then mid to late afternoon bite. We should see an up tick in fishing activity by mid-week as the warm weather will start to reappear. Now that the weather has warmed the lake up these setbacks will only slow the process but once started the fish will continue to seek the warm water and begin their pre-spawn activity.
Sean took 2 guys who drove down from Minnesota for their first striper trip on Norfork Lake. They started Wednesday morning by leaving the dock at 5:15 AM to catch the early bite. Sean has been fishing the Big Creek area and has found the stripers are very shallow early then they move off into the 30’ water. It took a little while to find the fish but once he did the bite was on after several misses the guys figured out how to hook the fish and the fun began. They wound up hooking 12 stripers and boating 9 and had their limit by 9 AM. The long drive paid off for them and are planning on their next trip to catch more stripers on Norfork Lake.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. The stripers are in their spring migration and the bite is on. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 03/08/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
March’s first week of weather keeps pushing our spring up by 3 weeks for fishing. The trees are in full bloom the water temperature is climbing up and is now in the mid-fifties and the fish are biting all over the lake. Crappies, bass, stripers, and hybrids are being caught very shallow for this time of year. I have seen schools of stripers in waters less then 15’. If you present the right bait you will catch fish. Right now stripers are hitting threadfin and gizzard shad, Some days size does not matter but other days the stripers seem to want the small 3” baits. Find the warmest off color water with bait and you will find feeding stripers. Make sure your on the water before sunrise as it’s an early bite, this will change when the time changes but for now its an early rise to be in place to catch the stripers. All these things point to a very early spring. But a cold blast could send the bite back a week so let’s hope for a continuation of this weather. Some brave guys have started fishing for stripers at night with some success so get your stickbaits ready. The night bite will get in full force if the warm south winds continue.
My son and I have been doing some pre-fishing looking for active fish for our upcoming trips. I have been fishing the north section of the lake up around Fout Marina. There is lots of bait and schooling stripers and hybrids that feeding early. My son Sean has been fishing the Brushy and Big Creek areas and finding numerous schools of stripers. On Friday he took our friend Kyle out looking for stripers. When they shut the boat down they stopped right on a school of stripers. They started getting bites right away and caught 5 in a very short time, the bite lasted for 45 minutes and then the stripers shut down. They were still in the area but would only mouth the bait. They hooked up with 9 stripers but only boated 5 but for that short time they had a lot of action. |
| 02/28/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
March on Norfork Lake is a great time for spring fishing. Here in the Ozarks our spring begins with the southerly winds which arrive in late February. The water warms fast and the stripers, crappie, bass and walleye all start their spawning migration. Once the water stays in the fifties the shad will move into the creeks to begin their spawn which triggers the fish to move up from the deep water and start heavy spring feeding. The major creek arms on Norfork are Pigeon, Bennett’s Bayou, Big Creek, and Brushy Creek. Float and Panther Creek will hold fish but they are short and the fish move in and out too fast to stay consistent. The major fishing patterns for Norfork are:
Stripers: I present the gizzard and threadfin shad using long lines with no weight, planner boards, and floats. Most of the lines will have no weight or just a split shot. I look for the most stained water in 30’ or less. This water will be the warmest and probably blowing to the north shores as the southern winds will warm that water faster. The great thing about March fishing is you can catch stripers every part of the day and night. The night bite begins again when the south winds warm the north shores. The main lures are Smithwick Rouges that are thrown parallel to the bank and reeled very slowly. The best bite is the first 3 hours after dark. Some of the biggest fish of the spring is caught at night.
Crappie: The crappie are in the final stage of their pre-spawn. Large schools are roaming the main channel and flats and in all the major creek arms. Depending on how fast the lake warms you can expect to catch crappies in stained shallow water and on the flats. The best technique is spider rigging, slow trolling with minnows and jigs. If the bite is slow move up to the stained shallows and probe the brush piles. Remember to look for the stain water with brush you will catch the most crappies there if they have moved off the flat.
Bass: March is one of my favorite times of year for bass. They are moving up to feed before their spawning cycle and can be caught on many different types of baits. My personal preference are spinner baits either chartreuse and white during the day or if its low light a black skirt with 1” or 3” black curly tail. Really if you’re into bass fishing you will be able to catch bass on any presentation. Look for the warmest stain water or find a creek arm where the wind has been pounding the shore you will find bass ready to take your lure.
Walleye: The walleye will be in their full spawning cycle in March. The best place to catch them using live bait is from Calamity Beach to the U.S.160 bridge. They will move into the shallows to spawn and slide back to the holes during the day. There are long stain water flats which hold the fish plus some deep holes from Bryant Creek up to the Udall boat ramp. The best bait is night crawlers on worm harnesses slow trolled using your trolling motor. Another great method is night fishing using rogues. You may catch a striper but if you target the pea gravel banks you should zero in on the walleye. Remember to reel slowly and keep changing your colors until you can find what they want. March can be a fun month to catch fish but you should be prepared to have lots of wind, rain and cold weather mixed in with those sunny days. |
| 02/20/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Everything on Norfork Lake says its spring, warm air, breezes, fish biting, trees budding yet the calendar says February. I have been doing things liking catching fish in 30’ of water and catching bait in 2 1/2 ‘of water. The bait is all over Bennett’s Bayou. Large schools of threadfin shad and gizzards, crappie are being caught over brush piles in 8’ of water and the young male white bass are being caught from shore. All these things point to a very early spring. I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, a cold blast and some ice. I hope not because this could be the greatest spring of fishing we have ever seen. Last year started off warm and then April turned into early March with very cold weather and lots of wind. Let’s hope not!
Late afternoon in Bennett’s Bayou the surface temperature had reached 55 degrees. With the warmer nights the lake should maintain some of the warmth and stay in the low to mid-fifties. There are some large schools of white bass in Float Creek feeding heavy on shad before they move up the creeks to spawn. You should be able to find them in most creeks as long as the weather stays warm. Its now time to move from the deep water and start looking on the flats for roaming schools of stripers. I found stripers by Fouts Marina in waters ranging in deep from 30 to 45’.
Friday I took Dick out for some pre-fishing vowing not to fish in any deep water. We went directly to Fouts Marina and started looking along the bluff and kept moving in front then parallel to Fouts. I found schools of stripers in 40’ of water and started fishing. We were fishing with threadfin and gizzard shad. I ran 2 floats, 2 free lines with a split shot, 2 planner boards, and 2 down lines. We fished all morning and boated 2, loss 3 at the boat, and had 6 other strikes. I continued to mark stripers all morning zig zagging back and forth between 30’ and 45’. With this warming trend I suggest getting out there and start your spring fishing in February instead of March. |
| 02/13/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake surface temperature had started to rise with this warm weather and south winds. I went looking for bait and found threadfin and gizzards in Bennett’s Bayou. The water temperature had risen to 55 degrees on Saturday. I also found lots of schooling crappies in 15’ of water. I was fishing for stripers using shiners and caught a 12” crappie. I then started looking for them and found large schools roaming the river channel. I expect the water temperature to get back into the high forties but with the expected warmer forecast you should expect to see lots of bait and fish movement in the next 10 days. The shad are moving and should start heading up half way in the major creeks. I still continue to fish Float Creek but with not much success. The stripers are deep along with the shad. I have been seeing fish at 75’ on the bottom in the shad schools. I do not expect this to last much longer as I have found some fish up the creek in waters less then 50’. On Friday I took Bob out for his first striper trip. It was the full moon and windy. I was using both threadfin and gizzard shad. I expected with that bait we would tear up the fish. We found stripers right away in Float Creek and had a bite right away but it was petty soft bite and the fish did not hook itself. We fished for over 5 hours and continued to have soft bites with no real takers. I ran across a friend who had fished the Tracy Marina area both Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon and limited out both days. He said the shad was in 20’ and thick outside the marina. We went down there but could not find any shad. I think it was before the full moon and the shad were staying out of the marina they normal stay because of the full moon. Anyway it just shows that you can have the best bait and still not catch a striper, but tomorrow is another day. |
| 02/07/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake surface temperature had dipped down to 46 degrees in the creeks but warms during the day. Once we start getting warmer nights the lake will begin to warm up during the month of February. As the saying goes you cannot train an old dog new tricks, well I’m an old dog but I learned something new this weekend. I was fishing Float Creek in deep water like we always do this time of year. I usually fish waters 50 to 130’ from December to well into February, finding the shad and you will usually find the fish. This truth has been gospel since I started fishing Norfork Lake. While I continued fishing Float I noticed a troller way back in a cove. I knew him and he only trolls for stripers. I slowly trolled back knowing the water will get to be 30’ and shallower. When I got to 30’ I looked at my depth finder and found lots of stripers and we caught one right away. We continued to fish the area until the stripers left. I thought this was a fluke so I went back the next day and found even more stripers and caught some more. We went to another part of a creek and found lots of bait and stripers in 30’of water. This creek was 10 miles away. The moral is when you cannot find the fish in the normal fishing pattern look outside of the box and you may find the mother lode of fish.
I took out a regular client Howard who had his brother Bill and nephew Billy down for some winter fishing. We left the dock at 7 am and went to Float Creek and setup in 60’ of water and within 15 minutes we missed a couple of stripers and finally hooked up. Bill caught the first striper, then Billy caught the next one and Howard caught the third one. As I said previously we moved well into the cove and found the stripers in 30’ of water. I saw lots of fish but they only wanted threadfin shad, they would not hit my shiners or creek chubs but did hit the threadfin. I really think that we may have a good February now I know where to look for the stripers. If the weather stays warm I plan on try catching some crappie and walleye. |
| 02/01/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake surface temperature is steady at 48 degrees at night and early morning then rising up to 50 degrees with afternoon sun. The stripers are still not settled into their winter pattern of staying between the bridges but the last few days they are back where they were at the end of December and early January. I fished Float creek and found lots of shad and feeding stripers in depths of 50 to 80’ the 50’ water the stripers were on the bottom and coming up for the shad. In the deeper water they were in the 45 to 55’ range coming up to our lines set at 35 to 40’. I was using creek minnows for bait and used number 4 circle hooks. This bite should continue into February. Just keep looking in the main channels until you can find a consistent amount of shad. The stripers and other predators will show up.
George and Gene come to the area every year to try for some big browns and stripers. They fished with Ozark Fishing Adventures and caught several 10 lb browns. It was my turn to try and catch the big striper they wanted. We fished about 20 minutes when we had a triple on and caught 2 out of 3. It was a great start. The bite was strong for the first 3 hours then it slowed the rest of the day. We did catch 5 stripers but did not get the big one. That will be for another day. You should expect to find stripers in Float and Panther along with the Howard Cove area as long as we keep the warm weather. If it turns cold look for the stripers around the 62 bridge and the mouth of Henderson Marina. |
| 01/23/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake surface temperature is steady at 48 degrees and the stripers are getting picky on the size of bait they want to eat. I have been fishing threadfin shad, shiners, and creek chubs. Up to the end of this week the bite has been very good, but starting Thursday they quit biting the smaller baits and now want the largest shiners you can find. These shiners are call brooders or number 30's by the bait shops. The stripers are biting on them much better than the small baits. I fished the Howard Cove area Wednesday and Thursday and caught stripers and hybrids but by Friday they had moved out into the main lake below the U.S. 62 bridge. The stripers are roaming the deep water chasing shad so you will need to stay with the bait fish to find and catch the stripers. The shad are in the 40’ range and the fish are being caught between 35 and 40’. This bite should continue into February. Just keep looking in the main channels until you can find a consistent amount of shad. The stripers and other predators will show up. I go to sports shows every year to visit and talk with potential clients that would like to fish lake Norfork Lake. The first one is in Collinsville IL and the other is in Schaumburg IL. Every year you meet clients and other fishing guides and start developing a relationships. One such relationship I made is with 2 crappie guides, Steve and Alan. Steve and Alan guides on Lake Shelbyville and Kentucky Lake. Alan is also the Lowrance Rep. Having them on my boat for 2 days gave me some great insights into electronics and how better I can use technology to locate bait and fish. The first day out was our best day. We caught 5 stripers and missed many more. In the 8 hours we fished we had some great stories and shared information on lots of topics. We fished the Howard Cove area in 70 to 90’ of water with our lines set at 38’. We were using shiners, shad, and creek chubs. The next day was slower and we only caught 3 but again missed a few. This time of year you have to just keep going out and find the bait. One day it will be great and then the next two days slow. But keep doing it and you will figure out the fish and catch them consistently. |
| 01/17/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake surface temperature had dropped to 48 degrees and the stripers are on the feed. Multiple limits of stripers were caught this past weekend' Between my son Sean and I we caught 33 stripers from Thursday thorough Sunday. Not all were kept but our clients had a lot of fun reeling them in. The main bait was on creek chubs and shiners. We were fishing the Howard Cove area in 70 to 90’ of water with our lines set between 35 and 40’. Stripers are also being caught under the 62 bridge and back side of Henderson marina. Another tip in addition to watching for sea gulls is to locate large schools of fish is the Loons They hunt in packs and when you see them in a big circle they are getting ready to feed on a large school of shad. There will be stripers and other predictors around those schools. This bite should continue into February. Just keep looking in the main channels until you can find a consistent amount of shad. The stripers will show up. I had a request from Tom saying he wanted to take his dad and grandfather striper fishing on Friday the 13th. I was booked so my son Sean took them. The weather was wet so Tom’s grandfather took a pass and as luck would have it the rains never came for Tom and Bob. They hooked up within their first 10 minutes and continued to catch stripers until their trip ended. In all they caught 10 stripers and kept their limit of 6. Sean was fishing the Howard Cove area in 70 to 90’ of water with the lines set at 35 to 40 feet with Creek Chubs. Striper fishing will great for the next several weeks so come out and give it a try. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. Winter is here but spring is right around the corner. The stripers will begin their spring migration when the water stays in the mid fifties and the south winds blow.. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 01/11/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The cold weather the past few days will drop the Norfork Lake surface temperature a few degrees but I suspect it go back up with the warming trend that should take place this week. I fished Wednesday and Thursday and could not find any shad out in the channel of the lake. The shad are still in the main creeks like Float Creek, Panther Creek, and the Crystal Cove area. The shad are also in the marinas under the docks. I fished Float Creek and saw very large schools of stripers ranging in water 45 to 90’, the stripers were from 35 to 55’. Sometimes you could get 2 or 3 hits when the school passes by then other times nothing. The best approach is set your baits after you find some shad and just continue moving in a large circle. Most of the time you will see nothing on your locator but then a school will show up and the fun begins. The artificial users are catching stripers and white bass on spoons and the trollers are catching stripers on swim baits. Find the shad and you will find the fish. I had a Cast & Blast this past week with three generations, grandfather (Ray), son (John), and grandson (Henry). We fished Tuesday and Wednesday and pheasant hunted Thursday. Wednesday the stripers were very aggressive and we hooked our limit multiple times but only managed to boat 6 stripers, Wednesday the bite all together different we had over 25 strikes but many were nothing more than a pull down and the bait was gone we did manage to catch 8 stripers and missed a few more we should have had. Thursday the temperature was 19 degrees but felt warmer because we had little wind. When you can get together 3 generations it’s not about how many fish or birds you shoot it’s the time spent together and the memories you make that will last a lifetime. I was fishing Float Creek with the lines set at 35 to 40 feet with Creek Chubs. Striper fishing will great for the next several weeks so come out and give it a try. |
| 01/02/2017 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake surface temperature is staying in the high forties to low fifties depending on what part of the lake you are in. The shad can be found in the main creeks like Float Creek, Panther Creek, and the Crystal Cove area. The shad are also in the marinas under the docks. I have them under my dock at Tracy Marina. Sometimes you can find schools of stripers within the marinas so make sure you have your depth finder on when your leaving your marina The live bait users continue to catch stripers using shad, creek cubs, and shiners. The artificial users are catching stripers and white bass on spoons, and the trollers are catching stripers on swim baits. Find the shad and you will find the fish.
My cousins use the Christmas break to visit and striper fishing, we fished Wednesday and Thursday and caught stripers both days. The first day it was very cloudy but with a calm wind we fished for several hours without a bite. Then the sun came out and the stripers started feeding. We caught 5 within an hour, then the bite was over. Thursday the sun was out but the wind started early and pickup all morning long. Emily had not caught a fish the day before so it was her turn. My cousin Donald hooked the first striper but lost it at the boat. Emily hooked and landed 3 before the wind turned bad. The wind continued to pick up all morning so we finally had to quit. The waves were 2 ½ feet and it was unsafe to continue fishing. I was fishing Float Creek with the lines set at 35 to 40 feet with Creek Chubs. I could not hold the boat in place so we just floated down the center of the creek and hooked the stripers as we floated. Striper fishing will great for the next several weeks so come out and give it a try. |
| 12/28/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake surface temperature is now in the high forties to low fifties depending on what part of the lake you are in. The shad and stripers have moved into the main lake between the bridges and up towards Bidwell Point, Blue Lady, and Crystal Cove. They are also in Float and Panther Creek The sea gulls will give you a good indication where the stripers are feeding. The gulls are feeding on 1 inch shad the stripers are driving up to the surface. If you cannot get to the gulls don’t worry the schools are roaming the area so just keep moving towards the gulls and you should run into the stripers. The live bait users are catching stripers using shad, creek cubs, and shiners, the artificial users are catching stripers and white bass on spoons, and the trollers are catching stripers on swim baits. Find the shad and you will find the fish.
Because of the cold weather I had not fished for awhile. When the weather broke I decided to go. I called Dick to see if he wanted to go and of course he said yes. We decided to try Float Creek. When we arrived we started marking stripers at 30’ in 70’ of water. We setup and then a monster school of stripers moved under us and rods started bouncing. I hooked one and it tangled 3 other lines, Dick was also fighting one so he could not help. All we could do was watch the school move on without catching any more since the lines were tangled. We did catch 5 stripers in 45 minutes so it was a productive morning for not having fished for over a week. Striper fishing will great for the next several weeks so come out and give it a try. |
| 12/20/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake surface temperature is still in the mid-fifties but the cold weather should get the lake around the 50 degree mark. The shad and stripers will move to deeper water as the water gets colder. This time of year the best early place to fish is Float Creek and the Hand Cove area. Stay in those areas until the beginning of January then start looking at the 62 bridge area. This past week Stripers were caught north of the 101 bridge on the big flat, look for the sea gulls and you will find the stripers. The stripers are moving very fast so be prepared to keep moving. The live bait users are catching stripers using shad and shiners and the artificial users are catching stripers and white bass on spoons. Find the shad and you will find the fish.
I had Dan & Art scheduled for early October but both guys have serious back and shoulder problems so we rescheduled our 3 day striper trip for last week. Both guys could only fish about 4 hours a morning. We found stripers right away each morning and the bites were fast and furious the first hour. Both guys were new to this so they missed most of the fish but we had a great time each day. Art caught the most fish since he stood the whole time his back was preventing from sitting so he was better prepared to hook the fish. We found fish each day, the guys using spoons were doing better than us since the schools were moving so fast they could keep up with them by following the sea gulls. When you have 7 lines out in the water it’s hard to just pickup and move to the next fury of activity. We did catch stripers each day and overall had a great 3 day experience. They have all ready booked for next year. With the cold weather the striper bite will continue to improve for the next month. |
| 12/12/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake surface temperature is still in the mid-fifties and the shad and stripers are staying in the creeks and on the flats. With the current cold weather the lake temperature is dropping that will force the shad and stripers to move into the river channels. Look for them between the bridges and the Howard Cove area. Stripers are being caught in the Crystal Cove area using shiners and the flat right above the 101 bridge. Other areas to look are Float and Panther Creeks. These two areas are the best before January. The live bait users are catching stripers using shad and shiners and the artificial users are catching stripers and white bass on spoons. Find the shad and you will find the fish.We went searching for Walleye up by the US160 bridge. The water level is normal and it was at 45 degrees. The problem was the water is very clear. We moved down to Bryant creek and found 55 degree water that had color. We marked lots of fish but had only a couple of bites. The cold weather will get the walleye into their pre-spawn mood within the next couple of weeks. That’s when the fishing will be up. Stripers and bass are being caught on the flat by Blue Lady Resort. The stripers are roaming and moving fast so just keep moving slowly with your live bait and have a spoon ready. The stripers are feeding, so right now is a great time to get out and catch some fish. The bass and white bass are also very active right now. Spoons are working best for them in the 50’ range. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. Winter is here and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their winter feed patterns as the air and water temperatures drop along with the other predator species. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! By the way, did you know Norfork Lake offers thousands of acres of hunt-able land to the public? The deer hunt has been very good this season. For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 12/07/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
Norfork Lake has finally turned over. It took longer than usual due to the warmer weather we had in November. Look for stripers suspended around 30 ft. on flats. Find the baitfish and they will be close by. When you find them sometimes your screen on your depth finder will full from the top to the bottom of bait fish. Other times you can see them 10-30 ft. thick. Drop a jigging spoon and if you don’t get bite with in a few minutes they aren’t feeding. Then move on and find another school. They have moved up to the banks at night so you can throw stick baits and remember the thing is to reel it in SLOW. You can pick up walleye doing the same thing. They can be close to main points with deep water close by or in coves. Look in the major creeks too. Some bass are hitting spinner baits and crank baits. The bite is better if there is some wind blowing. There are some holding deeper 10-30 ft. and will hit a jig. If you mark a school drop a jigging spoon. The water temp is in the mid to upper 50’s and the lake level is 552.8, just a little below normal for this time of year. |
| 11/15/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The cooler nights have finally made the water cold enough to have a lake turnover. It takes about a week for the lake to settle down and the fish get active so by the middle of this week you should lots of top water activity all over the lake. Look on the flats and up the major creek arms for schooling fish. The stripers are still heavily at first light up and past the state line. If it’s foggy expect lots of action until the fog lifts then the bite dies. If there is no fog then the bite is consistent all morning most days. The best bite continues to be the flat next to the river channel in 25’ of water. There are huge schools of shad roaming the river. Just keep moving up and down the channel. We are catching stripers using down lines, weighted floats, and planner boards, the lines are set at 16’. My son Sean took out a couple Jeff & Christy that wanted to try striper fishing for the first time. They met at the dock and were fishing in 10 minutes and had strikes right away. It was a foggy morning and the bite was on, they caught 4 with the biggest being 17 lbs which they released. Once the sun came out it sure slowed down. Sean saw more and bigger schools of stripers but just would not hit. They had a few more bites but all the fun and action was in the fog. Jeff & Christy had a great first time experience and plan on another trip to Norfork.
The winter bite will start soon so make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to read our Fall Striper tactics, the article can be found on the www.NorforkLakeChamber.com website. |
| 11/08/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Our busy schedule on Norfork Lake continues. We had 2 groups in for our Cast & Blast package. We striper fish for 2 days and hunted pheasant the other day. The stripers are on the feed above the state line. This past week we caught over 60 stripers. I know people are saying they are catching stripers on the flats but not the numbers we are. While we are baiting for shad we are seeing hundreds of stripers way up the creeks in 3’ of clear water. They are feeding in the coldest water on the lake. This week the lake will turn over. The turn over will shut down fishing on the main lake for a few days but after that the fish will go on a major feed and you will be able them anywhere on the lake. Look on the flats and up the major creek arms for schooling fish. The white bass was feeding around Bryant Creek for periods of over an hour. You should start seeing that after the lake turnover. If you fish above the state line do not expect to catch any stripers if you plan on trolling with plastic baits or shiners. I have watching trollers and shiner fisherman and not one has caught a striper. We are using 7 to 8” gizzard shad. That’s all the stripers want right now so just wait until the lake turns and the plastic’s and shiners will then catch stripers. The best bite is the flat next to the river channel in 25’ of water. There are huge schools of shad roaming the river. Just keep moving up and down the channel. We are catching stripers using down lines, weighted floats, and planner boards, the lines are set at 16’. I took Mitch, Dave, & Mark out for their annual Cast & Blast. We striper fished for 2 days and they caught their limit both days. The first day it took all 8 hours to catch our limit. We had plenty of bites but it was one of those days to catch fish it took 3 bites to catch each fish. One of the nice things about fishing above the state line is you can catch your shad up there. After we were done the first day the guys let me catch our bait for the next day. That saved me both time and money plus it was fun for them seeing how we catch bait. The next day the bite started right away and continued all morning we caught our limit plus 2 more in less then 3 hours. As always, the extra two fish were released. We were seeing large schools of stripers roaming the flats feeding shad. Now is a great time to catch stripers if you have never done it now is the time. |
| 11/02/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This was a busy week of fishing and deer hunting, the bite continues from Calamity Beach past Point 10 in Missouri. The warm weather has kept the lake from turning over so the only good bite is in the river. Stripers are moving up and down the river chasing shad. It seems the only bait the stripers will hit on a regular basis is live shad, I watch trollers going up and down the river and in 2 weeks I have only seen 1 striper caught whereas we have been limiting out or our clients have had enough bites to catch a limit. The best bite is the flat next to the river channel in 25’ of water. There are huge schools of shad roaming the river. Just keep moving up and down the channel. We are catching stripers using down lines, weighted floats, and planner boards, the lines are set at 16’.We had Rick and his daughter Courtney in for 3 days of deer hunting and striper fishing. Rick is in a wheel chair so it was a challenge getting him close to deer. But they both had opportunities to harvest a buck multiple times, Courtney missed the biggest buck of her life a big 10 point. They also wanted to try striper fishing so we fished Saturday & Sunday. The bite was on both days. The first day we missed our limit since they were new to striper fishing but on Sunday they were on the fish and had their limit by 9:15 am. Rick was a great sport and was it my pleasure seeing farther and daughter have such a great experience. |
| 10/25/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake fall bite continues from Cranfield to North of the state line. The water is the coldest above Calamity Beach up to Udall. Stripers are surfacing and feeding on shad both early morning and evening from Calamity Beach to Udall. Walleye are also being caught using crankbaits on the points from the state line to Udall. I continue to fish in waters that range from 20 to 30’ off the chann .el, the stripers seem to feeding on the flats. The biggest drawback on fishing north is the intense fog that seems to gather up there each morning. The bite is very slow while the fog last with the foggy days being my worst days for landing a limit of stripers. Stripers, whites, bass, & hybrids are schooled on the flats beginning about a 1 3/4 miles Cranfield Island. Stay in the channel and you will go up about a 1 mile and lake makes a wide left turn left then go up another ¾ mile and it turns right. The cove on the left past the turn is a big flat and you should find the fish feeding in water less then 40’. A past client called and was visiting and wanted to go striper fishing. So we set the time and they asked if their dog Max could come along. Since I have hunting dogs that are always with me I said sure. We made the long ride and hit fog which slowed us down but was not to bad that day. We started fishing and hooked right away, it’s always funny when a dog sees a fish jump away from the boat. Most just want to lick the fish, and that was Max. All he wanted to do was lick the stripes. The stripers are off the channel and feeding on the flats. I have seen some of the big schools of the year up there and when you hit them the bait goes wild and you usually get multiple hits. We ended up missing our limit by 1 but sure had a great time with Dale, Debbie, and Max.
The fall bite has started so make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to read our Fall Striper tactics, the article can be found on the www.NorforkLakeChamber.com website. |
| 10/16/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake fall bite is picking up speed with the cooling of the lake. Stripers continue to school in the upper Norfork lake area. I have observer trollers and spooners fishing for stripers from Cranfield Island up to Twin Coves. The whites, bass, & hybrids are schooled on the flats in front of Twin Coves. The water temperature dropped another 3 degrees after the rains this week, that’s all it took for the fish to start feeding. The main lake has yet to turn off so spend time fishing from Cranfield Island up to the state line or Big Creek up to the Elizabeth ramp. Most of us that have been fishing for years tend to form opinions on what a fish should be doing certain times of years. We fish areas based on that and wonder why some years we never catch fish in that area then other years we do. We assume stripers leave the main lake and move up the creeks and river where the oxygen is better and that’s a good assumption. What we do not realize is how far a striper will move up a creek. Last week I was catching bait in 4’ of water and suddenly my net jerked and when I pulled it in I had a 8 lb striper, the next time I was up catching bait I move farther up in 3’ of clear water and saw stripers swimming up the creek. Stripers being that far up the creek says we should always experiment when we are fishing don’t stay in the normal patterns because the stripers are not. I stated before that I had canceled trips because the water was too warm and the stripers quit feeding. One of trips I canceled was with Chuck & Debbie they were coming down for 2 days of striper fishing. We agreed when the fish started feeding they would reschedule. Well the stripers started feeding and they came down and fished for 2 days and caught their limits both days in 2 hours. Debbie caught the biggest and most. We had a great time and their patience with me holding them off until the bite started was worth the wait for them. |
| 10/12/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake fall bite is now in full swing. I continue to fish around and above the state line and have been catching limits of stripers. I know there are many places on the lake you can stripers but when I find a good place I will not risk my client’s time trying to catch a striper in a new place when I can catch them all morning long. Sure it’s a long ride and you need both an Ar/Mo fishing license, but its well worth the time and money. The heavy rain on Wednesday helped to bring the water temperature down. It’s a fun time of year, the trees are turning, the eagles are feeding, and the cold mornings make the fall a great time to be on the water. If you do not want to go north look at the flats in Big Creek near 1C just past Hand Cove and Jordan, or Robinson Point along the river channel and flat, or Cranfield Island channel and flat. The fall bite started at just the right time for my group that scheduled 2 days of striper fishing. Jim, Woody, Dusty, & Justin have fished for stripers on other Arkansas lakes but never fished Lake Norfork. They had scheduled 2 six hour trips. The first morning the sky was clear with no fog. We made the 45 minute run up and started fishing around 6:50 AM. It was not long before we had our first strike and miss. We then started connecting and by 10 AM we had 12 stripers boated with the biggest being 20 lbs. They also missed many I started with 49 gizzard shad and finished with 4. Sunday we had some fog and it took a little longer to get up there. The fog seems to slow the bite down but we still had over 20 strikes and boated 9 stripers. The total for 2 days was 21 stripers boated. If you want to catch a fall striper your window is the next six weeks. |
| 10/05/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The fall bite has finally started on the upper end of Norfork Lake. The colder nights and cool days lowered the river section of Norfork to the low 70’s. The river turned over last week. We started fishing the area above Calamity Beach on Thursday, we caught 1 that day but started seeing lots of bait. On Friday we again only caught 1 but saw more stripers and bait. On Saturday we had more bites and .caught 3, Sunday I caught a limit and started seeing schools of stripers that were very active. The fish are shallow I’m catching them using gizzard shad with my baits set at 13 to 15 feet. One word of caution, we you plan on fishing the upper end of Norfork make sure you have a good GPS system I run trails on my Lowrance unit that shows where I have been, I follow the trail so the only thing I have to worry about is floating debris and boats. While I’m driving I always staying alert for waves, if I feel one I slow way down since I know a boat is around. I go slow until I can figure out where it is and I’m safe. The white bass and largemouth are feeding around Cranfield Island and up towards Red Bank. I have been getting calls daily to go fishing the past week and half. I canceled 4 trips because we could not find any stripers that we could catch. My story has been wait a week and the fish will start biting. Mike has been one of many clients that kept calling about fishing. The bite started so we scheduled a trip for Sunday, the fog was bad so it took longer to get up the river. We setup and had 1 strike right away then we had to wait until the sun burned the fog off. It seems the fish do not get active until the sun comes over the hills. We caught 2 and about 10:15 we ran into a school and caught 2. Mike had his limit and saw a lot of action. This bite will l .ast until late November and then the stripers will move down towards the bridges. |
| 09/27/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week instead of cooling down Norfork Lake went up in water temperature. As I write this the lake is at 83 degrees from Udall to Big Creek. The stripers have shut down. I fished 4 times again from Udall to Big Creek looking for feeding stripers and have not had a bite. I have canceled 5 trips and will continue to until the lake cools down. There are some guides taking out clients but I will not when I know there are no stripers to catch. My best advice is stay home until the weather takes a turns cold. The lake needs to get into the low 70’s for the upper lake stripers to turn on and into the high 60’s for the mid to lower lake sees any real activity. The white bass and largemouth are feeding early on small fry in the 101 and Hand Cove areas and above Fouts. The weather forecast calling for high’s in the 70’s and low’s in the low 60’s. We should see some water cooling but until we get a hard cold rain the lake will not drop much at once. It will over time but for now switch to other species or watch baseball and footbal l. My son Sean and I will continue to pre-fish this week trying to find active fish but I do not expect much until next week. |
| 09/21/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week we finally had some rain, the east side of the creeks are muddy with lots of debris, the water coming in from the creeks is very cool. The front of Bennett’s Bayou creek is 82 degrees and the incoming water is 73 degrees. The new water has changed the dynamics of the Norfork Lake. I have been fishing the dam area for stripers in 32 to 35’ of water early all morning long. All week long the stripers have stayed in that range. When I’m about to finish fishing I dump my remaining live shad into the lake and the stripers have exploded around my boat. The last two days not one striper has come up. The marks I’m seeing are now catfish. We have been catching them each day. The stripers are moving out of the area, I plan on pre-fishing Diamond Bay and the Robinson Point area. That is the first place they will show up. I also plan on fishing the state line area. With the cold water coming into the lake, the stripers should make a run up the lake and start their fall feed.
I took out 2 couples for a 2 day striper trip. We started each day fishing near the dam and caught and missed a few stripers. The bite is very slow and the bite is not very hard. The stripers will hit the bait and then come back and pull the rod but not hard. Most times we would miss the fish since they were only holding the bait not biting it. On Sunday Donna had the hot hand. She had figured out the bite and was hooking the fish and had her limit within the first 2 hours. We did not catch anymore stripers but did catch catfish. I really feel the stripers are migrating and the next big rain will really get them moving. The fall bite should start anytime and will continue this way into November. |
| 09/13/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 554 and the water temperature is in the low 80’s. Look for the stripers early in the morning suspended 30ft off points and in coves. The can be on the bottom or out in deeper water as the sun gets higher and will move deeper from 30 to 50ft. I found some stripers and hybrids in Koso Bay this week and there were a few coming up chasing shad baitfish but was over in about five minutes. There were stripers down under the top water fish and the only thing I could get them to hit was a in-line spinner. They would not hit a spoon. Look for the stripers within a few miles of the dam. When the water temp starts cooling down they will move up in the creeks and back up lake. There will be stripers still down around the dam area. The bass are coming up hitting top water baits early (Zara spooks). I found some in a creek along a deep channel swing. Marked some suspended fish (at 30ft) in 90ft and dropped jigging spoon and caught some nice Kentuckians. Also caught some on jigs in 15-25ft deep on some flats. |
| 09/07/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake stripers are being inconsistent. One day its fast and furious then the next day it’s very slow. The weather last week as was up and down, we started off hot and then it turned cold. The water temperature dropped 8 degrees with a north wind and now this week it will be hot with a south wind. Fishing should get back to a heavy bite early morning and late afternoon. The fish are still .in the 32 to 35’ of water early then move out to deeper water feeding on shad. I have found them in 40 to 80’ of water after 8 AM. If you hit a school of stripers they will hit every line. The fish can be found near the dam. Start looking at all the points within a mile of the dam, you will find them feeding before light. Walleye’s are being caught on points and flats using bottom bouncers and spoons in 28 to 35’ of water. The best live bait this past week for stripers has been gizzard shad.
I took Kevin and Will out for their first time using live bait. Last year they tried using spoons with little success so they wanted to see how a live bait guide uses shad. We started off where I had been catching fish everyday but the fish had moved since the cold wind and lake temperature dropped. My son Sean was fishing near the dam and was marking fish and caught 1 so we headed his way. It sure helps to have another person fishing the same way you do, it helps finding and staying on fish when they move around. We arrived at Sean’s location and immediately hooked up. I start off with 41 gizzard shad to catch a limit of stripers whether its 6, 9 or 12 stripe .rs. Today we went through 39 shad to catch 6 stripers. The bite was so fast and we could not keep up with the hits. Both Kevin and Will were getting bites but just could not hook the fish. Sean only used 8 baits to catch 6 stripers, some days it works out that way. We finally caught our limit by 7:15 AM. Both guys were very happy using live bait. The fall bite will continue this way into November. |
| 08/29/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake stripers continue to feeding heavily in the early morning and late afternoon. They are feeding in the 32 to 38 foot range. Most of the fish are right on the bottom off the main points and humps. After sun up they are moving out to the 40’ range, roaming and chasing shad. When you hit a school every rod will get hit. We had 5 rods out and more then once all were hit at the same time. . It was total madness. The fish can be found near the dam start looking in Shoal Creek for whites and hybrids then look at all the points within a mile of the dam, you will find them feeding before light. Walleye’s are being caught on points and flats using bottom bouncers and spoons in 28 to 35’ of water. The best live bait this past week for stripers has been gizzard shad.
A client of mine who has fish with me for over 10 years booked a 3 boat 2 day trip for his clients this past Saturday and Sunday. Doug Schultz' group had 9 people, 3 in each boat. We had great weather. The rain that was predicted never happened so everything was perfect for 2 great days of fishing. With all new clients there is a learning curve trying to catch a striper before light. The first day we landed 23 stripers with 4 over 20 lbs, the biggest was 24 lbs. The second day with boated 27 stripers. Everybody figured out how to hook the fish and we were done by 6:35 on Sunday. All total we boated 50 stripers in 2 days. This time of year we practice catch and keep since the stripers are under heavy stress from the warm water. A lot of people release a striper and see it swim away believing the fish will be OK. Statistics show that the mortality rate is very high. They . may live a couple of days but most of them die so it’s better to keep the fish you catch. The bite is unbelievable and should continue this way into September.
The fall bite will be starting soon as the water starts to cool down so make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to read our Fall Striper tactics, the article can be found on the www.NorforkLakeChamber.com website. |
| 08/23/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake stripers continue their awesome late summer bite. Look for them on points near the dam in 35 to 40’ of water before daylight. The rains this week helped the oxygen in the lower end of the lake lower and lowered the water temperature from 90 degrees to the low 80’s Look for stripers in Shoal Creek the front and back of Koso Point, Thumb Point, Dam Cove, Point One and then east towards Hand Cove. A evening bite has begun also. That bite usually starts around 6 pm up to dark off the lake points. As the sun sets the stripers will move onto the point flats and begin their evening feed. With the lower water temperature and higher water levels the crappies should begin to start their fall bite. Right now they will be in the deep brush piles in the 30’ range. Walleye’s are being caught on points and flats using bottom bouncers and spoons in 28 to 35’ of water. The best live bait this past week for stripers has been gizzard shad.
Saturday was predicted to have heavy rains so my clients canceled but Sean’s group were ready and willing to go. It turned out the rains only lasted the first 45 minutes of the trip and then it turned out to be a great morning. Dan, Jonie, & Brian have fished Norfork Lake using spoons but wanted to try live bait. The bite was slow the first 30 minutes but then it started. Being first timers using live bait it is common that it takes a few misses to figure out how to hook the stripers. Jonie missed a couple but then she was on fire. She hooked and landed her biggest striper at 24 lbs before the sun was up. Brian started catching them and then Dan did and before they knew it they had their limit and were back at the dock by 7:30 AM. The bite is unbelievable and should continue this until after Labor Day.
The fall bite will be starting soon as the water starts to cool down so make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to read our Fall Striper tactics, the article can be found on the www.NorforkLakeChamber.com website. |
| 08/22/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 554.2 and the water temperature is in the mid 80’s. Look for stripers on the lower end of the lake from point 2 to the dam and a couple miles East up in Big Creek near Hand Cove and Jordan. Most of them are suspended down 40ft. and can be on the bottom in 40ft or out in 100ft of water. Check the bays down by the dam and out off the points or the deep side of the points. On a clear day I like to use a silver jigging spoon and on cloudy days I like white. Use at least a 3/4oz. and use a barrel swivel on your spoon. It helps eliminate line twist. The Fle-Fly bendable spoons are working well. Early in the morning there are some bass hitting topwater. For the deeper fish 15-40ft throw a jig, Texas rigged worm, drop-shot with a small minnow type bait or a 4”worm. Try a jigging spoon for the deeper ones. Some walleye have been hitting jigging spoons down around 35ft. There are some nice whites and hybrids suspended around 35ft. |
| 08/16/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Striper fishing on Norfork Lake is hitting its summer peak, Norfork is different than other southern lakes. The hotter it gets the better the bite. This will continue into middle of September, then the oxygen level is the lowest it will be and the bite slows down on the southern part of the lake. About that time I start heading up towards Calamity Beach where the lake oxygen will begin to reach a higher level. I fish up towards Udall until late November, the best bite on lake is in the river. The striper bite continues to center around the dam area. You will find them from Shoal Creek to the front and back of Koso Point, Thumb Point, Dam Cove, Point One and then east towards Hand Cove. They continue to feed in the 30 to 35' range of water before light then move out to deeper water. The evening bite has begun. That bite usually starts around 6 pm up to dark off the lake points. As the sun sets the stripers will move onto the point flats and begin their evening feed. The rains this week should help the oxygen in the lower end of the lake and with the work continuing on the dam we should not see much of a rise in the lake level. The best bait this past week has been gizzard shad. I have been fishing Norfork Lake since my first May vacation in 1982. My son Sean was just 18 months old when he was on my boat watching me catch stripers. We fished together since then on our home waters in Indiana and Norfork Lake. In 1997 we moved down to Mountain Home and I began my guiding business. Sean helped out and when he was old enough began to guide part time through school. He became very busy on his own with his restaurant and only could help out occasionally. Since he sold the business he moved to Knoxville TN and began guiding there, but Mountain Home called him back and now he is getting married in September he is starting a new journey. Sean will be joining me full time as my partner in our fishing and hunting business. Sean is an excellent fishing, duck, & deer guide. I'm very proud of him and very excited that he has decided to join me so now when you call to book a trip I will not have to turn you down since we will have two boats to take you on your striper experience. The fall bite will be starting soon as the water starts to cool down so make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to read our Fall Striper tactics, the article can be found on the NorforkLakeChamber.com website. |
| 08/09/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork striper fishing continues to be hot. Besides myself several other guides have been having great success with multiple limits of stripers and several big fish. The bites has mainly been around the dam area, look for them in Shoal Creek, Koso Point, Thumb Point and Hudson. They continue to feed in the 30 to 35' of water before light then move out to deeper water. Before the bite would end when the s .un comes up but now the bite seems to getting better and longer. I have seen big schools of stripers feeding after 8 AM on multiple days. The rains this week should help the oxygen in the lower end of the lake and with the work continuing on the dam we should not see much of a rise in the lake level. The best bait this past week has been gizzard shad, I have some trollers catching stripers but not like the live bait fisherman. The past week has been my personal best for catching big stripers. My clients boated a: 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 29, and 35 lb stripers with multiple limits. What a week!
Don called from Springfield Mo had wanted to fill one of his bucket list items, that is to catch a striper. We had scheduled the trip a month ago but the weather and striper bite was bad so we rescheduled until Friday. As usual we left the dock at 4:30 AM and made the 15 minute ride to where I had found some stripers off a hump in the middle of the lake. The bite was slow for about an hour, a front had moved in and the stripers were looking at the bait. Don missed it. Bryan, Don's son hooked up and we had one in the boat. We missed several others and I thought we would have a OK day but no li .mit. Then magic happened. Don's pole went down and the fight was on, I position Don to fight the fish and about a minute into the fight Bryan's pole went down. The way the pole went down and the drag was going I knew that it was BIG fish. The fish ran under the boat and between the engine and jack plate Bryan was having a hard time trying to get the pole so I left Don to fight his fish and took the pole from Bryan and backed the drag off so I could lower the rod around the engine and out. I tighten the drag up and Bryan and Don were in fighting their fish of a lifetime. Don's came in and it was big 24 lbs but its body told me it would have been a 30 lb in the spring. Bryan's finally gave up and came to the boat. I tried netting it but my net was to small so I had to do what the Wicked Tuna guys do pull it by hand. It was BIG 35 lbs, so far that's the biggest striper caught by my clients. Don's bucket list item was marked off with a big check mark!
The fall bite will be starting soon as the water starts to cool down so make your plans on the web with www. .FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to read our Fall Striper tactics, the article can be found on the NorforkLakeChamber.com website. |
| 07/27/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake stripers continue their summer feeding pattern. Both live bait and trolling seems to work the best right now. The trollers are mostly trolling between point 2 and the dam staying on the edge of the channel. One person said he had caught 13 one day. Arkansas Fish & Game has requested that anybody who catches a legal striper should not be releasing them back into the lake. The warm water cause tremendous stress on the fish. They will loo .k fine when released but later in the day they die according to fish studies of stripers released in hot water. Catch your limit then switch to another species or call it a day and head for the beach. The stripers are still feeding in 35 to 50’ of water before light, they then move off the points and suspend in or near the old river channel. Look for them off Thumb, Georges Cove, Koso, and the Dam area. The lake is being maintained at the 553 level until the dam gate work is completed. We should continue to see excellent striper fishing well into the fall. This past week the bigger stripers have started biting. Multiple days I have caught fish in the high teens up to the mid-twenties. Now is the time to get out on the lake and catch your trophy. A young couple from Michigan called and wanted to try their luck at catching some stripers. Caleb and Danielle never fished for stripers so as with most of my clients the trip was going to be an adventure. Caleb hooked a striper before light and we're on our way to catching a limit early. Sometimes what you think will happen never seems to work out that way. For some reason after Caleb caught the first striper he could not keep a striper on the line. He had four stripers hooked and lost every one of them. It was getting frustrating for everybody, but failure sometimes turns out to be a success. Danielle caught a striper then anoth .er so we had three in the boat and should have been heading back to the marina if Caleb would have caught his. I moved out to the channel and it was now near 7 am and getting hot. Then magic happened. The rod went down and I gave it to Caleb and he fought it for a good 10 minutes and finally he landed the striper which weighted 23 lbs. The next minute the float went down and Danielle started fighting that and she landed a 21 lb striper. The bite slowed so I move to another spot and we caught number 6 quickly and was back at the marina by 8 am. The moral is never give up just because you are having a bad day. You never know how it will turn out, Caleb's failure to land those early stripers led him and Danielle to catch a fish of a life time. |
| 07/17/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers have finally started their summer feeding pattern. I am seeing larger schools of stripers and hybrids each day. The beginning of the week I saw only 5 or 6 stripers at one time, now I’m seeing large schools of stripers feeding in water 70 to 130’ deep. The pattern is to look for them in 35 to 40’ of water on a flat before light. You can usually catch 2 or 3 of them. As it begins to get daylight follow the fish out to deeper water. Before this week once the sun came up the bite was over, now it just a matter of finding the fish and you can catch them. Check out the Dam Cove area and behind Koso Point because they both have the type of structure that I have described. The lake has now reached the level that allows the work to begin on the dam gate. We should see this level of 553 for the next several weeks. A work of caution, do not take sharp turns on points and if your not familiar with the creeks do not go far up them. There are a lot of trees that are now above or just under the surface. I had a request to take a father and his two sons out for their first striper fishing trip. Richard and his sons RC and Jimmy came down from central Missouri Friday night and fished with me Saturday morning. RC told me this trip was part of his high school graduation present. I really wanted to make sure they had a good time and have RC catch some stripers. As luck would have it RC hooked and landed the first striper. He then caught a catfish so he was 2 for 2. The next eight stripers was caught by Richard and Jimmy. We keep teasing RC that he should have not caught the first striper. Jimmy had caught four and Richard three and RC one. I really wanted RC to catch at least one more so I kept moving into deeper water and was running six down lines and 2 floats all set at 40’. Finally the float went down and RC started fighting the striper and when he finally got it in his pole went down again so he started fighting that striper. Before I could get the poles in two more went down. We missed one and landed another. RC caught his limit plus one. We were able to release two so everybody caught their limit and his present was one he will remember for a long time. |
| 07/17/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 552.8 and the water temperature is in the mid to upper 80’s. The stripers are suspended around 35ft early in the morning and as the sun gets higher they move deeper. They can be as deep as 60ft out in 100ft and deeper. Look along channel swings on bluff ends and in the deeper coves and on some of the deep flats. There are bass hitting topwater baits early and then you will have to throw a jig, worm or try a drop-shot with a small minnow type bait or a 4” worm. Start throwing in 15ft and work out to 25-30ft. Look for some white bass hanging in coves close to the ditches that run through the coves close to flats. |
| 07/13/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
In the last few days Norfork Lake picked up speed. I had fished all week with little results. Then on Thursday the stripers decided to feed like they should during the summer. There are two things to know about summer stripers. One, as the water warms stripers feed heavy as they burn lots of energy during the summer. The second is stripers need 6 parts per million of oxygen in the water to be aggressive. Again as the lake warms the oxygen becomes lower so the stripers continue to go deeper to find a level of water that will support them. As the summer progresses expect to find stripers anywhere from 60 to 100’ deep. Once you find them they will usually bite. As they were last week the stripers before light are feeding in 35 to 45’ of water.. Once it becomes daylight they continue to move out to 100 to 130 feet of water. Continue to look for schooling stripers on sloping banks later in the morning. The lake continues to be lowered until it reaches a pool of 553 or so which should happen in the next week. If you can find a point that slopes with the channel butting it then you have the perfect combination to catch stripers early then after light. A local couple, Tess & her boyfriend Tyler, booked a trip for her father Jim for a Father’s day gift. We met at Tracy Marina at 4:30 am and headed out for a fun morning. The first thing Jim asked was “how’s fishing” and I said it’s been spotty so you never know when you are striper fishing whether today is the day that would turn around. We started where I had been catching a few. One thing you learn guiding is you never leave fish to find fish, you fish your spot until those fish leave or just will not bite. I set them up and before long I hooked a fat hybrid for Tyler and the bite was on. The next hour and 45 minutes we caught and missed stripers. All told we boated only 6 at that spot. Before light you will holding the pole so it’s a feel more then watching your pole. It takes time to learn when to let the fish take the bait before you set the hook. For some people it requires a few strikes to master that. We then moved to another spot needing 3 stripers to fill our limit, I spotted a few stripers and setup and before I could get the fourth rod out we had 2 fish on and it was total circus. We boated 2 more before the school was gone but it sure was fun seeing all those fish and my clients running around the boat hooking fish. Be sure to read our Summer Striper tactics, the article can be found on the FishNorforkLake.com website. |
| 07/05/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake has slowed down, the constant storms and boat traffic slowed down the bite down. Although we are still catching stripers, I’m not having the bites and catches I had the week before. One thing that changed is the depth of the stripers before light. I was catching them at 35 to 45’ of water, now they are being caught at shallow as 30’of water. Once it becomes daylight they continue to move out to 100 to 130 feet of water. Af .ter 8 AM the fishing turns off using live bait. The lake continues to be lowered until it reaches a pool of 553 which should happen in the next week unless the rains continue which will move that back. Look for stripers off sloping points before light, and then continue to look for them as you move off the point into the channel. If you can find a point that slopes with the channel butting it then you have the perfect combination to catch stripers early then after light. Being a live bait guide generates move problems then the artificial bait guides. Finding the right size bait and keeping them alive is unique. Shad requires salt which causes problems in your boat, everything is working great that a wire corrodes and you wind up with dead bait. Another problem is you can only house so many baits at a time. I average 33 to 37 baits per trip. If you get into a heavy bite so can go through a lot of bait very quickly since we tend to miss more then we catch. With that all said some days things just never click with a client, I had that happen this week. We could not catch a striper, we had 9 strikes with no fish in the boat, and my anxiety level was so high that the clients were not happy. As a guide our one job is trying and make sure you catch fish and have a good time. This past week was not my best week. My friend Jim Crowley from Hook and Hunt TV came down for the Fourth of July. . Jim writes for Midwest Outdoors and wanted to write an article on Norfork striper fishing. Jim and I have filmed a number of fishing and hunting shows with great success. After my current week I was worried about the fishing but Sunday morning turned out better than I expected. We were fishing at 4:45 AM and went 30 minutes without a strike then four rods went down in the dark. It was a total mad house but we managed to boat 3. We then moved to another spot and caught 2 more so we had enough fish on the line to catch 2 limits. Jim had a good trip with enough information and pictures to publish an article in August. Be sure to read our Summer Striper tactics, the article can be found on the FishNorforkLake.com website. |
| 06/29/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake continues to stay HOT. The lake temperature is hot and the striper fishing is hot. Before daylight look for stripers in 35 to 45’ of water feeding on crawdads, when the sun comes up start moving out to 100 to 130 feet of water. After 8 am the fishing turns off using live bait. Stripers continue being caught at the Hwy 62 bridge and Robinson Point. On the south end of the lake the stripers are appearing on the deep side of the points, they are also in the deep channels and bays that butt a bluff. The lake is very clear this year and the creeks are clear due to the continual dam generation. One gate needs maintenance and the lake level must be down to 553 and stay that way up to 2 weeks. Catching bait some days is taking up to 5 hours to catch 30 baits. Once the lake level reaches 553 the creeks will return to its normal water color. Jim called from Cabool Missouri about taking him and his two daughter’s striper fishing. They had not fished for stripers before so it we set it up for Sunday. I had a good week overall, one thing about summer fishing Norfork Lake is the pattern will stay the same but the fish react to weather and boat traffic different each day. On Thursday and Friday fishing was very hot, we could not keep a bait in the water for the first two hours, each day we caught at least 10 stripers in little over an hour. Saturday there was a major lighting storm north of us and that shut down my fishing. We caught only 4 but did catch a 16 lb fish. I was very disappointed because I could see the fish but they just did not want to take the bait. On Sunday with Jim and his girls I decided to start very shallow and was rewarded with stripers everywhere. Within 10 minutes we hooked up and it stayed that way. We caught 7 before light and kept 6, Then the bite slowed down but we caught our limit by 7 am and were back cleaning fish by 7:20. This time of year with the water temperature being so high I do not release legal fish. The mortality rate when fighting fish is very high right now. Therefore if you book with me, expect to catch fish but we will keep them so our trip may not last the four hours but you will have a great time. |
| 06/21/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is HOT, the lake temperature is 87 degrees and climbing, this usually happens in late July and August but summer weather has started early. You can find stripers as shallow as 40 feet and as deep as 80 feet. Most of the fish I’m catching are holding between 30 and 40’ right now. I start off in 70 to 80 feet of water and move up into the 40 to 50’ after the sun comes. It’s a reverse of what normally happens, shallow then deep. I do not believe this pattern will last long, most of the fish will be caught in the 50 to 60’ as the month progresses. Stripers continue being caught at the Hwy 62 bridge and Robinson Point. On the south end of the lake the stripers are appearing on the deep side of the points, they are also in the deep channels and bays that butt a bluff. I’m still using gizzard shad that range in length from 5 to 10”. I had a call from Iowa about setting up a striper trip for Father’s Day. Mike wanted to take his dad John who is 80 years old out along with Mike’s two sons, Ross and Reese. We set up for last Sunday and we left the dock at 4:15 AM. The day before I had taken out a father, son, and grandson group and we caught 10 stripers in 1 ½ hours so I was pretty confident that we would really catch the fish. Boy was I wrong, we went to the fist 2 places where 10 or more stripers were caught the day before and we had no bites for over 2.1/2 hours. By now I was in full stress mode and all I could say that we should catch fish since I could see them on the graph. At the third spot we hit pay dirt. The float line went down and I set the hook and gave the rod to John. The fish was too strong so I worked with John and we finally boated the striper and it was 14 lbs. Everybody was smiling but that was only one fish and I needed more. The float when down again and this time Mike took the rod and we boated his striper and it was 12 lbs. We hooked another one but lost it to the trolling motor. The last one came when nobody was watching the poles. That fish went under the boat and caught most of lines and then took off for deep water. We got the lines untangled and Reese boated at 17 lb striper. It was a long morning but it turned out great when three generations all caught fish. Be sure to read our Summer Striper tactics, the article can be found on the FishNorforkLake.com website. |
| 06/20/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 557.1 and the water temp is in the mid 80’s. Look for stripers down 35-60ft. deep. They can be close to the bottom in 35ft. or they can be suspended in 100ft. Check the deep side of points and close to the creek channels in the creeks. We had few small stripers 2-4lbs. and some hybrids 4-6lbs. coming up hitting Zara spooks in a creek and we were sitting in 55ft. There were a few whites, large mouth and some smallies mixed in. We hit another spot and got into a few spotted bass. They were not coming up chasing they just came up and hit the spooks in Big Creek. We caught a few stripers and a couple hybrids on jigging spoons suspended at 30ft in about 55ft of water. F or more information on the area and lake go to www.LakeNorforkFun.com |
| 06/14/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is in its summer pattern for striper fishing. Stripers are being caught at the Hwy 62 bridge. Once they are there it will not be long they show up at Robinson Point and Diamond Bay. On the south end of the lake the stripers are appearing on the deep side of the points, they are also in the deep channels and bays that butt a bluff. I have been catching most fish in 80’ of water with my lines set between 25 to 30’. I’m still us .ing gizzard shad that range in length from 5 to 10”. The stripers are also feeding on crawdads. I have caught a few fish in the 40’ range on the bottom that is usually a late morning bite.
Persistence finally paid off for Gary and Steve. I had taken them out three times and we did not catch a limit of stripers. Each time we caught 5 stripers. Steve did catch a 25 lb striper last summer. Every time we went out we had 10 to 15 bites but could never catch number 6. Finally on the fourth trip we had a great morning. We have been leaving the dock at 4:45 AM. It’s a 20 minute run to the south east part of the lake I have been fishing. We were fishing in 80’ of water. In the first 1-½ hour we caught 3 stripers and missed 6 or 7, it was getting to very light and so I moved thinking this will again not gone to get a limit. I saw an acre of stripers on topwater, there were stripers on top and down under. We immediately caught a short striper and then caught 2 more keepers. It was not until 9 am that we caught one more striper that finally brought our total to 6 for a limit. So when you striper fishing, it’s easy to give up when the bite slows and try for other species, but if you stay at it persistence will pay off.
Be sure to read our Summer Striper tactics, the article can be found on the NorforkLakeChamber.com website. |
| 06/08/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 555.4 and the water temp is in the mid 70’s. There are a few things floating in the lake with the rain from this past week so keep an eye out. Bass are coming up early mainly look for them on points. They are also hitting jigs, worms and a drop shot with a small worm. Look for stripers and hybrids suspended in 30-40ft in deep wa .ter or they can be hugging the bottom 30-40ft. Whites can be in the schools also. Get your bait down to where you mark the fish. I just drop a jigging spoon and when they are in a feeding mood they will hit the spoon on the way down. They usually hit it when it’s dropping back down. |
| 06/08/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers on Norfork Lake are confusing me. The topwater bite should be over yet I have seen stripers feeding heavily in and around the Hand Cove area at first light. The water temperature is now in the high seventies and will be in the eighties by week's end. The thermocline is at 30’ which usually keeps the stripers below the thermocline since the oxygen is poor above that. The other confusing thing that the stripers are doing is ignoring the . small and mid-size shad and hitting the biggest shad I can put on the line. They will hit the smaller baits set on down lines but are more likely to hit a bait on a split shot free line 20 yards behind the boat. I have caught 5 stripers over 17 lbs this week with the biggest at 25 lbs. We were able to release all of them except the 25 lb striper. I also have hooked 8 more that we lost. All these fish were hooked using 10 plus inch shad. All of the stripers I’m catching are in the river channels. I continue to catch them with weighted floats and down lines set at 30’. The stripers continue to feed on shad and crawdads A client called late on Tuesday wanting to know if we could go fishing on Wednesday. I had bait so we set the time for 4:45 am. There was fog on the water that slowed our trip a little as we motored our way to the Big Creek area. My clients only wanted to catch a big fish and not really interested in keeping any fish. We did catch one early that we had to keep since it would not have made it if released. Our second fish hooked turned out to be 25 lbs, my client Larry wanted to release it but the fight took to much out of the fish so Larry decided to have it mounted. He wanted a 40 pound plus fish but this fish so a perfect size in body and weight. We caught one more that was 20 lbs that we could release so it turned out to be a big fish day. Right now I t .hink if a person wants a wall mount they should be booking a trip with a guide using live shad. |
| 05/31/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Striper fishing continues to improve on Norfork Lake. The north and northeast winds have turned into south and southwest winds and warmed up the
lake. Stripers are still being caught on topwater in the 101 Area and around
Cranfield Island and points and bluffs. The south end of the lake is now in
the
summer mode of catching stripers with spoons, trolling, and live bait
fished at least 30' deep over water that ranges from 50 to 100'. I have not
found them on any flats yet, all the fish I'm catching are in the river
channels. I continue to catch them with weighted floats and down lines set
at 30'. The stripers are feeding on shad and crawdads. They are moving
shallow and feed on crawdads then move out at daylight into the channel. The
bite has been good up to the nine o'clock hour. Every once in a while I get
the pleasure introducing someone to fishing. Sunday was my opportunity this
year. A client said he wanted to bring a young man who had never caught a
fish. His name was Zack and he was like a sponge. Everything I said to do he
listened and continued to ask my advice on what he should do when he hooked
a fish. That day fishing was slower, the day before we had limited out but
with all the new boat traffic on the lake the fish were slow to bite. We did
hook a nice striper early and Zack worked the rod like a pro and we landed
his first striper and fish. Zack then got the chance to hook and land his
own fish that was my reward seeing him take my instructions and apply them.
We did catch a limit but it's not always about catching a limit it's more
about the experiences you have when you're on the lake. |
| 05/25/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Stripers fishing on Norfork Lake is improving in spite the cold rainy weather we had all week. The north and northeast winds have moved the shad out of the back to the mouth of the creeks. If you go into the creeks you will see clear water. All the stained water has been pushed out into the lake. This has also cooled the creeks down. The main lake dropped from the 70 degrees to the mid-sixties. We have caught limits of stripers on multiple days this week with the best days being sunny with a little wind. Stripers are still being caught all over the lake, look at Cranfield Island and surrounding points, Crystal Cove, Bi .g Creek near Woods Point and Hand Cove, and the main lake points near the dam. I’m catching stripers in 60’ of water with my lines set at 30’. In other areas stripers are being caught in 80 to 100’ of water with lines set at 30’. The stripers are now spawned out therefore they are very skinny. They have begun feeding on crawdads and shad and should gain weight quickly.
I took Eric and his dad Don out for Don’s first time fishing for stripers. It was overcast with a slight drizzle. We were fishing the Crystal Cove area and the fish were dormant for the first 45 minutes then the bite started. We were catching multiple stripers, all I was doing was landing and baiting hooks. At one point we had three on the floor and one on the line. At the end of the morning we hooked and landed 10 stripers and hybrids, they kept their limit of 6. Don’s experience was one he will not forget. If you have not had that excitement of catching stripers the summer season is heating up, one unique thing about Norfork is the warmer the weather the better the striper fishing gets.
The summer bite will be starting soon as the water warms up so make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to read our Summer Striper tactics, the article can be found on the NorforkLakeChamber.com website. |
| 05/18/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The fishing for stripers on Norfork is in a state of change, there are stripers being caught on topwater, pitching small banks up against the points, long lines with balloons and down lines ( lines with 2 to3 oz sinkers fished straight down). I have been fishing with balloons, long lines with a split shot and a couple of down lines. By the weekend I’m now fishing just weighted floats (slip float with a stop 25 to 30’ with a 2 oz sinker and down lines. I have been fishing the lower lake from the dam up to Reynolds Island. The stripers are starting to move into deep water but still shallow 20 to 35’. I have seen fish being caught all over the lake, find the bait and wait for the stripers. One odd thing happens when you begin down line fishing, you will see lots of bait and stripers in and above the bait but very few bites occur until the sun starts to come up and the shad move deep. The stripers then get real active looking for shad to eat, this time of year you can catch stripers much later in the morning since they are now are in deep water. The stripers have also begun feeding on crawdads so look for feeding fish on or near the bottom.
I took Michele and George for their first time on Lake Norfork and striper fishing. As usually they were not dressed warm enough I can tell you how many times I tell clients to dress warm and they showed up with a light coat or sweater. This time of year the water and land is still cold so the morning air will be a lot colder so when a guide says dress warm he means it. We setup and within 20 minutes we had a striper on one of the floats, Michele caught it then George caught one. We then had to wait until the sun drove the shad down to the bottom, when the shad disappeared the stripers really got active twice we had 2 on. We caught 10 and had they had their limit in 2 ½ hours, for their first time on the lake it was an experience they won’t soon forget. |
| 05/18/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is up to 554 which is about a half a foot from last week and the water temp is in the upper 60’s. Look for stripers chasing baitfish to the surface early and just before dark. The hybrids, whites and bass are also coming up. They will hit a spook, soft jerk bait and a swim bait. Look for this activity on points . and in coves where the wind is blowing in or has within the last day. After the top water is over try throwing a swim bait and you may pick up an extra striper or hybrid or two. Bass are hitting jerk baits, jigs and worms. A lot of them are in 5-20 ft. Try a shallow running crank bait too. For more information on the area and lake go to Lake Norfork .com. |
| 05/08/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake bite continues to be inconsistent. One day the stripers are feeding heavy and surfacing all around you and the next they are totally inactive. The lower portion of Norfork Lake seems to have less surface action then the mid-lake and above. The threadfin shad continue to spawn but not every night. The first spawn of the year is about over. The stripers are feeding on 2 & 3 inch threadfin shad, white bass and crappie are also feeding heavy on the small shad. I have been fishing the main lake points near the dam with some limited success. We have had great action but our hookups have been less than 50%. The first time striper client most times has a hard time setting the hook on the fish when we are free lining the bait. The bait is usually 50’ behind the boat and the stretch of the line causes many misses plus trying to set the hook before the striper has really taken the bait. We are using gizzard shad ranging from 4” to 8” and it takes some effort for the striper to get the bait and hook in its mouth therefore a lot of patience is required to let the striper run with the bait before trying to set the hook. Some walleye are being caught trolling stick baits in 10 to 20’ of water at night. My friend says the window to catch them is very short but can be productive. Lots of crappie are being caught in the Bennett’s Bayou slow trolling live minnows and using spider rigs. Each day I’m catching had I have watching boats catching keeper crappies. I took Sheryl and Vern out for three days of striper fishing. The first day we caught 2 hybrids and 1 striper within the first hour then the bite quit. The second and third days I found lots of stripers. We had surfacing fish all around us but had enough bites to catch our limits but not what you would expect seeing all the fish feeding. It sure was lots of fun watching the fish chase the shad and blow them out of water sometimes a foot high. Overall they had a great first time visit to Norfork Lake and loved catching our stripers. The summer bite will be starting soon as the water warms up so make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to read our Summer Striper tactics, the article can be found on the same website. |
| 05/08/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 553.4 and the water temperature in the low 70’s. The stripers are still coming up early and just before dark and only last for about an hour. This should last till the end of the month then the water will be to warm and they will start to go deeper. I like to throw a Zara spook or you can use a joint .ed red fin, soft jerk bait or try a swim bait. The night bite is over for the stripers. The water temp is too warm. There are some bass and whites coming up early and in the evening also. Bass are also hitting jigs ,swim baits, Texas rig worm and drop shot rigs. The shad are done spawning and the fish have moved out off the banks. There are still some walleye hitting stick baits at night but that has also been a slow bite. It's best to fish where the wind is blowing in on the bank or in a cove but check the points with deep water close by. |
| 05/04/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The bite has slowed on Norfork Lake; the shad have completed their spawn and moved off the banks. There is still a topwater bite but over the last few days it seems the stripers are surfacing more infrequently on the points. I fished the lower end of the lake off the points within site of the dam. It was a very active week for action. I had a least 50 strikes on my baits. It was fun to watch but most time the fish were not taking the bait just slapping at it until they killed it. We did catch fish each day but not the numbers we should have. With the 3 ½ inches of rain we’ve had the last few days I expect some of the stripers to run back up the creek. The stripers have not spawned yet so some of males are ripe while others are still firm. It should happen anytime. I have had reports that some good size walleye are being caught at night. One friend caught three nice walleye and lost a 5 lb one at the boat. He was throwing a black and gold Rapala. He twitch it a few times then reel a couple of turns and do all over again. He also threw a small crankbait reeling reel slow. He was fishing the Big Creek area.
Some days it’s very rewarding to take clients out and see their faces when they catch a bunch of stripers. Then you get the day nothing works. The weather is a big factor in the spring, a storm can change a whole pattern you been fishing in one night. One day you’re a hero and the next a zero. That’s the life of a guide. I took Shawn, Greg, & John Saturday morning after an all night rain storm. We did not have a bite for the first 45 minutes then the fish became active. It was still slow but consistent, then in 1 hour we caught 6 stripers and finish with 9 fish in the last 1 ½ hours. Everybody was very happy. Saturday afternoon we had a major storm with hail and then 2 storms rolled in during that night and everything changed. I took my clients to the same spots and over 4 ½ hours we only had 4 bites. The fish were there but were totally shutdown. Needless to say my clients were not happy. They knew what I did the day before and wondering why we could not catch any, it was a long day.
The stripers along with the other large predator species have moved into their spring feed patterns with the air and water temperatures about normal. Make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to check out the Spring Striper Tactics article! |
| 05/04/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 553.6 and the water temp is in the mid to upper 60’s. The stripers, hybrids and whites are coming up at first light and staying up for an hour to a hour and a half. I was out this morning and had two hybrids(6-7lbs) and a striper (10-12lbs) in fifteen minutes on a Zara spook. Then I left the area and went looking for more fish. After the top water bite stops throw a swim bait and you may get a few more. You can throw the swim bait to the top water fish and get bit as well. They are coming up just before sunset too. The night bite is still going on and the key to fishing at night for stripers is to reel your stick bait SLOW. If you see some on your depth finder drop a jigging spoon. Bass are still up shallow and will hit a spook, swim bait, jig and soft jerk bait. |
| 04/27/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The bite on Norfork Lake is on. Bass, stripers, & hybrids are hitting all over the lake. Top water lures, plugs, and live bait are producing daily limits. I heard from some of the bass pros and they catch 40 to 50 keeper bass every day before the recent Bassmaster tournament. I have been fishing the south end of lake concentrating on main lake points. With the full moon this past week the shad are spawning right on the bank so the predator fish are up .there feeding all night and day. I have been leaving the marina at 5 AM to take advantage of the early bite. Find a windblown point and you find stripers very shallow, feeding. If you’re not on the lake this week and next you’re missing the high point of the spring bite. I took Judi and Dan for a two day striper special. Each day we caught 5 nice stripers and had the opportunity to catch the sixth numerous times. I’m running 2 long lines with balloons with a 7” gizzard shad 20’ between it with no weight. It is a thrill to watch the shad getting chased and blown out of the water by a striper. Our problem was most times the stripers were just playing with the shad and not committing to the bait. When they did bite we missed most of them but it was fun. Both days we had at least 15 strikes that were not taken by the fish. Hand Cove Resort Pro Staffer Larry Olson boated a 30 and a 40 pound striper this past week. They really wore him out with the fight. That nite bite is definitely on. The crappie continues to be caught in the Big Creek area past Woods Point, about ½ the way into Brushy Creek. The predator populations in very thick in the south end of Norfork Lake and into the Big Creek arm. The best performing artificial striper bait seems to be Smithwick's Perfect 10 Rogue. Jewel has come out with a new feather bait looks good for trolli .ng. Hand Cove Resort also has good size shiners in stock right now too. The stripers along with the other large predator species have moved into their spring feed patterns with the air and water temperatures about normal. Make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to check out the Spring Striper Tactics article! |
| 04/27/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 552.9 and the water temp is in the upper 60’s to the low 70’s with the recent warm weather. The stripers, hybrids and whites are coming up chasing bait fish. Throw a Spook, soft jerk bait, wake type bait or even a swim bait. The night bite has been good but just because you find them on a bank .doesn't mean they will be there again the next night. Some nights require fishing multiple banks. Just remember to reel your stick bait SLOW. Many people reel them to fast and you won’t get to many hits. There are still a few walleye up shallow at night also. Bass were spawning this week and some were hitting jigs in 2-15ft. They were also hitting soft jerk baits and swim baits. Now and the next few weeks the bite is going to be HOT. For more information on the area go to www.LakeNorfork.com and have some fun. |
| 04/18/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This week fishing on Norfork Lake improved every day until Friday when we had a strong east wind. I had been catching stripers consistently every day until then. Saturday was the turning point. The wind switched to the southeast, the air temperature warmed up, and the big fish decided to eat. All of my friends and fishing guides caught fish with three of the fish in the high teens. All the signs are pointing to a great fishing experience the next two we .eks. The rain may slow it down some but I expect these two weeks will the apex of our spring fishing. The shad, both gizzard and threadfin, are moving to the banks to spawn and the stripers are following. I have been fishing over brush piles in the Big Creek area and the fish are exploding on the baits. It is a lot of fun just to watch a big striper swirl on a bait then blow it out of water. The next best place to fish are the windy points. The stripers are feeding right on the banks chasing bait. Now is the time to hit the water or hire a guide to take you out. I expect to see a lot of 20 pound plus fish to be caught. I took Donna and John for a two day striper special. The first day we only caught 3 but two were 15 and 18 lbs. The next day we limited out by 7:45 am but keep throwing back number 6 hoping that we could catch a bigger one. We had multiple chances, we hooked one that came off and broke off 2 more. But in 2 days of morning fishing we had at least 20 strikes on big baits. Unfortunately the fish kept missing the baits but it was quite the show. Greg at Hand Cove Resort reports a large amount of crappie in the Big Creek area past Woods Point, about ½ the way into Brushy Creek, and into Shoal Creek. He said the Arkansas Game and Fish sampled the area last week and also found an incredible amount of bass in the area. The predator populations in very thick in the . south end of Norfork Lake and into the Big Creek arm. The best performing artificial striper bait seems to be Smithwick's Perfect 10 Rogue. Jewel has come out with a new feather bait looks good for trolling. Hand Cove Resort also has good size shiners in stock right now too. The stripers along with the other large predator species have moved into their spring feed patterns with the air and water temperatures about normal. Make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to check out the Spring Striper Tactics article! |
| 04/18/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 552.9 and the water temp is in the upper 50’s to the low 60’s. The water temp will come up this week with the warmer weather and what helps is the temp at night is not going to be as cold. The last few days there were a lot of whites coming up in the creeks. Last Wednesday evening they came up about an hour before dark and didn’t quit till it was dark. We were throwing Spooks and swimbaits. The stripers are hitting stickbaits at night along with a few walleye. Just remember to reel your lure SLOW. We got into some topwater hybrids this morning in a pocket where the wind has been blowing into the last two days. We also caught some on a swimbait along with a couple stripers. The topwater bite will get better in the next week or two. For more information on Lake Norfork go to www.LakeNorforkFun.com . |
| 04/12/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 553.5 and the water temp is in the mid 50’s to the upper 50’s back in the creeks. Look for the stripers in the major creeks. Find baitfish and the stripers will be close. There are a lot of them suspended 15-25ft. They haven’t started coming up chasing baitfish till the water warms up some more. Hopefully we will be done with the cold fronts that just keep coming through and get some warmer and stable weather. Especially we need warmer nights to help keep the water temp from falling. When that happens the bite will only get better. The night bite has been good throwing Rouges to the bank after dark. There were some big ones caught this past week. One in the mid 30’s. There are some walleye being caught as well on the same banks as the stripers. Look on flats but don’t forget to look on some steeper banks. Remember to reel your bait SLOW. The bass are hitting crankbaits in 5-15ft. The jig is also a good bet. The whites are up in the creeks also and some were caught on a swimbait. There are a few small fish coming up but doesn’t last very long. It’s been just one here and there. It’s only going to get better as we get into warmer weather. For more information on Lake Norfork go to www.LakeNorfork.com and make your plans for some good fishing on a beautiful lake. |
| 04/12/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week has been a week of disappointment. During the winter a guide spends many days meeting clients at sport shows and talking about Lake Norfork. Everybody always asks when the best spring is fishing, I think April 15 through May 15 is the best but clients always want to jump the gun. This week is a good example. I fished everyday and started the week catching multiple limits of stripers and then the cold weather started along with winds hitting .over 30 mph on multiple days. I averaged 1 striper per day and on Saturday we had no bites at all. You would think having 9 fishing poles baited with the best shad would produce at least a bass but no such luck. I have been fishing both Big Creek and Bennett’s Bayou thinking the fish have moved up the creeks, but they have not. The night bite is going strong and fish are being caught on the main lake points. I took a look at my fishing calendars for the last 8 years and they all say I should be fishing the main lake over brush piles and river channels. I switched today and caught a fat 9 lb hybrid and 10 lb striper so until we can get consistent weather I’m sticking to the main lake. I took Brian and Jerry out looking for stripers, we started in Big Creek on the flat across from 1C and immediately hooked up. In the first hour and half we caught 5 stripers. One was small so I threw it back. The bite stopped and I was thinking I should have not thrown back that small fish. We moved to Reynolds Island and fished another 1 and half hours and caught our last 2 fish, the last one being 14 lbs. That was my one only limit of stripers this past week. The fish were caught on long lines using a split shot and small gizzard shad. The stripers along with the other large predator species are moving into their spring feed patterns with the air and water temperatures about norma .l. Make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to check out the Spring Striper Tactics article! |
| 04/06/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Again the weather has been unpredictable. This week we had warm, then cold heavy rains, and strong North West winds for 3 days. The rains helped the striper bite, it brought some color to the creeks and warmed the lake a couple of degrees. The stripers have been biting all over the lake from Red Bank, Cranfield, Bennett’s Bayou to Big Creek, find a creek with water depth less then 40’ and bait and the stripers will be around. Some areas the bite only last until the sun comes up, other areas of t .he lake the bite can last until 10 am. I continue to use threadfin and small gizzard shad on light lines with just a split shot about 80’ back of the boat. This coming week a warming trend is starting and we should see a strong morning, evening, & night bite. I took Kevin & Rob out on Friday, the temperature was 37 degrees when we left the dock and the wind was already blowing about 10 miles per hour. We hooked a nice striper on a planner board early and then the fish moved and the bite was over. About 8 am I moved to another shallow area and immediately hooked up, we had three fished on at once, we only landed 2. The bite continued until 10 am when we caught our sixth fish to complete our limit, what started out slow with sure turned into a great morning. You need to keep looking and moving to know areas that the stripers frequent, somewhere there are feeding stripers, just keep looking for them. From a angling perspective, spring has arrived. Actually it began earlier than normal. For you out of area folks, you might want to start making your spring plans now. Winter was very mild on Norfork Lake so it’s wonderful time to be on the lake to search for your trophy. The stripers along with the other large predator species are moving into their spring feed patterns with the air and water temperatures about normal. Make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to check out the Spring Striper Tactics article! |
| 03/29/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 553.6 and the water temperature is in the low to mid 50’s. There were a few bass coming up chasing shad early and they would hit a Zara spook jr. or a jerk bait. It will get better when the water warms a little more. They were also hitting a 4” swim bait reeled real slow. The stripers , hybrids . and a few walleye are hitting stick baits at night. The bite starts right at dark. They have been caught all over the lake, just remember to reel your lure SLOW. For information on the area go to Lake Norfork Fun.com. |
| 03/29/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Well Mother Nature has thrown me for a loop. All through February I was saying the warm weather was going to produce a great early spring bite. It sure looked like that when March started but the last two weeks has produced nothing but rain, wind, and cold weather. The main lake water temperature was up to 58 degrees and by the middle of this week it was down to 46 degrees. The creeks are the same. The water temperature were at the sixty degree mark or higher and now they are in the low fifties. Looking at the upcoming weather pattern it does not look like we will see much change for the next 10 days. The good news the fish are biting, I caught stripers all but one day I fished and crappie are being caught along with white and largemouth bass. So hang in there, it will get better. The stripers we caught the prior week and last week were mainly smaller males. Yesterday the five stripers I cleaned were all females. This tells me the stripers are getting ready to make a major move up the creeks to spawn. They will also be feeding heavy so try some night fishing. Make sure you fish the banks that the wind blew on that day. The group I took out Saturday was booked for December when all the rains came so we rescheduled the trip for March. Good thing too because the fishing picked up the day we went out. We were going to fish Bennett’s Bayou but the wet fog was so bad I was afraid of getting hit by another boat as we fished out in the open water, so I settled to start fishing the Fouts area. We went for over an hour before we hooked up and it was a double. Young Caleb and Dan landed the first two stripers. There is nothing better then to see a young person’s face when they hold up their first big fish. We ended up catching 5 stripers and losing one at the boat but for first timers it was a lot of fun with smiling faces all around. |
| 03/20/2016 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
Fishing here on Lake Norfork is starting to heat up. This past week we had air temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s and the top water bite was just getting underway Then we get a nasty cold front and dropped the water temp from the low 60’s to the low to mid 50’s. The night bite for stripers, hybrids, and walleye is underway. Throw a stick bait to the bank and reel it real SLOW just so it has that slow wobble back and forth. I like to throw a dark color if there is no moon or it’s cloudy. If the moon is up and it’s clear throw a light color. Look up in the major creeks and within a few miles of the dam. The whites were starting to come up back in the creeks on points and along the flats. The bigger whites were staying a little deeper in 10-15 ft. and we caught some on a swim bait. Bass are hitting jerk baits, jigs, crank baits and a Texas rigged worm. For more information on Lake Norfork go to www.LakeNorforkFun.com and to start planning your trip for some fantastic spring fishing. If you like to fish live bait or artificial come and have some fun in the Ozarks. |
| 03/20/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week we saw a new weather pattern every other day. The beginning of the week we had warm south winds and 80 degree days but by the end of the week we had a freeze warning and cold north winds. Patterns like the last week is why March is so unpredictable, one day the stripers are way up the creek in 20’ of water and the next they are half way back in 30 to 40’ of water. The presentation is the same long lines with no weight, planner boards, and floats with gizzard or threadfin shad. The one change I noticed later in the week was how short the bite was. The stripers were biting from first light, then the sun would appear and the fish would turn off and move off the flats. After that it was hard to find and catch fish. Earlier in the week the bite was lasting until noon. March weather will do that, besides the fish moving the shad up the creeks also moved out from the shallow water so by weeks end it was hard to find shad for bait and a consistence fish bite. I fished everyday this past week with good success. I had a three day fishing event with Ron, Sam, Rocky, & Maddie this past week. We started Tuesday and caught 11 stripers and hybrids and by Thursday we had landed 17 total. On Wednesday we went after big trophy fish. We hooked up 4 but did not land any. This is why our overall total was a little lower for three days of fishing than normal. It was a long week of fishing but overall the clients had a good time and experienced a new way of fishing for stripers. From a angling perspective, spring has arrived. Actually it began earlier than normal. For you out of area folks, you might want to start making your spring plans now. Winter was very mild on Norfork Lake so it’s wonderful time to be on the lake to search for your trophy. The stripers along with the other large predator species are moving into their spring feed patterns with the air and water temperatures higher than normal. Make your plans on the web with www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to check out the Spring Striper Tactics article! Tom Reynolds has fished Lake Norfork for over 37 years and guides out of Tracy Ferry Marina; you can reach him at www.stroutfitters.com, 870-421-1541 or on Facebook. |
| 03/14/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are moving up the creeks because the warm winter weather has produced warmer then normal water temperatures for this time of year. I have registered 55 to 58 degree main lake water the last couple of days days. The stripers have migrated all the way up the creeks and are being caught on live bait and rouges. I heard one report that the stripers are busting shad in Panther Creek in the evening. The stripers are shallow both morning and evening. If you're using live bait set your lines 20’ behind your floats and run your planner boards next to shore. Since we missed the big rain the lake is in prime condition to have an awesome fishing March both day and night. I pre-fished Saturday and Sunday getting ready for a busy week of guiding. I took a chance and went where I normally go later in March and found stripers feeding in shallow muddy water. My friend Jim was in the area and he caught his limit and threw 2 more fish back into to lake. We caught stripers on floats, free line, & planner boards. The biggest came about noon in 30’ of water on a float. I was using both threadfin and gizzard shad. It’s the same story I have said the last few weeks, find the bait and you will find the stripers. The spring bites have begin earlier than what you might expect. With the higher lake levels over the winter, the water has not cooled to its normal temperature levels which means the lake is warming earlier. We are seeing a good top water and night bite for the rest of this month and into April. This is going to be an incredible spring for you early bird anglers. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making your spring plans now. Winter has been very mild on Norfork Lake so it’s been a wonderful time to be on the lake, much like early spring. The stripers along with the other predator species remain in their winter feed patterns but with the air and water temperatures not as low as normal the spring bite could arrive sooner than you think.. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Be sure to check out the Spring Striper Tactics article! |
| 03/07/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are moving up the creeks because the warm winter weather has produced warmer than normal water temperatures for this time of year. I have
registered 52 to 55 degree water the last few days. The shad has migrated
all the way up the creeks also. I have been catching large threadfin in 3'
of water and gizzard shad on the banks. Crappie and white bass are already
in the creeks. The whites are spawning and the crappie are active feeding
off the brush in very shallow water. Walleye are being caught from Calamity
Beach to Udall along with white bass. This March will be awesome fishing
both day and night so get your boat ready and hit the water. I pre-fished
this past weekend with my friend Dick and we caught stripers and hybrids
from Fouts Boat Dock to 6B. There are massive amounts of shad schooling.
Find the bait and you will find the stripers. I have been catching 4 to 6"
threadfin shad up the creeks. The gizzards and threadfin are getting ready
for their first spawn of the year. I expect this will be the earliest spawn
I have seen. Lots of big fish have been caught the last year. The biggest
was a 48 pounder. A lot of 20 pound have been caught. Shiners are also
working. You need to change your fishing style too. I have switched to no
weight and/or split shots with balloons and planner boards. The spring
bites have begin earlier than what you might expect. With the higher lake
levels, the water has not cooled to its normal temperature levels which
means the lake is warming earlier. We should see a good top water and night
bite begin in the first and mid parts of March. I'm thinking this could be
an incredible spring for you early bird anglers. |
| 03/02/2016 |
By Larry Olson
Last night was a good night. By 2 AM I boated 15 fish, 2 hybrids and 13 stripers the largest being about 15 pounds. They were all pretty aggressive, all but one took my Rogue in the mouth. All were caught east of the dam in the main Big Creek areas. The water temperature was in the fifties. Does this mean the night bite has begun already? Maybe. I'll know in about a week or so. |
| 03/02/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Spring fishing on Norfork Lake this year should start by the end of February if the warm winds continue. This past winter we saw very few cold days and little snow. The warm rains in December and the lake rise held the water temperature in the low fifties. The lake is still in the high forties to low fifties and the water is warming up each day. With the warm water we should see a smaller shad die off which will lead a healthy shad population this year. The fish will appear in different parts of the lake. For example the walleye will begin their spawning cycle and will be found spawning on pea gravel sloping banks. Some of the better spots are at the Arkansas Missouri state line, Liner Creek, Bridges Creek to the US 160 bridge, Hand Cove area, Dam Cove, and Thumb Point. Stripers will move to the warmest and dirtiest water up in the creeks. Find a creek with warm dirty water and you should find stripers, from Pigeon Creek to Big Creek stripers will be found. The night time bite stripers can be caught all over the lake. When a strong south wind happens you can find stripers on any northern shores. Some good spots are Diamond Bay, Dam Cove, Thumb Point, Cranfield Island, points leading up towards Red Bank, Barron Creek, and around Reynolds Island in Big Creek to name a few. Crappie will begin their movement from the deep brush piles towards the creeks. The big issue with crappie is the weather fronts and rain storms. I hav e watched anglers catching crappie in 1 foot of water way back in a creek. The next day after a heavy rain the same spot will be void of crappie. They had moved off to find a deeper brush pile. You can still catch them but the bite will be a little slower until the warm lake water returns. Crappie will be caught in all the major creeks. Just look on your depth finder for brush piles. They are scattered over the la ke in every creek arm. Find the brush and you will find the crappie. This is when a current Norfork Lake fishing map comes in handy. The most current versions are available at the local bait and tackle shops. Bass will begin their move up the creeks and coves also. Smallmouth are the first to spawn. They will spawn on deep boulders off sloping points for example at Barron Point near point 1. I catch lots of smallies off Barron Point in 20 to 30’ of water when I’m striper fishing in the spring. Large mouth will move all the way up the creeks and back into the coves to make their beds. Again cold fronts will dictate their cycle. Warm weather and normal water levels will keep them on the beds. A heavy storm will move the bass off the beds and back into deeper water. Spring offers a lot of fishing fun. If you just get out on the lake, you can catch fish. It really boils down to putting your time in on Norfork Lake. Cold fronts will always effect the fish but if you have the will, you too can catch lots of species of fish during the spring. Sharpen your hooks, wear your PFD, and don't forget to take a kid with you to groom the next generation of Norfork Lake anglers! |
| 01/25/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The CORPS has begun to lower Norfork Lake approximately 9” a day, the lake already has dropped 4 ½ feet. The quick draw down will change the fish movements. The current has increased so the fish will relate to that more then anything else. Look for them in the river channel of the lake. Stripers now can be anywhere from Robinson Point, up to Mallard Point, and in the Howard Cove area. February is a hard month to fish for stripers. I usually avoid fishing February and spend my time at sport shows and snow goose hunting. In normal years the first part of the month the pattern is the same as January, however with the high water, high water temperature for this time of year, and the lake draw down all bets are off on what and where the stripers will roam. They must feed, that’s one sure constant. Find the shad and you will find the stripers. As the month proceeds, the weather will turn warmer and we should start getting some south winds. That’s when the shad and stripers start moving. Start watching the water temperature and once it’s in the middle to high fifties, start moving up the creeks starting half way up. The shad will start moving and the stripers will follow. If we get a warmer period the second half of February the night bite will start. I think this year we should see an early bite for stripers both day and night. Next week I will be at sport show so I plan on skipping the next two weeks of fishing reports. I will put out my spring article on early striper tactics in late February, until then good luck fishing. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making your spring plans now. Winter has been very mild on Norfork Lake so it’s been a wonderful time to be on the lake, much like early spring. The stripers along with the other predator species remain in their winter feed patterns but with the air and water temperatures not as low as normal the spring bite could arrive sooner than you think.. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 01/18/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The CORPS has to begun lower Norfork Lake about 6”a day. Beginning Jan. 20th they will take an more aggressive approach to getting the lake levels down. We should see approximately 9” a day once the plan is implemented. This will continue unless we have a significant rain during this period. With the cold weather the lake is now in the high forties. This will continue until a warm period begins. Stripers continue to bite, however the best bite is late in the afternoon in the 101 area. Schools of stripers and hybrids are feeding and moving very quickly. They are there, will hit the baits, and then are gone. I just keep moving and waiting for the next school to show up.
I did some pre-fishing Friday and Saturday in preparations for a Sunday striper trip. I fished both Float Creek and the 101 area with small shad and shiners. The first day I spent in Float creek, we caught two stripers right away on very small shad I had caught in my marina before light. We then fished the 101 area and saw a few fish but did not catch any. I did talk with a local who said his friend had caught a 30 lb striper on a shiner a few days earlier. Saturday we started at the 101 and caught 4 and had some more bites we did not hook. The bite lasted about one hour then nothing. We were fishing in 100’ of water with our lines set at 30’, all the fish bit on shiners I purchased at 101 Grocery and Bait. This time of year it takes a lot of patience to just look at a blank screen but once in awhile that screen will light up and all the poles goes down at once. I did not fish on Sunday because my client said it was to cold and I was not catching enough fish so we postponed until June.
Looking forward, it's possible the spring bites will begin earlier than what you might expect. With the higher lake levels, the water may not cool to its normal temperature levels which means the lake could warm earlier this coming spring. We could see a good top water and night bite begin in the first and mid parts of March. I'm thinking this could be an incredible spring for you early bird anglers.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making your spring plans now. Winter has been very mild on Norfork Lake so it’s been a wonderful time to be on the lake, much like early spring. The stripers along with the other predator species remain in their winter feed patterns but with the air and water temperatures not as low as normal the spring bite could arrive sooner than you think.. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 01/12/2016 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is maintaining its level at 18’ above winter pool. The CORPS has generated about 6 hours each day to maintain that level, the lake continues to rise a few inches and the CORPS released enough water to keep it at 18’. Once the Mississippi River crests and begins to go down we should see an increase in the lake releases. Hopefully that will begin next week The lake temperature has gone down some due to the cold weather but it continues to stay above average for this time of year. This is good news for the shad, we should see no winter die off this year and this should result in an above average shad spawn. Striper fishing continues to be good even in the high water. The stripers can be found near Blue Lady, US 62 bridge channel, Float Creek and the river channel south of the US 62 bridge in 100 plus feet of water. Find the bait and wait for the schools of stripers to follow them. The stripers are beginning to feed on small threadfin shad. I took a screen snapshot of a small school of stripers feeding on bait fish. If you see this lower your bait to right above this and you should see some action.
Last week I had a local call me about striper fishing and trolling. He told me that he was trolling south of the 62 bridge in 100’ of water and his baits were set at 50’. Each time they went out they would catch one or no stripers. My advice was to raise his baits up to the 30 to 40’ level and downsize them to mimic 1-1/12 inch swim baits. Yesterday he called and said they went to Float creek and setup as I told me and on their first pass caught an 18 pound striper. Striper fishing this time of year is similar to the trout, match the hatch and find the bait and you will catch stripers.
You should note that the current high water event does not impact operations on Norfork Lake. The resorts and marinas continue to operate as normal along with the many lake accesses for boat launching. The bottom line is higher water levels does not change anything on Norfork Lake other than the lake becomes bigger and better, and the fishing is pretty good too!
Looking forward, it's possible the spring bites will begin earlier than what you might expect. With the higher lake levels, the water may not cool to its normal temperature levels which means the lake could warm earlier this coming spring. We could see a good top water and night bite begin in the first and mid parts of March. I'm thinking this could be an incredible spring for you early bird anglers.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making your spring plans now. Winter has been very mild on Norfork Lake so it’s been a wonderful time to be on the lake, much like early spring. The stripers along with the other predator species remain in their winter feed patterns but with the air and water temperatures not as low as normal the spring bite could arrive sooner than you think.. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 12/31/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This year has been the year of water. Norfork Lake has been above its normal shoreline and into the buck brush four times this year. I have never seen higher water this often and so late in the year. Early in the spring we had a rise of 5 feet but the lake was lowered by the middle of May. Everybody thought we were in the clear and the lake level would be normal for the rest of the year. By mid-June the rains came and the lake again rose but this time 15 feet and we had higher water all summer and into fall. The CORPS finally got the lake lower in late October and we were back to normal lake level fishing. Then another massive rain event again raising the lake 5 feet but they managed to lower the lake quickly and we were back to normal by mid-November. Now we are at the end of December and the record rains have come again and the lake is estimated to rise close to 15 feet. All of the rain that fell throughout Northern Arkansas and Southern Missouri will stop the a major release of water from Norfork Lake until sometime in January. Hopefully the CORPS can release the of the excess water by late spring.
The good news is this year's higher water has produced a very good spawn for 2015. I expect a healthy increase in the bass, crappie, white bass, and catfish population which will become very noticeable over the next few years. The early 2016 spawners will have a chance to repeat, and the stocked fingerlings will have plenty of places to hide as they grow. By the way, Arkansas Game & Fish stocked Norfork Lake with over 150,000 hybrid and striper fingerlings this year. Overall, striper and hybrid fishing on Norfork was fair to good in 2015. The weather and high water caused occasional problems finding shad for bait for us live-baiters and kept the oxygen low in late summer. We had a very minor fish die off in late August caused by lower oxygen levels but nothing that hurt the striper population. As a matter of fact, unless you were on the lake ever day, it is not likely you would have noticed.
Notable for 2015 is that spring water rise allowed for a good crappie spawn. Lots of crappie were caught throughout the spring, fall and winter. I expect this to continue into 2016. The size of this year's crappie catch was very pleasing to most anglers. You should also note that the current high water event does not impact operations on Norfork Lake. The resorts and marinas continue to operate as normal along with the many lake accesses for boat launching. The bottom line is higher water levels does not change anything on Norfork Lake other than the lake becomes bigger and better, and the fishing is pretty good too!
Looking forward, it's possible the spring bites will begin earlier than what you might expect. With the higher lake levels, the water may not cool to its normal temperature levels which means the lake might warm earlier this coming spring. We could see a good top water and night bite begin in the first and mid parts of March. I'm thinking this could be an incredible spring for you early bird anglers.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. Winter is here and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers are into their winter feed patterns as the air and water temperatures begin dropping along with the other predator species. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! It's not too early to make your spring fishing trip plans either. By the way, did you know Norfork Lake offers thousands of acres of hunt-able land to the public? The deer hunt has been very good this season. For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 12/24/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Lake Norfork is now back to winter pool and the water temperature is still in the mid fifties. It looks like the water temperature will stay this way for the next several weeks. By now the water temp should be in the mid-forties and the stripers feeding on small shad and shiners. This year I cannot catch a striper on small baits, all they want are 5 to 7’ gizzard shad. If I was using shiners I would get the biggest shiners that the dealer has. One trick that has been very productive is adding a stinger hook after your main hook. I tie my hook and keep the tag end about 8” and add a small treble hook. All the stripers I have caught were caught on the treble hook. The stripers are short striking the bait and get hooked on the treble hook. This week the best bite has been in the channel near Blue Lady. I checked all the creeks but could only find catchable fish there. The live bait users are catching stripers using shad and shiners and the artificial users are catching stripers and white bass on spoons. Find the shad and you will find the fish.
My cousin John and his son John Jr. came for a short stay and we went fishing on Saturday, the son had never fished for stripers. As luck would have it the fog was terrible, it took over 45 minutes to get to our target area from Tracy Marina. We did not have a bite until the sun burned the fog off. Once that happened we found large schools of stripers and had multiple bites and fish on. The stripers were in suspended in the 30 to 40’ range in 65’of water. John Jr. caught his first and second striper, the senior caught his, the bite lasted for 15 minutes then it was over, we had several more. We fished most of the day but could not find any more fish that would bite. The stripers are feeding so right now is a great time to get out and catch some fish. The bass and white bass are also very active right now. Spoons are working best for them in the 50’ range.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. Winter is here and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their winter feed patterns as the air and water temperatures drop along with the other predator species. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! By the way, did you know Norfork Lake offers thousands of acres of hunt-able land to the public? The deer hunt has been very good this season. For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 12/14/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The US Army Corps of Engineers has dropped Norfork Lake over 2 1/2’ this last week but the warm weather has continued. The lake surface temperature is still in the mid-fifties and the shad and stripers are staying in the creeks and on the flats. Unless we get some consistent cold weather, the winter bite when the shad and stripers move to the river channel between the bridges and the Howard Cove area will not happen. We need the lake temperature to get in the high 40’s or very low 50’s to get the shad moving out of the creeks and into the river channel. The consistent fishing pattern is the flats and creeks. Right now Float Creek, Mallard Point, Howard Cove, and the entrance to Panther Bay Marina are the best places to find active stripers. Once the water gets cooler the shad will move to the main channel between the bridges heading towards Bidwell Point up to Howard Cove. The live bait users are catching stripers using shad and shiners and the artificial users are catching stripers and white bass on spoons. Find the shad and you will find the fish. I had not been fishing much since I took a short vacation to go fishing for Red fish in Venice La, however I did take my son Sean out for a couple of hours. We went to the flat and channel edge near Blue Lady Resort in the 45 to 55’ range. We found lots of roaming schools of stripers from Blue Lady to Crystal Cove. The schools are moving fast so that day trolling live bait worked the best. You would see a school and before you could drop a spoon they had moved on. We could only fish for an hour but we did manage to catch one striper and lost two more. The stripers are feeding, so right now is a great time to get out and catch some fish. The bass and white bass are also very active right now. Spoons are working best for them in the 50’ range. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. Winter is here and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their winter feed patterns as the air and water temperatures drop along with the other predator species. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! By the way, did you know Norfork Lake offers thousands of acres of hunt-able land to the public? The deer hunt has been very good this season. For a real outdoor adventure, you might consider a striper fishing trip combined with a pheasant hunt. It's a blast! |
| 12/08/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
Norfork Lake level is 558.1 which is up about 5-1/2ft. with the recent rains. The water temp is in the upper 50’s. The lake is slowly falling. Look for the stripers on flats at least. There are some feeding at night hitting stickbaits. Bass are hitting crankbaits thrown along the outside of the flooded brush. Try a spinnerbait too. The deeper bass are hitting a drop-shot, Texas rigged worm and jigs. They will also hit a jigging spoon. |
| 12/05/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The rains have finally stopped, Norfork Lake has risen to a 559 plus level which is 6 ½ feet above pool and the lake temperature is dropping with the cold weather. We need the lake temperature to get in the high 40’s or very low 50’s to get the shad moving out of the creeks and into the river channel. Early part of the winter fishing pattern is the flats. The stripers move to the shallow water no deeper then 60’ and school up feeding on small shad. Right now Float Creek, Mallard Point, Howard Cove, and the entrance to Panther Bay Marina are the best places to find active stripers. Once the water gets cooler the shad will move to the main channel between the bridges heading towards Bidwell Point up to Howard Cove. The live bait users are catching stripers using shad and shiners and the artificial users are catching stripers and white bass on spoons. Find the shad and you will find the fish.
I had an incident this past week that reminds me to always make sure your gear and boat are ready to fish. I have a four stroke engine so I pull the boat for an oil change at least 4 times of year. I usually check the boat and engine out making sure everything is were it’s supposed to be. I do not however take a wrench to the bolts & nuts. Well I will now. I was up Bennett’s Bayou catching bait and was while I was heading back I heard to loud noise coming from the lower unit, I thought I blew the lower unit. I call Danny at Independence Marine and he told me to make sure the prop and trim tab was tight. I was out in the middle of the lake so that was not possible. I used my trolling motor to troll over to Fout’s launch. My son came with the trailer and we pulled the boat and to my surprise my trim tab was hanging and hitting the prop. We fixed the tab and everything was good. We did check the bolts on the engine and found some loose bolts. So before you put your boat in the water make sure to check your engine bolts, your transducer is tight, batteries charged, life jackets, full gas tank, a go bag with warm clothes, cell phone, and some water in case your stranded. Enjoy the water. Now is the time to catch lots of stripers but be careful and prepared.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. Winter is almost here and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their winter feed patterns along with the other predator species. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! By the way, did you know Norfork Lake offers thousands of acres of hunt-able land to the public? |
| 11/23/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake went thorough a lot of changes this past week. We had over 4” rain that raised the lake about 5’ above normal pool. The cold weather and water rise has changed the whole striper pattern. The stripers are now feeding in the Blue Lady area in the 50’ range along the channel heading towards Crystal Cove. They are also in Float and Panther Creeks. Again, stay in the 40 to 50’ foot range with your baits set at 35’, also set out a free line with just a split shot 50’ behind your boat. There are very large bait balls all the way up to Fout Boat dock. For all you live bait users the shiner bite has started. Shad is still working well but shiners were catching stripers the whole weekend. I was scheduled to take Steve out along with his father and friend. The wind was blowing 20 miles an hour before light along with light rain. Steve is a good striper fisherman and had caught a 25 lb striper the day before using shiners in Crystal Cove. On a side note about being a guide, I have many people say they would love to be a guide, all we do is hunt & fish. What they do not see is the hours before we go out I spend anywhere from 2 to 6 hours each day catching shad for bait no matter what the weather is. While I was waiting for Steve I had my engine running when it starting beeping. I shut it off and checked the owner’s manual which is not much help and checked the oil and everything was good. The beep went away when I put it in gear but I was not taking a chance. I had to cancel my trip and throw away shad I spent 3 hours catching. I want to thank Steve for taking me back to my truck to get my trailer. Steve also towed my boat up the hill at Teal Point since my vehicle could not do it. I’m blessed to have such great clients. Now I can only hope it’s not a big problem with the engine. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. Winter is almost here and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their winter feed patterns along with the other predator species. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! By the way, did you know Norfork Lake offers thousands of acres of hunt-able land to the public? |
| 11/18/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake stripers are still not behaving like its fall. Sure they are being caught in the mid-lake and upper lake areas, but not in the numbers like we sure see. This has been the warmest fall I can remember, the water temperature is still in the sixties, it should be in the mid to high fifties. If you are looking for stripers try the Blue Lady area in the 50’ range also they should be in both Float and Panther Creek. Again stay in the 40 to 50’ foot range. I jump back and forth between in the depths until I can find stripers consistently. In the upper lake area the stripers can be found off the old river channel in 22 to 28’ of water, stay off the channel I have not caught any fish in the channel. Look for the bait. You will bait balls 15 to 25’ thick, stay close and you will find stripers.
I picked up Tom, Bruce, & Tim who was staying at Three Oaks Resort for a scheduled six hour striper trip. We had heavy fog that morning but I always run my GPS with tracking so I just follow my previous line and we had no problem getting up to point 10. I told them that the bite has been slow for the first hour, but not that day. I put down the rods and we had 2 stripers in 5 minutes. The bite stayed strong all morning and we had our limit of 9 in a little over 3 hours. The stripers are staying in the area because of all the bait. If you want to catch fall stripers now is the time to get on the water before the cold weather comes.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. Fall here and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their fall feed along with the other predator species, and the fall colors are beautiful. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! By the way, did you know Norfork Lake offers thousands of acres of huntable land to the public? |
| 11/18/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
Norfork Lake has finally been drawn down to winter pool of 556.3 and the water temp is in the mid 60’s. The bite will finally start improving since the lake hasn’t been dropping 3-4 inches a day. The main lake is clear and the creeks are starting to clear up. There are a lot of baitfish in the creeks and will start moving out into the main lake as the water temp drops some more. I have seen baitfish on the surface and down to 40ft. Look for stripers around the balls of bait. Bass are hitting wiggle warts along the bank out to 10-12ft. There are some hitting jigs in 10-35ft deep. If you mark a school drop a jigging spoon or a drop-shot with a 4” worm. The night bite will get better as the water temp drops. |
| 11/04/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Winter angling on Norfork Lake can be one of the most productive periods of striper fishing. Beginning in Mid-December thorough February the stripers will stick close to the old river channels near or mixed in with the shad schools. The old river channels are the outlines of the Norfork Fork River and major creeks such as Big Creek and Bennett's Bayou before they were flooded and covered by the lake. You will find the old river channels clearly marked on the better lake maps. Once the lake water gets colder, the shad will move into deeper water to find their comfort zone. Sometimes that is depths of 40 feet, other times I have seen shad hover at 80 feet. The stripers will stay with the shad schools the whole winter period. The two most productive methods to catch stripers are live bait and spoons. Small jigging spoons, either ½ or ¾ ounce are the artificial bait of choice although some specific swim baits can be productive also. Shiner minnows and threadfin shad are the preferred live bait. Shiners approved for use by Arkansas Game and Fish in Norfork Lake are available at most better Norfork Lake bait and tackle shops. Shad are not sold commercially. Shad used as bait in Norfork Lake must be caught in Norfork Lake by net. Wild bait from any other body of water is strictly prohibited by law. This is to prevent the introduction of foreign or invasive species of plants, animals, and water life into Norfork Lake. A good fish/depth finder is a must have to find fish during this time of year. Good electronics will help you find the shad and stripers and keep you on them. Begin by looking at the old river channel between the US62 and AR101 bridges and move towards the Howard’s Cove area. Somewhere in this area you will find the shad and stripers. Float creek is one other area that will typically hold stripers. The great part of winter striper fishing is that the bite can last all day or begin mid-day. There is no time limit on when the stripers will bite. Some days I go out at first light and fish all day. I have seen no activity until late in the day and other days I’ve had my limit by noon. Just stay close to the shad and you will catch a striper most days. I fish using shiner minnows and threadfin shad. Downlines and weighted floats are my gear of choice. I run six downlines, each with 2 oz weights and 5’ leaders. I will run two additional lines with floats on the outside of the spread. These lines are set above the shad school. Stripers will come up through the shad column to take your bait. Always keep your live bait above the shad school. Threadfin shad are and will always be the most productive method to catch winter stripers. Shiner minnows are also very effective. The best places to buy shiners are 101 Grocery & Bait and Hand Cove Resort Bait and Tackle Shop. They both carry shiners most of the season. When the shad begin to school, look for bait fish balls and note the depth on your depth finder graph. Once again a good depth finder will help you find the shad and the stripers. They will be moving around so keep a watchful eye on the graph and stay close to the shad. Spoon lures are very effective. The key is matching the size and color of your spoon to that of the shad bait fish. If the stripers are feeding on 1” and 2” shad, make sure your lure matches the size of the shad. Jig your spoon through the shad schools for the best success. Always be ready for that top water bite to erupt too. Have a Super Spook Jr tied on and at the ready for when this happens. As always, your most important piece of equipment is your PFD life preserver. Lake and weather conditions can change in a heartbeat during the winter months so it's best to be prepared with a high quality PFD. Wear it from the moment you launch until the boat is back on the trailer or in the stall. Fish safely so you can fish often! |
| 10/27/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The Norfork Lake stripers are still inconsistent on the main lake. One day you can catch stripers at Robinson “Point, Panther Bay and Float Creek, then you go back the next day and cannot find them. One consistent area is the upper end of Norfork Lake from Calamity Beach just past Ford Creek. A lot of shad has moved up to this area and the stripers are feeding on them all day. The lake water is still too warm and the main body of the lake has not turned over. The lake should turn as the weather gets colder as we experienced this past week. When the lake turns over, you will not see much fish activity in the main channels for about a week. Your best chance to catch bass and striper is to move up into the creeks to shallow water. It is likely that the creeks have already turned over. This is what has happened in the areas near the state line. I usually fish through November until the water turns so cold that the shad moves to warmer water. The lake level is now back to its normal level and the fish should start relating to the same places they were before the run up in June. Jay & Doug booked one of my Cast & Blast specials this past week. We fished the state line for two days and pheasant hunted one day. The first day it took awhile to find and catch the stripers. It’s always new to clients on how to hook and play a striper. We caught 5 fish by 9 AM and it took many more strikes until we finally caught our 6th striper at 11 AM. The next day we started where we left off and it did not take long to hook and land our first striper. By 9 AM we had our limit with the biggest striper at 15 lbs. The last day we went to Ozark Wings and hunted pheasants. It was very hot and that made it hard on the dogs but we had a great time with some good shooting. Overall we had three special days of great fun. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. Fall here and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their fall feed along with the other predator species, and the fall colors are beautiful. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! By the way, did you know Norfork Lake offers thousands of acres of huntable land to the public? |
| 10/20/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers in Norfork Lake are confused. For a few days the weather is cold and the water begins to cool, then we get a few days of hot weather and water warms back up. The lake has not turned over yet. Until we can get a continuing cooler weather and get the water temperature gets down to the low sixties, we will not see a consistent bite. The only area that is somewhat consistent is near the Arkansas/Missouri state line where there are plenty of shad and schooling stripers. It’s not outstanding but it’s the best place to catch a few stripers right now. The Norfork Lake level will be back to about normal within the end of this month. With this weird weather pattern I expect November to be an outstanding month. The stripers and other species will be schooling all over the lake and feeding heavy before winter. I had two trips last weekend so I pre-fished on Thursday to make sure I could find stripers for my clients. I took Rick along who is my son’s best friend and like another son to me. We fished Robinson Point and in a little over an hour and we caught 3 nice stripers, missed several more, and boated two catfish. I was very satisfied that I could catch fish. I was all ready for my Saturday morning trip, my client had called and said he was all set. We were to leave Tracy Marina at 6:30 AM. About 6:50 they showed up and wanted to know where they could get their fishing license so I sent them back to town for their license. I was very frustrated and forgot to tell them about getting the license through their mobile phone. It was the coldest morning of the fall so far, they finally showed up about 7:45 and we left the dock. They had an 8 year old boy with them that only had a hoodie on. I asked about his clothes and was told he would be OK. I knew better and the boy was cold all mooning, I asked if they did not bring more clothes and they said yes but the boy did not want to take them out of the truck. I did not understand how an 8 year old can dictate what to wear. The point I’m trying to make is please listen to your guide. He or she knows the conditions on the water and how to be prepared for the day. If your are going to spend the money for a guided trip you should have your clothes, license and food and be on time. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. Fall here and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their fall feed along with the other predator species, and the fall colors are beautiful. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 10/11/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is getting close to normal. The level is 559 which is about 5 feet above normal. The water temperature is in the low to mid 70’s. The stripers are scattered all over the lake and can be from 30-50ft. deep. There are some whites back in the creeks following the baitfish. There are baitfish up in the flooded brush along the banks. Throw spinner baits and crankbaits along the outside of the brush. The windblown banks are a better. I found a few bass coming up early and would hit a spook. But it isn’t lasting very long. Throw a jig and drag it along the bottom out to 30-35ft. We need some cooler weather to get the water temperature down into the 60’s and the fish will start feeding better. It will also move the stripers up and the night bite will start again. |
| 10/11/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers in Norfork Lake are starting to school up for the fall bite. Lots of stripers can be found in the Robinson area on the bottom in the 50’ range. They still are reluctant to bite but you can get one to hit every once in awhile. This will change once the water and weather turns colder. I fished Red Bank and the state line two times and found lots of stripers but no bites. The next time I went up to Red Bank there were no stripers to be found which told me they had migrated farther up the lake. I fished the state line area and found active stripers both days I fished there. The fish were aggressive and hitting all sizes of bait. As the water temperature continues to drop the Calamity Beach & Robinson Point areas will get better thorough November. I took Paul, his dad Ron, and Matt out for two days of striper fishing. We started at the state line and had nothing for the first hour then hit a school and four rods went down. I usually fish the channel but I had no hits so I moved over to the flat and found active fish the rest of the morning. The first day we caught 10 stripers, kept 6, and missed many more. The next morning we had dense fog. This happens a lot this time of year and it took 1 hour and 20 minutes to get up there. The stripers were still there and our first hit was a big fish coming off a float but the drag was too tight and we lost the fish and the float. It’s still attached to the fish so you may see a float moving up and down the lake and if you can retrieve it you will have a striper. The second day we a lot of short strikes and only boated 5 stripers however they were bigger fish. Overall we had a great two days and made some great memories. |
| 10/06/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The majority of the stripers have moved from the Norfork Lake dam. Right now it will take you some time to find the fish that will bite. Look at Diamond Bay, Big Creek, Robinson Point, and the waters above Cranfield. Stripers can still be found in water depths ranging from 35’ out to 50’. I fished Red Bank and Calamity Beach and up to point 10 the last couple of days. I found lots of bait fish and stripers but few bites. The surface water temperature has cooled down to the low sixties but the water temperature 2 feet below the surface is still in the seventies. The water temperature will continue to go lower as the nights stay cooler. A cold night time rain would bring the lake temperature down fast but that is not in the forecast. This time of year you can catch stripers anytime during the day. As the water cools the stripers will go on a fall feeding binge and some topwater action will also occur. Stripers are now feeding heavy in the evening near Calamity Beach. I have reports they are surfacing an hour before dark and are being caught on top water lured and spoons. I took Gary the owner of Bayou Resort and his client Tim out for a morning striper trip. Both guys had not caught any stripers so it took a little while for them to learn how to hook the stripers. We caught a couple before light and then missed some but that day the stripers decided to feed during the morning hours. I got into a school of stripers in 85’ of water and for awhile we could not keep up. We caught a few shorts but in no time we had our limit. When the bite is on and you have out six lines it’s not long before you can have a limit of stripers. That was the last time I have caught a limit of stripers at the dam. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. Fall here and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their fall feed and the fall colors are beautiful. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 09/28/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are still at the Norfork Lake dam in water depths ranging from 35’ out to 190’. Early in the morning before light you can find them in 35 to 40’ of water. As light begins to appear they start moving out towards deep water. Once the sun appears they are roaming the waters along the dam. I have found them in Dam Cove, Long Point and the channel runs to the deep. You will find lots of fish but few will bite. If you do not get them early you will have a long day. We are catching 1 to 3 stripers after light, lots of fish but few are being caught. This will change once the weather stays cooler. By week’s end the weather is expected to turn a lot colder with some rain that will change the pattern very quickly. Stripers are now feeding heavy in the evening near Calamity Beach. I have reports they are surfacing an hour before dark and are being caught on top water and spoons. This tells me the lake has turnover up in the north end and the fish can be caught during the daylight hours.
I took Gary the owner of Bayou Resort and his client Tim out for a morning striper trip. Both guys had not caught any stripers so it was took a little while to learn how to hook the stripers. We caught a couple before light and then missed some but that day the stripers decided to feed during the morning hours. I got into a school of stripers in 85’ of water and for awhile we could not keep up. We caught a few shorts but in no time we had out limit. When the bit is on and you have out six lines it’s not long before you can have a limit of stripers. That was the last time I have caught our limit of stripers during the daylight by the dam.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. The fall is almost here and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their fall feed and the fall colors are beautiful. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 09/27/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
Norfork Lake has been steadily dropping and the lake level is 563.1 which is still about 8ft. above what it should be this time of year. The water temp is in the upper 70’s. The stripers are still 40-60 ft. deep. Look in the bays and along the points within a few miles of the dam. With the days getting shorter and the weather cooling down the stripers will start moving up shallow and spreading out in the lake. There are some bass chasing baitfish to the surface early in the mornings and just before dark. Look for some whites feeding on the surface too. The night bite should get going in a few weeks. |
| 08/31/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
My week started getting up for the early morning catching of bait, but by weeks end I found some gizzards and now I get to sleep another 2 ½ hours each morning. The bite continues in the early morning before light and until the sun gets high. I continue to catch stripers in the deep water but now the fish have move closer to the dam and deeper. Today I caught fish in 27’ and 92’ of water. The deep water fish are very lethargic and will not move much for the bait. I’m using a 3 oz weight and dropping it to the bottom and cranking my reel up only two turns. The long 6’ leader with a lively shad swimming right on the bottom provokes a very soft bite. If the rod moves an inch I have my clients start reeling the line, that usually hooks the fish. I took a long time client Paul, out with his dad (Ralph) and dad’s best friend (Mike) for a morning striper trip. We always have a fun time and usually catch some nice fish. The last trip was Memorial Day weekend and we caught a limit of 9 with the big fish was 22 lbs. This time we started before light in the shallow water off Thumb Point. We caught a couple of fish but nothing like we had been catching. That day was the first sign the stripers were starting to move closer to the dam. We moved out to the deep water, that day it was 87’ and managed to catch 6 nice stripers. Mike and Paul caught their limits but Ralph just kept watching his pole. For some reason he could not get a bite. Ralph became the butt of all our jokes that day, it was a lot of fun. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. The fall is fast approaching and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their fall feed and the fall colors are beautiful. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 08/24/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
My early morning catching of bait continues. It sure gets challenging getting up at 1:45 am and going to bed at 7 pm. The Norfork Lake continues to drop but it’s like watching paint dry, an inch or two a day sure takes a long time to see a significant drop in the lake. The oxygen content for the stripers is at 30 to 35’ and 70 to 85’. The morning bite continues early. Stripers and hybrids are feeding heavy until the sun gets bright then they move into deeper water. The deep bite continues to be around the dam area. Where I have been fishing I can see the dam right in front of me. The stripers are holding from 70’ to 85’ right on the bottom in small groups of 3 or 4 fish. Most of the bites are very light. I have trained my clients to watch the rod tip. If they see it start to bend I have them reel very fast and that has been hooking the stripers. Many people have been missing the fish since you really have to pay attention to your rod.
My brother Ed and sister-in-law Gerry came down for a week of fishing. We only managed two days of striper fishing but we did catch multiple limits each trip. Gerry never fished for stripers but caught the most fish each trip. It just shows that if you pay attention anybody can catch fish. It’s just the little details that get you a fish on the line. Pay attention to your rod and watch for the bite and you can catch stripers each time out. The next day out we caught over 20 stripers and hybrids, most were small but we kept a limit with the biggest two being 13 lbs. It was fun taking out family and seeing them catching fish all morning long. |
| 08/19/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Early morning is now my norm. I get up at 2 am and on the water throwing my shad net by 3:10 am for threadfin shad. Everyday it has been a little harder to catch the bait. I started out having my clients show up for the trip at 5:15 am and now we are starting at 6 am. This problem with baiting happens every year. Most baiting happens in the early summer but this year we had then and now. This year it’s the result of the high water and speaking of high water the lake has dropped a foot but has a long way to go to obtain normal pool. The oxygen content for the stripers is at 30 to 35’ and 70 to 85’. Early morning the stripers can be found feeding on crawdads on main lake points in the 30’ range, once it gets light they are moving off the points towards the deep water. I have found the best bite is after 8 am in the deep water. The stripers are right on the bottom so trolling is not effective. To catch these fish only live shad or spoons will hook you up.
I fished most of the week. The first trip on Monday was very stormy and the bite was off, we had great bait but never hooked up. The next trip I switched to threadfin shad and we started catching fish right away and we ended with seven keepers. The boys I took out on Monday I took out again on Thursday and we had a ball. They caught over 15 stripers and kept 7. The best trip was with Larry, Aaron, & Hunter. We started catching fish with the first line being put down and it was non-stop for the first half hour. We managed to catch three keepers before I moved to the deep water. The first to hookup was 9 year Hunter. He hooked and caught a 14 lb striper, then Aaron caught a fat hybrid, and finally Larry caught one. We ended up catching 4 in the deep water and had 7 keepers.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. The fall is fast approaching and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their fall feed and the fall colors are beautiful. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 08/11/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This week has been one of frustration. The shad have moved from the shallows after their last spawn and it was very difficult catch enough to fish with. I also started the week getting a summer cold and that along with no shad zapped all my strength. I had to cancel two fishing trips due to the lack of shad. I can catch threadfin shad but I prefer using gizzard shad. The stripers will hit the threadfin but they do not last long on the hook and you have to re-bait every few minutes. I did manage to catch enough gizzards to have two trips, one trip was great and the other was cut short due to the terrific storm we had Friday morning. With all that said stripers are still being caught at two depths, early morning before light they are in the 30 to 35’ range, as light begins they move out towards the channel and can be caught with your baits set at 60 to 70’ in 80 to 145’ of water. Live shad, spoons, and trolling are still the most effective method to catch stripers during this period.
The one great trip I had this week was with some regular clients Jason, David, Jamie, & Jordan, in the past we have had some great fishing days and not so great. This trip we started on Robinson Point in the dark using threadfin shad, we found lots of fish but no takers. Once it was light I moved to my deep water spot, this spot had been great but each day the bite is later and later. Sometimes we have to wait a couple of hours for the stripers to show up; they will show up because there has been a 20 to 30’ row of shad setting at 50 to 80’ in 145’ of water. It is just a matter of time before a school will come through. That day they started to show around 7:45 am and stayed with us for 30 minutes; it was mass chaos for a little while. When it ended we had 6 stripers and some great memories.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. The fall is fast approaching and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their fall feed and the fall colors are beautiful. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 08/03/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
We had a week of warm, dry weather and Norfork Lake is slowly started to go down about 1” a day. Not much but every inch will soon add up and within a week's time you will notice a difference. The stripers have moved into deeper water, the previous weeks I have been fishing in the 40 to 50’ levels early on then moving out towards the river channel. This past week the stripers have quit relating to the bottom and I am now roaming the river channel in water ranging from 75 to 175’ of water. The stripers are staying in the 60’ range with some as deep as 100’. The bite is pass week has been off due to the full moon. When there is a full moon animals tend to feed all night and rest during the day. If you hunt deer you are all to familiar with this. My best bite has started around 7:30 AM when the moon has started to set. It changes each day to a later time as the moon sets later each day. Live shad, spoons, and trolling are now the most effective method to catch stripers during this period. This past weekend I took three brothers Randy, Robert, & Shaun out for a 2 day fishing package I offer. It was Randy’s 40th birthday present to himself. Saturday it was slow for the first hour then Randy caught the first & second striper. As I have stated before, when you first fish for stripers it’s hard to get the technique down on when and how to hook the fish so you will miss more then you catch. Randy miss a couple more then I hooked up and Robert reeled in the third and biggest fish of the day. Sunday again was slow until I moved to new spot and as I was letting out line a striper just about took the rod out of my hand. We landed that one and began the wait for the fish to show up. We missed a couple of fish before Randy caught one and then Shaun hooked one and at the same time I hooked one that was suppose to go to Randy but the fish were running every direction and the boys had to switch rods. Shaun had to take the rod and that fish was 16 lb and Randy caught the smaller one. It was funny to listen to the conversation between brothers since it was Randy’s birthday and his brothers kept catching the bigger fish. About 8:15 I notice a few fish at 60’ in 175’ of water then all of a sudden the entire screen began to fill with stripers and all the poles starter to go down. It was chaos but we managed to catch 3 out of the 8 hits we had. Robert caught the biggest striper, it was just at 20 lbs. Overall the brothers had a great trip and Randy did catch his limit. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. The fall is fast approaching and it’s a wonderful time to be on the lake. The stripers will begin their fall feed and the fall colors are beautiful. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 07/27/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 571.9 and the water temp is in the upper 80’s. With the lake being high we are still catching fish. The stripers are suspended 40-60ft. Early in the morning they are close to the bottom down 40ft. As the sun gets higher they start moving towards the deeper water. We caught a few small stripers on topwater back in Barren Creek. The bigger fish are in the deeper water within a few miles of the dam. Bass are coming up early and will hit topwater baits like a spook or a pop-r. After the topwater bite slows throw a jig to the edge of the brush or a worm. When you mark fish suspended or close to the bottom drop a jigging spoon. For more information on the lake go to Lake Norfork Fun.com |
| 07/27/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
I stated last week the rain had stopped but this pass week we had another 2 plus inches of rain. This is the worst period of rain for this time of year I have seen in my 18 years of living here. Only once before I saw the lake rise in August but never have I’ve seen the lake rise in late June through July. The Corps now states that the lake will not return to normal levels until late October. I have decided to quit making any predictions on what the weather or lake will do this year, Mother Nature has taken over and is controlling our lake. The stripers continue to be caught from the bridges all the way to the dam; however most of the big stripers are being caught nearer the dam. Small stripers that can tolerate the warmer waters are still holder north of Diamond Bay but if you want to catch a big fish try the lower end of the lake. This pass week I caught two 25 lb stripers and loss several others and lots of mid-teen fish.
A friend of mine Don Lawellin who owns Three Oaks Resort on Norfork Lake ask if I could take him and his daughters Erin & Audrey for a father/daughter fishing trip before they go back to college. The morning started with a heavy rain storm that delayed our takeoff until 6 am. We usually leave at 4:45 am. The girls have never striper fished but were experienced fishing folks. They listen to my instructions and right away began hooking and landing stripers. The action was petty fast for awhile and Don even got involved in catching stripers. They was a lot of chatter about who’s catching and who’s missing but overall it was a lot of fun seeing all three of them catching fish and making family memories. By the way both Eri .n & Audrey caught the biggest stripers, Erin’s was 15 lbs and Audrey’s 13 lbs, and dad finished a distance third.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. August and early September will be strong months for striper fishing. You should expect to catch multiple stripers each day you fish in these months. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 07/19/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The rain has stopped but Norfork Lake will continued to rise and will crest at 572 which is 15’ over summer pool. We should see some reduction in the lake level starting soon. the Corps cannot lower the lake until Bull Shoals Lake gets under control with all the water they are holding in it. Striper fishing continues to be outstanding with multiple limits being caught. I have noticed that other guides are now fishing the lower end of the year near the dam. This tells me the bite on Robinson Point has slowed and the stripers are beginning their annual migration towards the dam. High water is usually a problem in August for stripers. The lake is normally high in April and May and by August the lake heat causes lower oxygen levels that stresses the stripers. This year with high water so late in the season the oxygen level remains good. The stripers are fighting very hard all the way to the boat. I have never seen stripers fight this hard this time of year. Every year I take out a family for their annual striper trip, Glenn, Brenda, Max, and Jake. This time it was the boys against their parents in their first ever fishing contest. It was no contest, the boys won 5 to 0. I had been catching limits of stripers each day up to their outing but it was a slow day as we had bites but misses a few early then it slowed down. Both boys caught a striper and missed one. Then I hooked a good one and Jake took the pole. I helped him fight the fish, it took 15 minutes to land the striper but it was worth it. Jake had a 25 lb striper, something he will remember the rest of his life. His parents agreed to have it mounted so the memories will continue every time they look at the fish. Max got in on the action next when his pole went down and he landed a fat 14 lb striper by himself. All his parents could do was watch and be very proud of their boys. We had a lot of fun and made happy memories. The early morning and late evening bass bite is very good right now. You need to work the shorelines to be successful. The Big Creek arm has really been producing as of late. The crappie bite is pretty good in the back of the creeks that are still flowing with fresh runoff water. Overall, the white bass are slow, but when they hit, they hit hard and fast. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. August and early September will be strong months for striper fishing. You should expect to catch multiple stripers each day you fish in these months. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 07/13/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Rain rain go away. This past week Norfork Lake rose an additional 3 feet in depth but just like last week the striper target depth is staying even with the rising water. I continue to catch stripers in depths ranging from 40’ to 80’. Early in the morning I start in depths of 40 to 45’ of water until the sun comes up, I then keep moving out until I start marking the striper usually in the 50 to 60’ range. In both of these ranges the stripers will be close or lying on the bottom. Once I move out to the 80 to 120 foot range, the stripers will be suspended between 40 to 55’. In all cases I put my shad right above the fish. Stripers will not go down to take a bait so you always want your bait equal to or above the fish. I continue to fish the lower part of the lake near the Hand Cove Resort area. Stripers are being caught near Robinson Point also. The bite continues to get better each week and should peak at the end of August. I fished all week catching many limits of stripers for my clients. This pass weekend I took a valued client out who I have fished with since his kids were in grade school. Now they are in college or out of school. Doug wanted to bring some of his clients down for a two day work/fishing retreat. We had six guys so we had two guide boats out. Saturday we caught 9 and kept 7, Sunday we started off hooking a striper over 20 pounds and fought it for 10 minutes having it up to the boat 3 times before the last run broke the line. We had only 2 stripers by 7 am and it seemed it was going to be a very slow day. We then picked up a couple more and by quarter to 8 we had 5. They wanted to quit by 8:30 so it looked like it was over. I noticed some fish holding on the bottom at 50’ but they just looked at my bait. I switched good shad out with fresh bait and bang we caught a nice 12 lb striper. So I started switching the bait every 5 minutes out and by 8:30 we had our limit of 9 stripers. It was a mad house on the boat for 45 minutes. What a fun morning that was. The early morning and late evening bass bite is very good right now. You need to work the shorelines to be successful. The Big Creek arm has really been producing as of late. The crappie bite is pretty good in the back of the creeks that are still flowing with fresh runoff water. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. July and August will be two strong months for striper fishing. You should expect to catch multiple stripers each day you fish in these months. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 07/12/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 570.1 which is almost up 5 ft. from last week. The water temperature is in the mid 80’s. Don’t think that because of the high water that the fish aren’t biting. They ARE BITING. Look for stripers on flats at least close to the bottom in 40 ft. early and as the sun starts to get higher they start heading to deeper water. They will suspend down 40-50ft. Get your bait down to where you mark them whether you are using live bait or a jigging spoon. For me the better bite has been from dawn until about 8 AM for the stripers. Then the bite slows down. Bass are coming up early chasing bait to the surface and will hit Zara spooks, pop-r’s or a red fin. As the sun get higher you have to go to a jig, worm or try a drop shot. There are some up in the brush chasing bait. There has been a few whites coming up with the bass. I have seen more surface activity in the creeks. So don’t let the high water stop you from coming to the lake for fun or fishing. For more on Norfork Lake go to www.LakeNorforkFun.com |
| 07/07/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
With the rain last week the water level is 565.6 and the water temperature is in the mid 80’s. The fish are biting. Look for the stripers close to the bottom in 40ft and suspended at least 40ft. in deeper water. They can be out in 140ft. suspended also. Bass are coming up early hitting top water baits. Watch for them on points and in coves. After the top water bite slows throw a jig or a worm in 15-35ft. and work it slowly. But keep a top water bait ready. The Kentuckies will come up anytime. Look for walleye on gravel banks close to the bottom 25-35ft. Try dropping a jigging spoon. Whites are down around 30-35ft. and some hybrids are running with them. Look in the creeks and coves. For more information on the lake go to www.LakeNorforkFun.com. |
| 07/07/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The continual rains has added an additional 2 feet of depth to Norfork Lake but just like last week the striper target depth is staying even with the rising water. I continue to catch stripers in depths ranging from 40’ to 140’. This week I saw the largest school of stripers of the year. They were in just 50 in 80 feet of water and did not hit my baits until I put a new fresh bait on which was hit right away. If your not catching fish you are marking, try a fresh bait or different colors and sizes of spoons. It works often. Fresh bait has more energy and generates excitement to a striper. The stripers are feeding on gizzard shad and the bite should continue to improve the next two months.
The water is higher than normal but the marinas, beaches, boat ramps, and resorts are open and awaiting your arrival. The lake is warm, clear, and clean so don’t hesitate about coming to the Norfork Lake this summer.
I took some first time visitors, Brandon, Kamp, and John to the lake for their first striper trip. They all caught stripers with Kamp catching the most. We caught 7 stripers ranging from 8 to 15 lbs. We had over 20 strikes to catch the seven fish. The stripers were in the mood just to grab the bait and pull it down, but let it go when you grab the rod so take care when you try to set the hook. Stripers are also on the move so keep looking on flats next to points and under water bluff lines with a flat on one side with the river channel butting the flat. The stripers are feeding on crawdads on the flats early and are moving into deeper water as the sun comes up.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. July and August will be two strong months for striper fishing. You should expect to catch multiple stripers each day you fish in these months. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 07/01/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
We had a great week of stable weather; the lake rose another 6” but the stripers continue to bite. Stripers are biting from the 62 bridge to the dam and up towards Big Creek. You can find stripers at all depths, I caught fish in 40’ all the way out to 140’, stripers are schooling and feeding on shad and crawdads. If the stripers are shallow 40’ they will be feeding on crawdads, in the deeper water they are feeding on threadfin and gizzard shad. I cleaned stripers with 7 & 8” gizzard shad in their stomach, sometimes they had 2 and 3 of them; they are on a good feed right now. The water is high but the marinas, beaches, boat ramps, and resorts are open and awaiting your arrival. The lake is warm, clear, and clean so don’t hesitate about coming to the Norfork Lake this summer.
I fished all week, two days I pre-fished looking for new places that the stripers are feeding at. I found stripers in the Robinson Point area all the way to the Hand Cove and up Big Creek. I took Steve out with his friend Gary for two striper trips; they had both fished Norfork a couple of times for stripers with no luck. The first day we caught one limit but missed many fish. Each time a client comes for the first time it can be difficult learning how to set the hook when your downline, (2 oz sinker with bait straight down counted to a specific depth), fishing. The next trip we again missed many stripers and only caught one limit but Steve did catch a big 25 lb striper that he is getting mounted. We had a lot of fun and they are already planning their next striper adventure.
For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. June has been a very good fishing month and I expect July to be just as strong. You crappie folks should keep a close eye on current Norfork Lake conditions also as crappie time has begun and there is a good bass bite going on along most shorelines too. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 06/23/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The past week we had over 3” of rain and a lake rise of over 3’, yet with all the rain the stripers keep on biting. I fished all week except for Thursday and Friday and caught stripers on Robinson Point in the afternoons and at Woods Point. The stripers continue to bite on threadfin and gizzard shad, Alabama rigs, and trolled swim baits. The stripers are moving deeper. I now am catching all my fish between 35 and 45’. The hot weather has jumped the water temperature to the mid-eighties which will keep the stripers under the thermocline. Norfork Lake is 7’ above summer pool. This may sound high but it’s good for fishing and with the shoreline being in the brush, this helps the young fry to hide while they begin their growth period. All the marinas, beaches, boat ramps, and resorts are open and awaiting your arrival. The lake is warm, clear, and clean so don’t hesitate about coming to the Norfork Lake this summer. I'm fished Robinson Point on Monday afternoon with my cousin between rain storms and he caught his limit in 35 minutes. When you find the stripers this time of year the bite can be very fast. On Wednesday I took Bill, Paula, Bill, and Linda out for a morning striper trip. Paula has been working with me the past month on finding a date she could take her husband Chris who is disabled. Both Bill and Chris use wheelchairs so I removed my back seat and set Chris up with his wheelchair, Bill only used his to ride between the car and boat. We had many bites that day and they all caught stripers. Paula caught the biggest at 18 lbs. It was a fun day and a lot of enjoyment for me. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. June has been a very good fishing month and I expect July to be just as strong. You crappie folks should keep a close eye on current Norfork Lake conditions also as crappie time has begun and there is a good bass bite going on along most shorelines too. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 06/23/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake water temperature is in the low to mid 80’s and the lake level is up to 564. The stripers are starting to group up in 35-45ft deep. As the water temp rises they will migrate to deeper. They can be suspended in 45-140ft. Look along deep channel swings and along the bluffs. Just get you bait or jigging spoon down to where you mark them on your depth finder. Bass are chasing bait to the surface early and just before dark. I always have a rod rigged with a topwater bait like a Zara spook jr. I like to throw a white or a clear one. Throw a jig or a Texas rigged worm on the bottom in 15-25ft and drag it or hop it in short hops back to the boat. Look for walleye on gravel flats in 30-35ft. Look for the whites in coves in 25-40ft.suspended. For more information on the lake go to www.LakeNorforkFun.com |
| 06/16/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The past week we had wonderful summer weather that resulted in a great striper bite on Norfork Lake. Stripers are being caught in the 101 Area, Robinson Point, and Thumb Point. The stripers are biting on threadfin and gizzard shad, Alabama rigs, and trolled swim baits. The stripers are moving deeper. I have consistency caught them between 35 and 45’. I’m also starting to see schooling fish feeding on crawdads. The stripers are getting aggressive. When we get a fish on the line we are seeing other lines getting hit at the same time. It’s a lot of fun and can get very hectic when you 2 or 3 stripers on. The hot weather has jumped the water temperature to the mid-eighties which will keep the stripers under the thermocline. I'm fishing the Robinson Point area in the late afternoons and the lower end of the lake in the Big Creek area in the mornings. I took Jeff, Shawn, Charlie, and Jason out for three days, and we caught stripers each day. The best day we had 14 fish on and managed to land 7 stripers. When you first fish for stripers with down rods it’s always a learning experience. The pole will go down into the water and most people want to jerk the rod too early. The best rule is let the rod go down at least 7 eyes on the pole before you jerk it. You will still miss a fish but you will catch more fish the longer you wait. If you never have caught a striper now is the time to plan a trip to Norfork Lake. The striper bite will only get better over the next 4 months. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. June has been a very good fishing month and I expect July to be just as strong. You crappie folks should keep a close eye on current Norfork Lake conditions also as crappie time has begun and there is a good bass bite going on along most shorelines too. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 06/16/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 562.1 and the water temperature is in the low to mid 80’s. The stripers and hybrids are still coming up early and just before dark chasing baitfish early this week. With the water temperature rising, the stripers and hybrids are moving into their summer haunts. Start looking for them 30-40ft. As the water continues to warm they will migrate deeper. The bass are coming up hitting topwater baits early. After the sun gets up start throwing a jig or a Texas rigged. Look for whites in coves 25-35ft. deep and look for the crappie in the deep brush piles. |
| 06/02/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 561.6 and the water temp is in the mid 70’s. We are still having some stripers and hybrids coming up early chasing shad to the surface. It won’t last to much longer as the water is getting to warm. Throw a Zara spook, soft jerk bait or a wake bait like a red fin. They will also hit a swim bait. There are suspended fish down 20-40ft. For the live bait fisherman get your bait down into them or just above them. I like to drop a jigging spoon. Some whites are coming up and will hit these baits as well as all three bass species. As for bass throw a soft jerk bait up along the flooded brush. You can throw a jig up along the brush and try a shallow running crank bait or a spinner bait. A floating worm will get you some action too. We’ve been catching them mostly in Big Creek and Brushy Creek. There are still fish up lake doing the same as on the lower end. For more information on Lake Norfork go to Lake Norfork .com |
| 06/02/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
In the past week the rain has continued causing Norfork Lake to rise another 2 ½ feet. You would think the rising water would slow down fishing but just the opposite has happen. Stripers are biting all over the lake. The fish are being caught on top, just under the surface, and deep. Spoons, topwater plugs, swim baits, shiners, and shad are all catching stripers right now. This will not last long, as the water warms up the fish will complete their transition to deep water staying below the thermocline. Now is the time to get on water or if you do not have boat hire one of guides on the lake to take you out for a action packed morning of catching stripers. I continue to fish the lower end of the lake in the Big Creek area about a mile either side of the entrance to Hand Cove most of the week. I took Jared Coan who owns Wagon Wheel Resort, his brother Zack and their dad Roy out for their first striper trip. Jared wanted to see what striper fishing was all about. He received firsthand experience on what his clients will experience when they take a fishing trip. It started raining right after we started and it rained the next three hours. The stripers did not care as we continued to catch fish all morning. We ended up boating 11 stripers and kept our limit of 9. We were wet from the rain but it was worth it. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. May has been a very good fishing month and I expect June to be just as strong. You crappie folks should keep a close eye on current Norfork Lake conditions also as crappie time has just begun and there is a good bass bite going on along most shorelines too. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 05/25/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 560.4 and the water temp is in the low 70’s. There are still a few stripers and hybrids coming up early and just before dark chasing baitfish. Keep a top water rod handy. Have a Zara spook or a wake type bait tied on. Keep an eye on your depth finder and watch for them suspended 25-40ft. Drop a jigging spoon or get your live bait down just above the fish. Check channel swings along the bluffs and on the points. Bass are coming up early and will hit these baits as well. You might want to throw a soft jerk bait close as you can to the brush along the bank. The bass are hitting jigs, jerk baits and Texas rigged worms. Don’t forget to try a swim bait. All of these fish will hit a swim bait reeled real slow. There are a few whites coming up also. |
| 05/25/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The past week we have had rain, cold, and fog but the fish seem to not care about the weather and started biting all over the lake. The stripers are in transition right now. I am catching stripers three ways, on top with a balloon, long line with a split shot, and down line with a 2 oz sinker set about 30 feet down. Some of fish I cleaned had crawdads in their belly. This means the fish are starting to go deep. With that in mind, it's time to break out your spoons. I’m starting to see small schools of stripers that will take my shad. The loner fish are beginning to school up because of the higher water temperatures. As it warms we will continue to see more fish schooling in the 30 to 50 foot range. I fished the lower end of the lake in the Big Creek area about a mile either side of the entrance to Hand Cove most of the week. I finished the week fishing north of Howard Cove. I caught multiple limits of stripers on both ends of Norfork Lake. Stripers are being caught in most major creeks and some in mid-lake area. I took Carson, Phil, & Tom out for a morning trip. The bite started early and lasted all morning. We had overcast skies and a light wind which kept the stripers higher in the water column. We hooked 12 stripers, boated 8. and kept 6, with the biggest being 20 lbs. All the stripers were caught on gizzard shad. This past week my clients have caught multiple fish over 18 lbs and one fish straighten out a new Gamakatsu Shiner Hook. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. May has been a very good month and I expect June to be just as strong. You crappie folks should keep a close eye on current Norfork Lake conditions also as Crappie time has just begun and there is a good bass bite going on too. A good tool to use to make your plans with is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 05/10/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
We finally got some south winds and some warm and stable weather and the bite is on. The stripers and hybrids are coming up early and just before dark chasing baitfish. Throw a zara spook or a wake bait. If you don’t see any surface activity throw a swim bait at least a 4” and retrieve it real slow. Always have a top water rigged on deck. They are hitting live bait real good also. There is still a night bite after dark throwing stick baits and reeling it real slow. Bass are coming up as well. There are some bedding and hitting floating worms. Keep watching your depth finder and if you see some suspended fish drop a jigging spoon. For more information on the area and more go to www.FishLakeNorfork.com |
| 05/10/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Stable weather has finally arrived and Norfork Lake has exploded. All species of fish have started feeding all over the lake. There is topwater action on every point from Cranfield to the dam and up all of the major creeks. Bass and stripers are really on the feed. I even started catching crappies up the creeks while throwing my shad net. The fish will complete their spawn this week. The bass will be in full spawn and the stripers are up the creek doing the same. Spooks, swim baits, red fins, flukes and Alabama rigs are catching stripers and bass. Be on the water at first light and keep watching around your area. The bass may not be on your point but you should see action, make sure that you do not drive up the activity that will spook the fish. Stop short and use your trolling motor to get to the fish. I have caught multiple limits of stripers this week around the Hand Cove area. I have seen fish feeding on most of the points heading south as I travel up and down the lake. I took the Burton family out, Eric, Slade, Shelby, & Norma out for their annual two day Mother's Day fishing trip. Both days we caught at least 7 stripers with the biggest being 20 lbs. Everybody caught at least a 12 lb or bigger striper each day. Now is a great time to take your striper trip. The crappie are started to bite. Don from Three Oaks Resort says the big crappie are being caught around his dock and along the shore line. Find a good brush pile and you should catch a bunch of crappie. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out a start making plans now. May has been a very good month to catch stripers. June looks very promising. You crappie folks should keep a close eye on current Norfork Lake conditions also as crappie time is beginning now. A good place to start is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 05/05/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Stability has finally appeared and looks like the weather and Norfork Lake will start warming up and the winds have turned south. The warm wind and warmer nights has started to raise the lake temperature and is maintaining the water temperature overnight. The carry over will keep the lake temperature to rise into the seventies by the end of week. The warm water and full moon has triggered the shad to begin their spawn, other species will begin to spawn or finish their spawn. Crappie will complete their spawn and the bass have moved to their beds. The fish will move towards the buck brush and feed on the spawning shad. This is a great time to throw topwater lures near the bank. Stripers are being caught all over the lake, the upper part of the lake around the Cranfield area, mid-lake around the Blue Lady and Float & Panther creeks. In the lower lake the stripers are on the main lake points and in the mouths of Big & Brushy Creeks. Topwater plugs, shiners, shad, and trolling swim baits are all catching stripers. I took John and his brother Jeff out, it was Jeff’s first striper trip. Jeff caught a 6 lb largemouth right away and missed several others. John had a hard hit and the fight was on. The striper made several runs and it took about 5 minutes to get her in. It was John’s biggest fish. The crappie bite is still slow in the creeks. This should change with the warm water and south winds. Expect the crappie to move shallow to complete their spawn. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out a start making plans now. May looks like it’s going to be a very good month to catch stripers. You crappie folks should keep a close eye on current Norfork Lake conditions also as Crappie time will begin soon. A good place to start is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! Tom Reynolds has fished Lake Norfork for over 35 years and guides out of Tracy Ferry Marina; you can reach him at www.stroutfitters.com, 870-421-1541 or on Facebook. |
| 04/28/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Unstable weather patterns continue to wreck havoc on the fish. Each time we get the warm southern winds and a warming trend the weather changes and drives the fish and bait from the shallows. The water is clear on the main lake and creeks are off color, the creeks continue to be the warmest water on the lake. Some stripers and hybrids are starting to bite on top at first light, however if there is any type of wind the fish seem to shut down. Also if its an east wind they will shut down totally. The main lake water temperature has dropped to the low-sixties and the creeks are in the high sixties. I took Jacob and his dad John out this pass Saturday and we had action at first light then moved where some hybrids were surfacing. That bite did not last long but we did manage to catch a limit of stripers for Jacob. We were fishing in the Big Creek arm. I was using small threadfin shad. The bait continues to move in and out of the shallows. We need a strong warming trend to bring the bait in to spawn. The crappie are being caught on deeper brush piles and in open water trolling jigs and minnows. Most of the crappie is not in the shallows. I have been watching the crappie guides fish the shallow brush and not many fish are being caught. Stay in deep water. One trick I use to use was to troll a minnow tipped white 1/8 oz Road Runner over the brush piles in East Pigeon, Pigeon, and Brushy & Big Creek with great success. This works best when the crappie are staging to spawn For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out a start making plans now. May looks like it’s going to be a very good month to catch stripers. You crappie folks should keep a close eye on current Norfork Lake conditions also as Crappie time will begin soon. A good place to start is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! |
| 04/26/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 558.7 which is up about a half foot from last week and the water temp has dropped a few degrees into the low 60's to mid 60's. The main lake is clear and the creeks are starting to clear. Some stripers and hybrids are coming up early chasing baitfish. We have been throwing jointed red fins to them. The will also hit a Zara spook and a swimbait. They come up better if the water is slick with little or no wind is best. If they aren't coming up I throw a 4"swimbait and reel it slow. They are hitting live bait as well. The night bite seems to get a little later these past few nights. Throw a stickbait to the bank and retrieve it real slow. Colors hasn't been making a difference. You can also pick up some walleye. Some bass are coming up as well along with a few whites hitting spooks and they are hitting on swimbaits also. There are a few coming up just before dark back in the creeks. We need some stable weather and some wind from the south to warm the water temp a little more and the bite will only get better. For more on Lake Norfork go to www.LakeNorforkFun.com or www.FishNorfork.com |
| 04/20/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 558.2 and the water temperature is in the mid 60's and clear in the main part of the lake to the upper 60's in the creeks and they are starting to clear. The creeks will get stained water again as we are expecting possibly a little over and inch of rain this evening. There are some stripers and hybrids coming up chasing shad early in the mornings. Throw a Zara spook or try a wake type bait. They are hitting live bait also. Find the baitfish and they will be close by. When they are not coming up try throwing a swimbait or a soft jerkbait like a fluke or bass assassin. Some whites are coming up as well as the largemouth and Kentucky's. The bass are also hitting jigs, swimbaits, and floating worms close to the brush on the banks. The night bite is real good throwing stickbaits to the banks and you have to real them slow. The colors doesn't seem to make a difference. The bite has been starting just after dark. For more information on Lake Norfork go to www.LakeNorforkFun.com or www.FishNorfork.com |
| 04/20/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The striper bite continues all over Norfork Lake. The water has cleared on the main lake but the creeks remain stained and are the warmest water on the lake. Some stripers have moved up Bennett’s arm, Big Creek, and Brushy Creek, but a large number of stripers are being caught off the main lake points. There is a strong topwater bite in the Cranfield area and the Big Creek arm. The water temperature has gone up to the high-sixties and the creeks are in the low seventies. I took Clayton and Dave out for their first striper trip. We were fishing Big Creek and the bite started right away. Clayton caught a fat 15 lb striper and then it was Dave’s turn. They took turns catching striper for over 3 hours. We caught 10 and kept 5. We had to cut our trip short due an approaching heavy rain storm. The crappie bite has started however the weather this pass week continues to wreck havoc. Get a warm two days with a south wind and the crappies move into the shallows then a cold front comes and they move out. Just stay with it and you will catch crappies. The bass are starting to make their beds so it will not be long before they begin to spawn. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out a start making plans now. April looks like it’s going to be a great month to catch stripers. You crappie folks should keep a close eye on current Norfork Lake conditions also as Crappie time will begin soon. A good place to start is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! The Norfork Lake level is higher than its normal mid summer pool of 556.75 but has dropped 3 1/2’ this past two weeks. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and off color in the main channels. These make for excellent fishing conditions. |
| 04/13/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The weather is warming up and so is the fishing. The water temp is in the upper 50's in the main lake and the water is clear. In the creeks the water the water temp is in the low 60's and the water is stained about halfway back. The stripers are hitting livebait,soft jerkbaits and swimbaits during the day and at night throw a stickbait up to the bank and retrieve it real slow. The bite starts at dark. The colors doesn't seem to make a difference. Some walleye are up shallow at night and are hitting stickbaits also. Look along flats and don't overlook some steeper banks as well. Bass are coming up chasing baitfish early and just before dark. Look back in the creeks for surface activity. Throw a zara spook jr, soft jerkbait or shallow running minnow type bait. Also try a swimbait. Some guys are throwing the A-rig. There are some whites coming up in the same areas and will take the same baits. For more information on Lake Norfork go to www.NorforkLakeFun.com |
| 04/06/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The morning, afternoon, and evening striper bite has started all over Norfork Lake. Heavy rains and cold weather has caused most other species to move back from the shallows. The white bass and small hybrids are schools off the points half way up the creeks. The water is much stained with lots of debris coming out of the creeks. The water temperature has stayed in the mid-fifties. Once we have consistent warm weather and sunshine the entire lake will explode with all species. There is a top water bite up the creeks beginning right now. The large mouths are small but the bigger fish will start feeding when the weather turns. I began fishing with clients Thursday night and caught 2 stripers, a hybrid and 2 walleye. The bite was good until the lighting started and the fish turned off. I fished mornings both Saturday and Sunday and in the evenings and caught stripers each trip. A strong bite is beginning both in the morning and evening. I took my son Sean out Sunday evening looking for some big fish. We were fishing the Bennett’s Bayou area and at one time had five fish exploding on our baits. We did manage to land one 20 pound striper that we released. The big fish are biting I just sometimes wish they would just hit one at a time. The crappie will start spawning in the next few days. The water level has partially covered the buck brush and the crappie will be spawning on the structure. Once the water level stabilizes the crappie, walleye, and white bass will be spawning in the creeks and upper river. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out a start making plans now. April looks like it’s going to be a great month to catch stripers. You crappie folks should keep a close eye on current Norfork Lake conditions also as Crappie time will begin soon. A good place to start is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! The Norfork Lake level is higher than its normal mid summer pool of 556.75 but is forecast to begin dropping about April 4th barring any additional rain. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and off color in the main channels. These make for excellent fishing conditions. Tom Reynolds has fished Lake Norfork for over 35 years and guides out of Tracy Ferry Marina; you can reach him at www.stroutfitters.com, 870-421-1541 or on Facebook. |
| 04/06/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
With the rain this past week the lake level is 559.1 which is up 2 1/2 ft. from last week. The water temp is in the low to mid 50's. The main lake is clear and in the creeks there is color to stained the futher back in the creeks you go. We had another cold front come though. There were a few fish starting to come up until the cold front came through. The striper bite is still a little better at night than in the day. We still need stable weather and some south winds. There were a few walleye hitting stickbaits at night. Bass are hitting suspended jerkbaits, a-rigs, swimbaits and jigs. With the water coming up last week it moved the crappie back off the banks into the brushpiles until the lake level gets stable and warms up some more. |
| 03/30/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
With the rain last week the lake level is 557.7 and the water temp is in the low 50's. After the rain mid week we got a cold front that really dropped the water temp into the upper 40's and slowed the night bite down. I fished Saturday night and we had two hits and no fish. The wind was blowing out of the east-southeast and it was a cold wind. Sunday night was a little better the weather warmed into the mid 60's and very little wind and we managed to catch one nice white bass around 3lbs. and four stripers in the 10lb range. Hopefully we are over those nasty cold fronts so the weather will start warming up and become stable. The morning bite is still slow. We did manage to get one nice striper on a soft jerk bait. Bass were hitting suspending jerkbaits, jigs and a few on crankbaits. April the fishing will be on fire and the top water bite should be happening soon. For more information on Lake Norfork go to FishLakeNorfork .com |
| 03/29/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week the weather started off with sunshine and ended with rain and snow. In between the stripers started to feed during the day and continued to feed at night. Monday and Tuesday saw strong south winds and seventy degree days. Stripers were caught all over the lake, Cranfield, Bennett’s, Big Creek, & the Norfork Lake dam area. Wednesday night we experienced strong storms, heavy rain, and cold weather. North winds started and the temperature dropped like a rock. We also saw the lake rise over 2 ½ feet. When the lake crests, it will have rose over 5 1/2’. What started the week off as the beginning of a strong spring bite quickly ended. This next week we should see seventy degree weather, stained water, and south winds, a great combination for the spring bite. I fished with a old client, Dick Engel Tuesday and the stripers were biting. We hooked 6 and landed 2 but we had a couple of fish on that were in the twenty pound range. We were fishing in the Bennett’s Bayou part of Norfork Lake. The stripers were hanging over brush piles waiting on shad. The crappie bite was strong and again with the rising water they have moved deeper. Once the lake crests you should see them moving back shallow. The white bass and walleye also started their run up in the lower creeks and then in Udall. Until the river current slows down that bite will be very slow. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out a start making plans now. April looks like it’s going to be a great month to catch stripers. A good place to start is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! The Norfork Lake level is higher than its normal mid summer pool of 556.75 but is forecast to begin dropping about April 4th barring any additional rain. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and off color in the main channels. Tom Reynolds has fished Lake Norfork for over 35 years and guides out of Tracy Ferry Marina; you can reach him at www.stroutfitters.com, 870-421-1541 or on Facebook. |
| 03/25/2015 |
Greg's Outlook
It looks like the beginning a very promising fishing season at Hand Cove Resort. The top water temperature at our dock is in the middle 50's and warming, the lake level is rising a little, and the weather lately has been about normal for this time of year. There has been a fair bass and crappie bite all winter and it is really starting to heat up just a little earlier this year.. A good walleye bite will begin soon as the fish look to begin spawning. The night bite for stripers have been very active already this year and should continue for a number of weeks. It seems as though the fish have begun migrating to the dam and into the Big Creek arm already. Watch for white bass and hybrid bite to get stronger in the creeks very soon. There is a good crappie bite developing in the small creek coves. For some reason, the fish are very shallow and active for this time of year. Minnows, small jigs and grubs, and crappie flies are working very well. As of today, baring a major rain event we will see lake levels following the normal pool levels for this spring and summer. To sum up, I think we are off to a good start.
New products have arrived for our bait and tackle shop. Added for this season are 4 types of Jewel Spoons, an expanded selection Berkley's Flicker Shad in 2 sizes, Bandit crankbaits and walleye lures, and some new style of Alabama rigs all in Norfork Lake specific colors. We are very excited about the addition of Smithwick's Perfect 10 line of Rogues, now is stock in all colors and all priced competitively. Also new this year is a nice selection of Rick Klum stickbaits. I expect them to perform well for this season's early morning and night bite. |
| 03/25/2015 |
By Larry Olson
My night fishing season began with a bang this past week. Conditions were great and the stars were in perfect alignment. My first night out we boat 15 nice stripers, all in the upper 10's to mid 15 pound range. The second night was just as good. We netted 10 in the same size range. All together we kept 2 fish and sent the rest back to grow into that 45 pounder I'm looking for this year. The best action was in the Big Creek arm mainly between Sand Island and Woods Point. The good news is it seems as though the night bite might be beginning just a little earlier this year. Regardless, the night bite is on and I think the top water bite will begin soon! The other good news is that the quality of the fish caught was very good. The really good news is that I did not burn much fuel finding them. I launched at Hand Cove and just stayed within a couple of miles of the dock. Rogue type stick baits produced the best bite. I had really good luck with the Table Rock shad color but I think the normal Norfork Lake blues, bone, and red/brown would be just as effective. |
| 03/24/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week the mild weather continued, but without the strong south winds, the heavy rains muddied the creeks and stained the main lake. It also rose the lake level enough to move a lot of the debris off the shore and into the lake. Because of a lack of strong current and wind, the debris is slowly making its way towards the dam, so be careful if you go out at night. One tip for seeing debris is look for the seagulls. They will rest on floating logs. The gulls look like they are sitting on water but it will be a log just under the surface. The lake temperature continues to hover around the low fifties, without the south winds and warm nights the temperature will stay in the fifties. I continue to fish during the day without much luck, I have tried Bennett’s, Big Creek, the main lake, and Brushy Creek without catching a striper. Some big stripers were caught this past week during the day. One was 28 lbs and the other was over 30 lbs, but the bite is very inconsistent. Once we get a consistent warming trend with some strong south winds the striper bite will go crazy. As I traveled the lake fishing and looking for shad I did notice that the crappie fishing seems to have really turned on. I saw crappie caught in all the creeks, with the fish were beginning caught very shallow. Also the white bass and walleye have started their run up in the lower creeks and then in Udall also. The night bite continues to be strong. Stripers were caught in the upper, middle, and lower end of the lake. The best bite starts at dark and continues for at least three hours. My son Sean and I went out a couple of times and our best night we hooked 9 and boated 7 in 2-½ hours. We were throwing Rouges to the shore and reeling back slowly. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out and start making plans now. April looks like it’s going to be a great month to catch stripers. A good place to start is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! The Norfork Lake level is closing in on its normal the winter/early spring pools of 553.75. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and off color in the main channels. Tom Reynolds has fished Lake Norfork for over 35 years and guides out of Tracy Ferry Marina; you can reach him at www.stroutfitters.com, 870-421-1541 or on Facebook. |
| 03/24/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The fishing is heating up here on Lake Norfork. The water level is 554.06 and the water temp is 50-56. The cooler water is in the main lake and clear and the warmer water is in the creeks where the water is stained. Bass are hitting suspending jerkbaits, crankbaits and jigs. The striper bite is GOOD at night on stickbaits. The color we used didn't seem to matter the last couple nights. The bite starts at dark. We had our first hit last night at 7:45. Last night we caught a couple hybrids and couple stripers and had two break them off. Friday night my clients caught ten and they kept two and missed as many. They caught all of them within a few miles of the dam. They caught 1 Friday morning on a soft jerk bait about 8 pounds. We were around a lot of baitfish but could only get that one bite. The top water bite should start soon providing the weather quits throwing these cold fronts at us so the weather can be more stable. That will make the bite even better. For more information on Lake Norfork go to www.FishNorfork com and check it out. |
| 03/16/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past weekend the cold weather pattern finally broke and we have seen a warming trend but with that, the rains came. Two good rains later and the lake went up lake about 2 ½ feet and muddied the water. I fished 6 out of the last 7 days and only had luck twice. I fished the Blue Lady dock area, Crystal Cove, the Fouts Boat Dock area, and point 6B with no luck and no fish. I moved down towards Big Creek and Brushy Creek and found fish in multiple spots. The best day I caught 7 stripers with the biggest being 20 lbs. Multiple cold fronts, rain, and heavy fog had and will slow the morning bite just a little longer. The good news is the water is warming fast and the fish are starting to feed. I expect the lake activity for all species of fish will only improve this coming week. The night bite has started for real. A friend of mine, Lou Gabric, has been evening fishing throwing Rouges and has had multiple nights of catching several stripers, the biggest was 28 lbs. The bite is starting right at dark, nothing has been caught before dark and has lasted as long as Lou wanted to fish. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out a start making plans now. Things should really start happening the third and fourth week of March. A good place to start is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com for everything Norfork Lake! The Norfork Lake level is closing in on it's normal the winter/early spring pools of 553.75. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and off color in the main channels. |
| 03/09/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past weekend the cold weather pattern finally broke and we have seen a warming trend. The fish also took notice and have begun to bite again. Walleyes are being caught at the state line and near the US160 bridge in Missouri. Stripers and hybrids are also being caught near the state line. Most of the fish are being caught on trolling lures or Alabama rigs with jibs and swim baits. I fished in the Blue Lady, Crystal Cove and Fouts Boat Dock areas and found lots of bass but no stripers. I moved up the creek and found the warmest stained water 48 degrees. I noticed the white bass fishermen were throwing from the shore so that tells me the white bass has started their spawning run in the creeks. We should see 50 degree water by weeks end and that will really start the stripers and hybrids to bite. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out a start making plans now. A good place to start is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com Norfork Lake remains about 4 feet below normal the winter/early spring pools. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and pretty clear in the main channels. |
| 03/08/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The level of Norfork Lake is 548.6, just a few feet low for this time of year and the water temperature is still in the low to mid 40's. With the warmer weather in the next week or two getting the water temperature up to at least 50, the fishing will only get better. There are a few fish moving up to shallower water. The main lake is clear and back in the creeks the water is stained. I found the water temperature cooler up in Big Creek around 1C at 40 degrees. There are still stripers in the mid lake area, but they will start heading up the river and into the major creeks as soon as the water warms up. I talked to a angler the other day and he's been catching some nice bass in deep brushpiles on tube jigs. There are a few stripers hitting stickbaits at night and it's just getting started. |
| 03/03/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
In my last article we talked about early March fishing. In this article I want to discuss fishing when the warm weather is in full swing. Fishing on Norfork Lake will explode when we start to see a consistent warming weather patterns. Stripers, walleye, crappie, & bass will all get very active. The fish will appear in different parts of the lake. For example the walleye will begin their spawning cycle and will be found spawning on pea gravel sloping banks. Some of the better spots are at the Arkansas Missouri state line, Liner Creek, Bridges Creek to the US 160 bridge, Hand Cove area, Dam Cove, and Thumb Point. Stripers will move to the warmest and dirtiest water up into the creeks. Find a creek with warm dirty water and you should find stripers, from Pigeon Creek to Big Creek stripers will be found. The night time stripers can be caught all over the lake, with a strong south wind happens you can find stripers on any northern shores. Some good spots are Diamond Bay, Dam Cove, Thumb Point, Cranfield Island, points leading up towards Red Bank, Barron Creek, & around Reynolds Island in Big Creek to name a few. Crappie will begin their movement from the deep brush piles towards the creeks. The big issue with crappie is the fronts and rain storms. I have watched anglers catching crappie in 1 foot of water way back in a creek. The next day after a heavy rain the same spot will be void of crappie. They had moved off to find a deeper brush pile. You can still catch them but the bite will be a little slower until the warm lake water returns. Crappie will be caught in all the major creeks. Just look on your depth finder for brush piles. They are scattered over the lake in every creek arm. Find the brush and you will find the crappie. This is when a current Norfork Lake fishing map comes in handy. The most current versions are available at the local bait and tackle shops. Bass will begin their move up the creeks and cove also. Smallmouth are the first to spawn. They will spawn on deep boulders off sloping points for example at Barron Point near point 1. I catch lots of smallies off Barron Point in 20 to 30’ of water when I’m striper fishing in the spring. Large mouth will move all the way up the creeks and back into the coves to make their beds. Again cold fronts will dictate their cycle, warm weather and normal water levels will keep them on the beds. A heavy storm will move the bass off the beds and back into deeper water. Spring offers a lot of fishing fun. If you just get out on the lake, you can catch fish. It really boils down to putti0ng your time in on Norfork Lake. Cold fronts will always effect the fish but if you have the will, you too can catch lots of species of fish during the spring. Sharpen your hooks, wear your PFD, and don't forget to take a kid with you to groom the next generation of Norfork Lake anglers! |
| 02/24/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Early March Spring Striper Tactics. This winter was very mild until the last two weeks. We had the coldest weather of the year and that has brought the water temperature down to where we may experience a shad kill. I do not expect it to be severe like 2014 but we will just have to see how warm in the next several weeks. Not to worry, a small shad kill can actually make fishing better. We have not seen the February south winds yet this year. Until we do I do not expect much change in the fishing conditions. When the warmer winds start the stripers will begin to move from the deep water following the shad toward the shoreline. There will multiple opportunities to catch stripers then. Both live bait and artificial lures will be very effective. The night bite will begin once the winds blow from the south. You will want to fish the north banks of the bays and points. Some excellent spots are the points near the near the dam, Frog Pond, Diamond Bay, Cranfield Island, and the points north of Cranfield marina heading towards Red Bank. The best time to night fish is a half hour before dark until 12 pm. The best lure is the 5-1/2” Rogue. The color of the Rogue varies but black/gold, nuclear clown, and blue/black in the Norfork Lake color combinations seem to work the best. These Norfork Lake exclusive colors are available only at our local tackle shops such as 101 Grocery & Bait and Greg's Baits at Hand Cove Resort. I would experiment with these colors and others until you find the one that works best that night. Make long cast parallel to the bank and reel back very very slowly so that the action of the lure works best for you. A lot of the bites will happen right next to your boat. The reason for parallel casting is that on Norfork Lake you can be casting next to shore but your boat might be in 90 feet of water. That will not work so good for you. The best shore is a sloping bank. But might you will find a time when you are in deep water throwing shallow occasionally. The parallel cast allows you to keep you bait in the strike zone for a longer period of time, right up to your boat. Just keep a sharp eye out for boulders in the water when you are working shallow depths. Stripers, hybrids, and walleye are all active during this time. Watch the water temperature. As it moves up into the 50 degree range and on towards 60 degrees the bite will get stronger. Legend has it that the magic water temperature number 60. There may be some truth to this but plenty of fish, nice fish are caught in the 50 degree range and even in the upper 40's. This actually applies to all Norfork Lake species. Until the warm weather returns the live bait bite will slow. Stripers and the other big predators are scattered all over, so moving around the many points of Norfork Lake will be the only way to find fish. Stripers will start moving “up the creek” soon. An example would be the stripers that were caught around Blue Lady dock will move towards the Crystal Cove area but not much further until the warmer weather begins. As the water and air temperatures warms the stripers will continue to move from the mouths of the creeks all the way up to shallow water, I have caught stripers in 1’ of water right next to shore in stained water. Keep watching the weather and winds. Once the water air temperature warms the stripers and hybrids will really be on the move and most likely begin their migration toward the dam and the Big Creek arm. My long time fishing pal, Hand Cove Resort's pro staff Larry Olson tells me he plans to start his night fishing routine about the first of March. Larry has been fishing Norfork Lake since the late 1970's and has vast knowledge about night fishing the lake. He will be hunting the striper to top his personal best. 41 pound, 44 inch long, 28” girth “Lil' Larry” currently hangs in the tackle shop at Hand Cove Resort. Old Mr. Olson will be going after Lil' Larry's big brother this year. |
| 02/16/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week the weather was nice so I ignored my own advice and went fishing with a friend, Bill Frizgerald who had found some hybrids. We fished Tuesday and Wednesday and caught hybrids each day. I knew better than to think the fish would stick around, so on Wednesday they started to move and I found them back on the Robinson Point flat. I caught a couple and saw lots of schools. A new client asked if we could go out on Saturday, I said if the weather stayed mild, yes. I never listen to myself. I took Eric out and we started on Robinson Point, found some fish but nothing was biting, so we moved on. We first looked at Float Creek and again found some fish but they would not bite. Next we moved to Fouts Marina again finding fish but no takers. We then motored back to Robinson Point and had two bites but the fish would not commit. I then took Eric down to Diamond Bay, then to Georges Cove, Thumb Point, Frog Pond, Point One, Hudson Point and still found no fish. So after 5 and one half hours my new client saw a large part of Norfork Lake but had no fish in the boat. If I only listened to myself we both would have not been disappointed. It just goes to show you fish or you catch but not always both. Still being on the lake is so much better than sitting in my land based office. This week the weather has turned bad with very cold conditions, snow, and ice. Not much fishing will done until the warm weather starts. The only pattern to catch fish is by throwing Alabama rigs. Once the southerly winds begin, look for the night bite to start too. For you out of area folks, you might want to get your calendars out a start making plans now. A good place to start is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com Norfork Lake remains about 4 feet below normal the winter/early spring pools. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and pretty clear in the main channels. |
| 02/09/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The weather has been mild with a warm wind this past week. The shad have left the 62 & 101 bridges and so have the stripers. This happens every year during February, it’s a transition time from winter to early spring. You will need to gas up your boat and expect to move all around the lake looking for bait and fish. My son spent most of Sunday morning graphing around the bridges and found very little shad or fish. He then went to Float Creek, Fouts, Panther Bay, Point 4, and the main channel towards Tracy Marina. The only bait was at Fouts and Float Creek and the only stripers he found were on the south bluff wall in Float Creek. Now is the time to think outside the box. The stripers have moved and you need to also. A bass fisherman this past weekend caught two stripers throwing an Alabama rig. He was fishing off the points, he caught a 12 and a 30 lb striper. Right now the best bait to catch a striper anywhere on the Norfork Lake is an Alabama rig. Once the south winds stay consistent the night bite will start. If conditions remain the same with the shift in wind direction, look for the night bite to begin a littler earlier this year possibly by the end of February or very early March. For you out of towners, you might want to get your calendars out a start making plans. A good place to start is on the web at www.FishNorfork.com This is a good time to get ready for spring. Make sure your trolling batteries are full and will hold a charge. Change your fishing line and get ready for the evening night bite. You will be throwing Rouges. Change the hooks and split rings on your Rouges to a extra strong extra sharp type because the stripers will tear up a standard set of hooks on a Rouge. Make sure you lower unit oil has been changed and check that impeller. Lots of odds and ends should be corrected now while you have time before the spring bite. Check your spare trailer tire and don't forget to pack some grease in those trailer wheel bearings. Good preventive maintenance translates to more quality time on the lake. Norfork Lake remains about 4 feet below normal the winter/early spring pools. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and pretty clear in the main channels. |
| 02/09/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 549.5 and the water temp is in the mid 40's. Look for the stripers close to the river channel and in the deep creek channels. But look on the flats adjacent to them too. The key is to find the baitfish (shad). One day they are in one spot and the next they are gone. You just have to keep moving around to find them. They are usually down 40-70ft. But sometimes they will be a little shallower at 30ft. Look for bass in the deep brushpiles and along the bluffs and out on the ends too. Try a suspended jerkbait, a 4"swimbait, flat tail grub or a jig. There are a few hitting Wiggle Warts. With the days getting longer the, the water temp will start to rise and the fish will start moving up from their winter haunts. This usually takes place in mid March depending on mother nature. |
| 02/02/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week the weather has been the same as the previous two weeks, cold, rainy, with very little sun. The water temperature rose to the low fifties. The stripers, hybrids, and white bass bite continues to be outstanding during the mornings. The shad have moved to their winter location. Start looking for stripers at the US highway 62 bridge then head towards Bidwell Point following the old river channel, past 101 Boat Dock, all away around to the Blue Lady dock. Somewhere in that area the shad and stripers will be schooling. Another place is by the Panther Bay recreation area flats north of the US62 bridge. Stripers are being caught from 30 to 105 feet deep. The deep fish are more stable. They will stay in the same place longer. The higher the school is in the water column the faster they seem to move. Just keep moving slowly around and the fish will move under you so always be ready. This week one of my clients who comes up from Louisiana wanted to try for some winter stripers. Craig has fished with me several times and each time it’s been a “you should have been here yesterday” day. We started looking for shad at the US62 bridge and looked everywhere on the flats and river channel, we could not find any shad or stripers. I continued looking and finally found shad at the mouth of 101 Boat Dock's cove. Lots of bait and a few fish. We fished for about an hour with no bites and was just about to leave when one down line went and the battle was on. Not long after that a free line went wild and we boated another striper. The fishing slowed and a friend called and said the stripers were in a big school northwest of the US62 bridge. We picked up and went up to his spot and found hundreds of stripers and hybrids in 40’ of water. We caught another 4 stripers and called it a day. Craig caught 6 stripers keeping 3. This time it was a “you should be here today” day. If you have not winter fished now is the time to get out and try catching one. Shiners, trolling and small shad are working equally well. Norfork Lake remains at 4 feet below normal fall/winter pool. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and pretty clear in the main channels. |
| 01/26/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The weather has been mild with a warm wind this past week, typical of this time of year at Norfork Lake. The water temperature has been holding in the mid-forties and might even begin warming if this weather pattern continues. Stripers, hybrids, and white bass continue to school but the schools move everywhere, everyday. Some days the bite will begin at mid-day and other days the bite is later in the afternoon, and then there are days that the bite begins at first light. We seem to be going through a period of inconsistency. Your best play right now is to keep looking for the sea gulls and shad, and be prepared to put time in on the water. My friend Lou Gabric had been doing very well using a spoon. He says the fish are still on the old road bed that starts at Henderson marina and goes across to Panther Bay. Stripers and hybrids follow the roadbed as they move while schools of shad roam the nearby. Follow the roadbed on your graph looking and watching for bait and stripers. Another good spot is to the north and west side of the US62 bridge. Large schools of bait and stripers are roaming up and down the length of the bridge on the shaded side. Once the sun hits the north side of the bridge and the waters below, the shad go deeper and the fish disappear. Stripers are being caught from 30 to 105 feet deep. I just came back from exhibiting at the Chicago Sport Show. I met quite a few clients and old friends at the show and naturally we began talking about the old days on Norfork Lake. Lot of people mentioned they came to the lake as kids but not have been back recently. It seems that there are so many other opportunities around the country to travel to they have missed out on one of the best vacations spot in the Midwest. |
| 01/19/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week the weather has been very cold and windy, a warming trend started mid-week and the fishing conditions changed overnight. The Norfork Lake water temperature is in the mid-forties. The stripers, hybrids, and white bass bite continue to school but moved from the Blue Lady area and back to the main lake in front of the Henderson Marina. There is an old road bed that starts at the marina and goes across to Panther Bay. The stripers & hybrids follow it and schools of bait roam along the roadbed. Follow that looking for bait & stripers. The other spot is the north side of the 62 bridge, large schools of bait & stripers are roaming up and down the length of the bridge on the shaded side. Once the sun hits the north side of the bridge the shad go deeper and the fish disappear. Stripers are being caught from 30 to 105 feet deep. I started fishing this week in the Blue Lady dock area. We caught several stripers on Monday but the bite was very slow and fish were biting very lightly. The latter part of the week I had Mitch & Mark from Kansas City. They were here participating in my Cast & Blast special. The first day Thursday we only caught one 14 lb striper, we were on fish all day but it was the first day of high pressure with the start of the warming trend. The second day we went pheasant hunting at Ozark Wings and had a blast hunting. They harvested 15 pheasants that day. The last day we were in the third day of warm weather and I knew the bite would be good. We started again at the Blue Lady area but I saw very few fish so I called a friend and he was catching fish near the Henderson marina. The best bite of the day was just north of the 62 bridge in the shade, we caught 5, 1 striper & 4 hybrids that weighted 6, 8, 9, & 10 lbs. We had multiple opportunities for number 6 but the wind came up and the fish disappeared. A trick I learned from an old timer when using threadfin shad in the winter. The water temperature is in the mid-forties and when you catch the small bait they stress out and die very quickly. To solve this problem I purchased a Aquarium water heater that is undersized, my tank is 50 gallons so the warmer was for 30 gallons. You want to warm the water but only about 15 degrees. My bait lived all day when the water was warmed. Norfork Lake remains at 1 foot below the old normal fall/winter pool. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and pretty clear in the main channels. |
| 01/18/2015 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 550.6 and the water temperature is in the mid 40's. The main lake is pretty clear and the creeks are clearing up. Look for the stripers close to the river channel and the deeper creek channels in 30-100ft. Find the baitfish and they will be close by. Sometimes they are right in the schools of bait so get your bait or jigging spoon to them. The hybrids and some nice whites are mixed in along with the stripers. Bass are hitting a flat tail grub on a 1/4 oz. jighead. Try along the bluffs and out on the end of the bluff. Cast it out and let it fall and slowly pump it a few times and if you don't get bit reel it up and throw it out again. Sometimes they will hit it on the fall so watch your line for that little jump in the line. There are some fish up on the banks and will hit a Wiggle Wart. They are also hitting jigs 30-40ft. deep. If you see a school drop a jigging spoon or try a dropshot. |
| 01/13/2015 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week the weather has been very cold and windy, I have not fished much due to my appearance at the Collinsville Sport Show. What I have been doing is preparing for the spring and looking for walleye & striper baits. The best walleye bait is caught by trap in the creeks that flow into Lake Norfork, the bait is called Slicks. The Slicks are 3 to 5 inches with a gold body with black lines. The walleye will bite the slicks over any other bait, the problem is everybody is hunting them and only when the creeks have water is when you can catch them. I traveled over 200 miles looking for them without any success, the big rise of water in the creeks pushed the bait and only when the creeks return to normal levels I will be able to catch them. The other bait I chase is Chubs, stripers love this bait in the winter, the chubs can only be caught by rod & reel in the North Fork River above Udall, and it’s a very slow process because the river is running fast and cold and your fishing in cold weather conditions. The Norfork Lake water temperature is in the mid-forties. The stripers, hybrids, and white bass bite continue to school in the channel along the bluff line near Blue Lady down to the Lake House, start looking for stripers at Bidwell Point following the old river channel all away around to the Blue Lady dock. Somewhere in that area the shad and stripers will be schooling. Stripers are being caught from 30 to 105 feet deep. This week I had a new client from the Collinsville Sport Show, Don & his son Donnie, the weather was cold and windy. We started across from Blue Lady resort We found lots of bait and stripers. We caught our first one right away, it was then very slow, the water temperature has caused the fish to be lethargic, we found lots of stripers but the bite continued to be slow. We caught one more, 2 big whites, and 2 largemouth bass. I anticipate the bite will get better once a warming trend starts. Norfork Lake remains at 1 foot below normal fall/winter pool. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and pretty clear in the main channels. |
| 12/29/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week the weather has been the same as the past two weeks, cold, rainy, with very little sun. The water temperature is in the low fifties. The stripers, hybrids, and white bass bite continues to be outstanding during the mornings. The shad have moved to their winter location. Start looking for stripers at the US highway 62 bridge then head towards Bidwell Point following the old river channel all away around to the Blue Lady dock. Somewhere in that area the shad and stripers will be schooling. Another place is by the Panther Bay recreation area flats north of the 62 bridge. Stripers are being caught from 30 to 105 feet deep. The deep fish are more stable. They will stay in the same place longer. The higher the school is in the water column the faster they seem to move. Just keep moving slowly around and the fish will move under you so always be ready. This week one of my clients who comes up from Louisiana wanted to try for some winter stripers. Craig has fished with me several times and each time it’s been a “you should have been here yesterday” day. We started looking for shad at the 62 bridge and looked everywhere on the flats and river channel, we could not find any shad or stripers. I continued looking and finally found shad at the mouth of 101 Marina, lots of bait and a few fish. We fished for about an hour with no bites and was just about to leave when one down line went and the battle was on. Not long after that a free line went and we boated another striper. The fishing slowed and a friend called and said the stripers were in a big school northwest of the 62 bridge. We picked up and went up to his spot and found hundreds of stripers and hybrids in 40’ of water. We caught another 4 stripers and called it a day. Craig caught 6 stripers keeping 3. This time it was a “you should be here today” day. If you have not winter fished now is the time to get out and try catching one. Shiners, trolling and small shad are working equally well. Norfork Lake remains at 4 feet below normal fall/winter pool. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and pretty clear in the main channels. |
| 12/22/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week the weather has been cold, rainy, with very little sun, and the water temperature is in the low fifties. The stripers, hybrids, and white bass bite continues to be outstanding during the mornings. The shad have moved to their winter location and should stay there for the next two months. Start looking for stripers at the US highway 62 bridge then head towards Bidwell Point following the old river channel all away around to the Blue Lady. Somewhere in that area the shad and stripers will be schooling. Another place is by the Panther Bay recreation area flats north of the 62 bridge. Stripers are being caught from 30 to 105 feet deep. The deep fish are more stable. They will stay in the same place longer. The higher the school is in the water column the faster they seem to move. Just keep moving slowly around and the fish will move under you so always be ready. One of my regular clients Harry Tater wanted to try winter striper fishing, Harry has fished the other three seasons but never during the winter. One great thing about winter fishing is that we never leave the dock before 7: 30 AM so there are none of those 4 and 5 AM mornings. We went to the 62 bridge and starting looking for the stripers. There is a road bed that runs from Panther Bay to Henderson Marina, a sunken bridge at the entrance of the Henderson Marina. The stripers follow these road beds as underwater highways. We setup in 100’ of water with our lines set a various depths from 40 to 75feet. We had our limit in less than 3 hours with the biggest striper being 14 lbs. Our time was extended due to missing many fish. There are large schools of stripers roaming the area and when they pass under the boat all of your lines may go down. It gets very crazy at times. If you have not winter fished now is the time to get out and try catching one. Shiners, trolling and small shad are working equally well. Norfork Lake remains at 4 feet below normal fall/winter pool. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and pretty clear in the main channels. |
| 12/21/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake water temp is in the upper 40's to the low 50's and the lake level is 548.9. The stripers are moving a little deeper following the shad. When you find the baitfish the stripers are close by and sometimes they are in the balls of baitfish. You can still find a few fish up shallow. Start looking halfway back in the creeks. They are still hitting stick baits at night along with some walleye. Just remember to retrieve your lure slow. Look for bass along the bluffs and out off points. Throw a suspending jerkbait and for the deeper fish throw a 3/4 to 1oz. jig. They are also hitting Wiggle Warts thrown along the bank. Till next year have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and be safe. |
| 12/08/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week the weather has been cold, rainy, windy, the water temperature continues to hover in the mid-fifties. The stripers, hybrids, and white bass bite has slowed. Stripers continue to bite in Float Creek, but they have move off the 101 Bridge flats, Blue Lady flats, and the Mallard Point flats. The fish are moving a little deeper each week, but until the bait moves out into the river channel the stripers will continue to roam the edges of the creeks and occasionally move onto the flats to feed. Just keep moving around the area and you will hookup with them. I fished with Lou Gabric the owner of Hummingbird Hideaway Resort in the pass and caught numerous stripers, hybrids, and whites. Lou primarily uses spoons and works very hard trying to stay on the fish for his clients. The stripers pictured with Lou were caught in Float Creek using a 1 oz white spoon. That day the most effective technique was letting the spoon flutter to the bottom and letting it sit still for a second or two and then rip it back up. Most of time the fish were picking up the spoon on the bottom. You have to be ready to set the hook right away using this technique. Look for stripers in the 50 to 60’ of water near or in the shad. Another technique to finding stripers is watching the wind, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the wind blew very hard from the west into Float Creek. The bass fishermen were catching stripers in the back end of the Float Creek in water less than 5’. The bait was blown back into the shallow water, so play the wind, find the shad, and you will catch stripers. Norfork Lake remains at 4 feet below normal fall/winter pool. The water temperature ranges from the mid to low fifty’s. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and pretty clear in the main channels. |
| 12/02/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 549.1 and the water temp is in the mid to upper 50's. The stripers are hitting stick baits at night. Just remember while retrieving your lure reel it SLOW and hang on. There have been a few walleye hitting these as well. Throw them on flats right at dark. During the day look for them close to the creek channels in the major creeks and up in the river part of the lake. Find the shad and they will be close by. There are whites mixed in with some of the schools. Always keep a topwater rod rigged with a Zara spook jr.
Throw crank baits along the bank or a spinner bait for bass. The better banks will have wind blowing in on them. For the deeper fish try a jig or a grub on a 1/4oz. jig head. Try a jigging spoon also. As the water gets colder remember you have to slow down and fish slower. If you go out especially by yourself, tell someone what part of the lake you are going to fish and what time you are going to be back and always wear your PFD. |
| 12/02/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The past week the weather was warm and windy and the water temperature was stable. The stripers, hybrids, and white bass were on a feeding frenzy. Stripers were biting in Float Creek, above or north of the 101 Bridge on the flats, Blue Lady flats, and the Mallard Point flats. The bite is throughout the day, from early morning to late in the evening. The schools of fish are very large right now, however they are constantly moving and so it's difficult staying on the schools. Just keep moving around the area and you will hookup with them. I fished Float Creek with Buddy, Carson, & Gary. This was their first striper trip and we were into fish from the start of the trip until the end. We caught 9 stripers and kept 7. We also missed quite few but still we had a great time with the guys. Each one of the guys caught their biggest fish and first striper. This shallow water bite will continue until the cold water drives the shad deeper. Then some outstanding winter fishing will begin. Shad, spoons, and trolling are all producing stripers right now. The fall white bass run has started. The white bass, small hybrids and stripers are schooling on the flats near Cranfield Island, Mallard Point flat, Blue Lady flats, and Float Creek flats. The fish can be found in 40’ to 50’of water. A 1 oz jigging spoon is producing the best. Norfork Lake remains at 4 feet below normal fall/winter pool. The water temperature ranges from the mid to low fifty’s. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and pretty clear in the main channels. |
| 11/24/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Winter angling on Norfork Lake can be one of the most productive periods of striper fishing. Beginning in Mid-December through February the stripers will stick close to the old river channels near or mixed in with the shad schools. The old river channels are the outlines of the Norfork Fork River and major creeks such as Big Creek and Bennett's Bayou before they were flooded and covered by the lake. You will find the old river channels clearly marked on the better lake maps. Once the lake water gets colder, the shad will move into deeper water to find their comfort zone. Sometimes that is depths of 40 feet, other times I have seen shad hover at 80 feet. The stripers will stay with the shad schools the whole winter period. The two most productive methods to catch stripers are live bait and spoons. Small jigging spoons, either ½ or ¾ ounce are the artificial bait of choice although some specific swim baits can be productive also. Shiner minnows and threadfin shad are the preferred live bait. Shiners approved for use by Arkansas Game and Fish in Norfork Lake are available at most better Norfork Lake bait and tackle shops. Shad are not sold commercially. Shad used as bait in Norfork Lake must be caught in Norfork Lake by net. Wild bait from any other body of water is strictly prohibited by law. This is to prevent the introduction of foreign or invasive species of plants, animals, and water life into Norfork Lake. A good fish/depth finder is a must have to find fish during this time of year. Good electronics will help you find the shad and stripers and keep you on them. Begin by looking at the old river channel between the US62 and AR101 bridges and move towards the Howard’s Cove area. Somewhere in this area you will find the shad and stripers. Float creek is one other area that will typically hold stripers. The great part of winter striper fishing is that the bite can last all day or begin mid-day. There is no time limit on when the stripers will bite. Some days I go out at first light and fish all day. I have seen no activity until late in the day and other days I’ve had my limit by noon. Just stay close to the shad and you will catch a striper most days. I fish using shiner minnows and threadfin shad. Downlines and weighted floats are my gear of choice. I run six downlines, each with 2 oz weights and 5’ leaders. I will run two additional lines with floats on the outside of the spread. These lines are set above the shad school. Stripers will come up through the shad column to take your bait. Always keep your live bait above the shad school. Threadfin shad are and will always be the most productive method to catch winter stripers. Shiner minnows are also very effective. The best places to buy shiners are 101 Grocery & Bait and Hand Cove Resort Bait and Tackle Shop. They both carry shiners most of the season. When the shad begin to school, look for bait fish balls and note the depth on your depth finder graph. Once again a good depth finder will help you find the shad and the stripers. They will be moving around so keep a watchful eye on the graph and stay close to the shad. Spoon lures are very effective. The key is matching the size and color of your spoon to that of the shad bait fish. If the stripers are feeding on 1” and 2” shad, make sure your lure matches the size of the shad. Jig your spoon through the shad schools for the best success. Always be ready for that top water bite to erupt too. Have a Super Spook Jr tied on and at the ready for when this happens. As always, your most important piece of equipment is your PFD life preserver. Lake and weather conditions can change in a heartbeat during the winter months so it's best to be prepared with a high quality PFD. Wear it from the moment you launch until the boat is back on the trailer or in the stall. Fish safely so you can fish often! |
| 11/18/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The weather is cold and the water temperature is continuing to drop but the stripers bite is on fire. Stripers are biting from Float Creek all the way to and above the state line. The bite is happening from early morning to late in the evening. Look for stripers in the afternoon in Float Creek and the Blue Lady Flats. In the morning you will find them off of the Mallard Point flats and from Calamity Beach to Bryant Creek. The stripers are feeding on the flats in 30 to 45 feet of water. I fished the northern portion of Lake Norfork near Calamity Beach with Gary & Doug from Iowa and from the start of our trip the bite was on. It took 45 minutes of motoring from Tracy Ferry Marina to where we began to fish. We had our first two limits in less time than it took to get to where we started fishing. We released some so we could try and catch a larger striper. We ended up boating 9 stripers and was back to the marina by 10 AM. This shallow water bite will continue until the cold water drives the shad deeper. Then some outstanding winter fishing will begin. Shad, spoons, and trolling are all producing stripers right now. The fall white bass run has started. The white bass, small hybrids and some stripers are schooling on the flats near Cranfield Island, Mallard Point flat, Blue Lady flats, and Float Creek flats. The fish can be found in 30’ to 45’of water. Use a jigging spoon for best results. Right now our deer season is in full swing and there is some great hunting around the lake. I have had 3 successful trips already with more scheduled. There are walk-in areas all over the lake. You can contact the Corp. of Engineers office at 870-425-2700 to find the locations. Greg at Hand Cove Resort also has some walk-in and boat-in information for the Hand Cove area. His number is 870-488-5367. Arkansas’s duck season opens November 22nd. There is some excellent duck hunting on Lake Norfork and I will report on the duck hunt during the season. Now is the time to get out, ignore the cold weather, and enjoy all of the outdoor action that Lake Norfork offers. Norfork Lake remains at 4 feet below normal fall/winter pool. The water temperature ranges from the mid to low sixty's and going down to the high fifty's. The water visibility is stained in the creeks and pretty clear in the main channels. It's time to get your crappie bite on! |
| 11/13/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 550.0 and the water temperature is in the low 60's. There have been some fish coming up early and just before dark in the south end of Norfork Lake. Watch for this activity in coves and on points close to deep water. There still are quite a few fish still down 40ft. There are some bass hitting crank baits along the shore and the fish a little deeper are hitting a jig. Throw a spook out on points and there have been some fish coming up for them when you don't see any surface activity. It doesn't happen on every point. The better ones have deep water like a channel swing on a bluff end. The jerkbait bite will be happening when the water temp drop a little further. |
| 11/13/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake remains at 1 1/2 feet below normal fall pool. The water temperature ranges from the mid to low sixties and going down to the high fifties. The water visibility is stained. The stripers continue to be very active in the upper part of Norfork Lake from Calamity Beach to Bryant Creek, the flat close to 101 Boat Dock, Stewart Point, and 6B although there is still activity in the dam and Big Creek areas. The stripers in the upper level are in waters less than 30’, on the flats there can be found in 30 to 45’ of water. This past week I continued to fish the upper level of Lake Norfork. Large schools of shad can be found all along the creek channel. Stripers are feeding on them during the course of the day. Some stripers can be found in 20’ of water chasing shad and some top water has started. I took Joe and his sister-in-law Carol out for their second striper trip of the season, they wanted to try a fall trip. The action was slower than their first trip but the stripes were bigger, Carol’s big fish was 14 lbs and Joe’s was 12 lbs. We caught 5 and lost several more. The shallow water bite will continue until the cold water drives the shad deeper and then some outstanding winter fishing will begin. Shad, spoons, and trolling are all producing stripers right now. The fall white bass run has started. The white bass are schooling on the flats near Cranfield Island, Bennett's, Steward Point, point 1C in Big Creek, and 6B. They can be found in 30’ of water. Use a jigging spoon for best results. |
| 11/05/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake remains at 1 1/2 feet below normal fall pool. The water temperature ranges from the mid to low sixties and is stable. The water visibility is stained. The lake depth has stabilized and the water temperature is in the low-sixties. The stripers are very active right in the upper part of Norfork Lake and the flats close to Blue Lady resort. The stripers in the upper level are in waters less than 30’, on the flats there can be found in 38 to 45’ of water. The stripers are biting very aggressively. This past week we caught 3 stripers 18 lbs or bigger and lots of 10 to 15 lb fish. I have continued to fish the upper part of Norfork Lake and as long as I read bait on my depth finder I find stripers, no bait no stripers. I took Paul & Ron Luber out for their bi-annual striper trip. It’s a lot of fun taking out fathers and sons, a lot of give and take goes on. We were into fish right away and continued to catch fish all morning. We only boated 4 with Ron (the father) catching the biggest 18 lbs. We also managed to video the entire morning and now they have a memory for a life time. The shallow water bite will continue until the cold water drives the shad deeper, then some outstanding winter fishing will begin. The crappie are being caught in the brush, look for them in Bennett’s Bayou, Pigeon Creek, Big & Brushy Creeks, and Red Bank. The evening and night bass bite in is strong right now, throw a black 3/8 single spinner with 3” black curry tail. |
| 10/20/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp in the southern portion of Norfork Lake has cooled down to around 70 and the lake level is 550.5. There is a topwater bite early in the morning for a couple hours. We caught some whites, small stripers (2-3lbs), largemouth, Kentuckies and a few smallies on Zara spook Jr's. Clear or white colors seemed to work the best. They were on points close to deep water. We found big schools of fish suspended 40-50ft in 60-100ft of water. There were stripers, hybrids and whites. Just dropped a jigging spoon and the fight was on. But then when the bite was over it was over. They just quit. You had to get them while the were feeding. Later we found some fish shallower close to the bottom in 36ft. They were all three bass species and a short walleye. We were using a spoon that was silver on one side and white on the other. You can get them at the Denali store on Hwy 62 East in Mountain Home. When the water temp gets into the low 60's the night bite should start to get going. |
| 10/20/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is 1 1/2 feet below normal fall pool. The water temperature ranges from the mid to low sixties and is dropping. The water visibility is stained. The lake depth has stabilized and the water temperature is in the mid-sixties. The stripers are very active right now. You can find top water action near Robinson Point and Cranfield Island. Stripers are now schooling all over the lake. You can find them along the bluff walls, flats and river channels in water ranging from 45 to 100 feet. The stripers are holding in 38 to 55 feet with some deeper fish at 60’. Spoons and shad are working the best. In the mid lake area look for stripers on Robinson Point, in Float Creek, Panther Bay, and Fall Creek areas. I fished the Robinson Point area along a bluff wall. We were over schools of stripers and hybrids for over 2 ½ hours. I took Dan Marker and his son Ben out for their first striper trip. I started with over 70 threadfin shad for bait When we stopped fishing I had only 4 threadfin left. We had over 50 bites and caught at least 20 hybrids & stripers. Most of the fish were of smaller size but we did manage to keep 5. We hooked, caught, and missed fish all morning long. Now is an excellent time to get on the Norfork Lake. The stripers, bass, crappies, and other species will be very active for the next several weeks. With the water cooling down the crappie have moved to the shallows in the brush, look for them in Bennett’s Bayou, Pigeon Creek, Big & Brushy Creeks, and Red Bank. |
| 10/14/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is 1 1/12 foot below normal fall pool. The water temperature ranges from the mid to low sixties and is dropping. The water visibility is stained. The lake depth is rising and the water temperature is cooling down. We should see a major change this week in striper activity. Stripers are now schooling all over the lake. You can find them along the bluff walls and flats in water ranging from 45 to 100 feet. The stripers are holding in 38 to 55 feet with some deeper fish at 60’. The big schools are in the 40 to 50 foot range. Spoons and shad are working the best. In the mid lake area looks for stripers on Robinson Point, and in Float Creek, Panther Bay, and Fall Creek areas. I fished the lower end of the lake at the Hudson Point area near Hand Cove and Jordan and found big schools of stripers. The bite lasted for over an hour. Once they appear you must get on them because when they move off the area they are hard to find. The best bite is still in morning, I took Bruce & David out and ended up with a mixed bag. We fished Robinson Point and we started having bites right away. The bites were stripers and catfish. Both stripers and catfish are schooling on Robinson. We hooked, caught, and missed fish all morning long. We had a great time talking about our past pheasant hunting trips while we kept missing the fish. Now is an excellent time to get on the water. The stripers, bass, and other species will be very active for the next several weeks. Lake Norfork this time of year is beautiful. The trees will be turning colors starting this week and should hit its peak in the next ten to fourteen days. Deer and duck season is approaching and there are lots of opportunity to harvest both species on CORPS land surrounding the lake. As an example; my cousin came down last fall with a friend who had never been here. We setup a pheasant hunt at Ozark Wings the first morning, then deer hunted in the afternoon and striper fished the next morning. In less than 48 hours we hunted pheasant, shot a deer, and caught stripers. Not many places offers that type of experience. Come out and enjoy Lake Norfork and all that it has to offer. |
| 10/12/2014 |
By Larry Olson
I've started fishing for bass this week. The night bite has really turned on along the shoreline between Wolf Cove and Point 1C. Largemouths, smallies, and Kentucky's have been very active along the rock walls and flat points. The best way to boat some bass is to throw spinners parallel to the shore. I usually have my boat in about 6 feet of water, throw a Jewel type spinner, reel back slow enough to keep it off the bottom, and we're off to the races. My best this week was a 6 pound largemouth caught near 1C. I've boated an unusual amount of nice size Kentucky's this week. If you like night fishing, now is a good time to be on the lake |
| 10/12/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is 2 foot below normal fall pool. The water temperature ranges from the mid to low seventies and is dropping. The water visibility is clear. The lake has stabilized and the thermocline has temporarily disappeared . Some stripers are now schooling in the mid-lake area. You can find them along the bluff walls and flats in water ranging from 45 to 100 feet. The stripers will be holding in 38 to 42 feet with some deeper fish at 60’. The big schools are in the 40 to 50 foot range. Spoons and shad are working the best. In the mid lake area look for stripers on Robinson Point, and in Float Creek, Panther Bay, and Fall Creek areas. I fished the evenings and morning this past weekend and caught fish on all the trips. The best bite is in morning, I took Jerry out on Robinson Point and we started catching stripers at first light. There were massive schools of stripers passing under our boat. I tried to keep five rods baited but I could not keep up with the bites. Multiple times we 3 and 4 stripers on a hook at the same time. We caught at least 10 and missed that many more. Now is an excellent time to get on the water. Great fall colors with little to no boat traffic. |
| 10/07/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
As fall approaches, Lake Norfork water temperature will continue to lower. As the water cools the thermocline will continue to drop until the water equalizes and the lake will turnover. Turnover is the process where the bottom part of the lake rises and the top part lowers. It happens every year. You can tell by the smell on the water, you will see lots of scum, leaves, and the water will be off color. The fish will quit biting for about a week as they need to adjust to the change. With the disappearance of the thermocline the stripers are free to roam the entire water column. Oxygen is at all levels of the water column. The turnover does not happen all at once on the lake. The northern portion will be the first, then the mid-lake area near the bridges, and finally the lower or southern end. The upper end will be done by the end of Sept. while the lower end maybe mid October. It all depends on the weather. The colder it gets the sooner the turnover begins. Once the turnover is over the stripers are free to move anywhere on the lake and you will find them at all levels of the water column. Topwater action can happen anytime the day as they chase this year’s hatch of shad. If you’re on the water you will have the opportunity to catch stripers by finding the bait fish and the stripers will be close by. As the water cools the stripers will move from the main lake to mouths of creeks. Start looking in the Hand Cove, Georges Cove, and Diamond Bay areas as the stripers move away from the dam. Some stripers will be found in the dam area until winter but a lot of them will make the move. Mid-lake stripers will move to the Robinson Point area, they can be found on the flats and channels feeding on shad and stay there until winter. The Cranfield area, Red Bank, and Calamity areas will hold lots of fish. Calamity Beach is the first place I start to fish as the turnover begins. The water is shallow and the bait is usually found everywhere. Live gizzard & threadfin shad is and will always be the most productive method to catch stripers. Shiners and artificial lures are also very effective. The best places to buy shiners is 101 Grocery & Bait and Hand Cove Resort. They both carry shiners all fall, winter & spring. Shad will begin to school so look for bait fish balls and note the depth. A good depth finder will help you find the stripers. They will be moving around so stay close to the bait. Your fall striper tactics will begin to change until winter fishing begins. I continue to fish with down lines but start adding floats and planner boards. The stripers will start getting into the shallow depths. When I’m fishing the northern or river area of the lake I fish 8 lines, four down lines, two planner boards, and two floats. All the lines are set at different depths until I can determine where I stripers are feeding. Artificial lures is very effective. The key is matching the size and color of the bait fish. If the stripers are feeding on 1 & 2” shad make sure your lure match’s the size. You can throw or troll the wrong size and not get a hit if it's too big. Also make sure you match your spoon to the bait. |
| 09/29/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 549.4 and the water temperature is in the mid 70's. There are bass still coming up early hitting topwater baits. (Zara Spook jrs.) Some small stripers are starting to come up too. There are still a lot of fish suspended 40-50ft. I found a couple schools this morning in 105ft. suspended 40ft. They are starting to move up lake and in the major creeks but there are still some fish that will stay on the lower end of the lake near the dam. When the weather starts cooling off and the water temperature drops more the bite will get better than it is now. |
| 09/29/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is 2 foot below normal summer pool. The water temperature is in the mid-seventies and stable. The water visibility is clear. The lake started to have a massive change with the cold rain and weather but the weather stabilized and has maintained its water temperature and thermocline. The stripers took some time to adjust to the lake changes but now are back feeding all over the lake. We all thought they had moved from the dam area but they are being caught on a regular basis at Thumb Point and the dam area. In the mid lake area look for stripers on Robinson Point in the 45’ range, set your bait depth at 35’. If you’re trolling make sure your lures are above 45’ no matter the depth you’re trolling in. Live shad is still the most effective method to catch a striper, but stripers are being caught using ¾ and 1 ounce spoons and trolling Storm Wild Eye and Zoom Super Fluke swim baits, umbrella and Alabama rigs Each year I get asked to contribute to various charities that have yearly auctions. I offer a guided striper fishing trip on Norfork Lake. This year Ozark Independent Living asked me to offer a trip. This organization provides wheelchair ramps to homes in a six county area in Southern Missouri. Ken & Cathy won the trip. We started fishing on one spot and caught numerous small stripers. I decided to move over to Robinson Point and found bigger stripers. We caught 3 stripers and one catfish plus we missed a few others. It was a great time and fun for them and their organization. Look for stripers on Point 1, Dam Cove, Thumb Point, Robinson Point, and Float Creek. The method is down lines, 2 oz sinker, with 6’ leader counted down to depth of the stripers. |
| 09/14/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
With the cooler temperatures and the rain a few days ago the water temperature dropped into the upper 70's and the lake level is 550. The striper and hybrids are still BITING. Look for them suspended at 35-45ft. They can be close to the bottom early in 35ft. and will move deeper as the sun gets higher in the sky. The bite is only lasting a few hours so you have to make the best of it while you can. There are some nice whites hanging out at the same depths. You might even pick up a walleye. There are still some bass chasing bait fish to the surface early and it's better if there is no wind. Try dropshotting a small worm or throw a jig (peanut butter/jelly or green pumpkin). Drag it slow along the bottom or give it short hops. |
| 09/14/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake came up 5” with the heavy rain we had on Thursday, however it is 2’ below normal summer pool. The water temperature is in the mid-seventies and dropping with the cold weather and rain. The water visibility is clear. The stripers and hybrids continue to feed on crawdads and shad. Last week the striper club took an oxygen reading and found that from 0 to 45’ has the best oxygen for stripers. Stripers required 3 parts per million (ppm) to be active, anything above that lets them stay active and very healthy. The oxygen level from 0 to 45’ varies anywhere from 3.5 ppm to 5 ppm. This is why the stripers have been active and caught all summer long in the 45’ water column. If you’re trolling make sure your lures are above 45’ no matter the depth you’re trolling in. The striper bite starts before light and last until the moon sets. I am on the water by 5:15 AM to get setup to catch the early bite. At first light they move into water deeper but will be in the 40’ range of water. Live shad is still the most effective method to catch a striper, but stripers are being caught using ¾ and 1 ounce spoons and trolling Storm Wild Eye and Zoom Super Fluke swim baits, umbrella and Alabama rigs I caught stripers all week long and with many limits. This past weekend the weather turned cold after a rain storm and windy. The low temperature each morning was under 50 degrees. Even with the cold weather the stripers continue to bite. I took Gary and Eric out for a two day weekend fishing trip. The north wind was rough the first day and we only managed to boat one striper. We missed many but the weather made it difficult to detect the bite. Sunday we started early with no wind, the bite was fast but the catching was slower. We did boat 4 plus a catfish and missed many stripers during the trip. We look for stripers on Point 1, Dam Cove, Koso ( Front & Back), Thumb Point, & Dam Cove, Barron Creek across from Hand Cove, & the Backbone of Shoal Creek The method is down lines, 2 oz sinker, with 6’ leader counted down to depth of the stripers. |
| 09/08/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is dropping and the lake level is now below normal summer pool. The water temperature is in the mid-eighties but will be dropping with the cooler weather. The water visibility is clear. The stripers and hybrids are feeding on this year’s hatch of young gizzard shad. These shad are about 2 1/2“ to 3 1/2”. If you’re using spoons make sure to match the hatch with your spoon size. The striper bite starts at first light and has lasted up 2 hrs. I try and be on the water by 5:15 am to get setup to catch the early bite. At first light they move into water deeper but will be in the 40’ range of water. Live shad is still the most effective method to catch a striper, but stripers are being caught using spoons and trolling swim baits, umbrella and Alabama rigs. This past week was great for striper fishing. Lots of fish were caught with the biggest being 30 lbs. This monster was caught on 2 ½” gizzard shad. I took Betty Tater out along with her husband Harry. Harry has fished with me a lot and he wanted Betty to experience catching a striper. We started early and the bite started before light. We started by catching catfish, in fact we caught 3 cats and a small striper. We had over 20 bites but only managed a hybrid & striper. Again it's not all about catching your limit, this trip was a husband & wife enjoying a early morning together under the stars catching fish. We look for stripers on Point 1, Dam Cove, Koso ( Front & Back), Thumb Point, & Dam Cove, Barron Creek across from Hand Cove, & the Backbone of Shoal Creek The method is down lines, 2 oz sinker, with 6’ leader counted down to depth of the stripers. |
| 09/01/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is dropping and now below normal summer pool. The water temperature is in the mid-eighties. The water visibility is clear. The stripers and hybrids are feeding on this year’s hatch of young gizzard shad. These shad are about 2 1/2 “ to 3 1/2”. If you’re using spoons make sure to match the hatch with your spoon size. The striper bite will start early again with the full moon approaching. I will start fishing at 5 AM to catch the early bite. Look for stripers in 38’ to 45’ before light..As the morning grows the stripers are moving into water deeper of 45’ of water. Live shad is still the most effective method to catch a striper, but stripers are being caught using spoons and trolling swim baits, umbrella and Alabama rigs.
This past week was great for striper fishing. Lots of quality stripers were caught with multiple limits. I took Dr. Dan Swoyer’s family, Melinda, Chris, and Chris’s wife Jessica out for a family outing before Chris goes into the army. We only caught 4 stripers and hybrids, however we had lots of bites and that day the stripers won. Our trip was cut short due to a heavy rain storm. But the striper trip was not about fishing, it was all about having a family gathering that included fishing. I was proud to fish with a young man who wants to serve his country and sure wanted him to catch a big striper. That will happen the next time he’s on leave.
Look for stripers on Point 1, Dam Cove, Koso ( Front & Back), Thumb Point, & the Backbone The method is down lines, 2 oz sinker, with 6’ leader counted down to depth of the stripers. |
| 08/31/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 550.4 and the water temp is in the mid 80's. The bite continues to be good on the lake for stripers, hybrids, whites and bass along with a few walleye this week. Look for the fish suspended 35-40ft. and get your bait down whether it's live bait or artificial. We caught of fish on jigging spoons. Look for them off points and coves. Early in the morning there has been topwater fishing for bass and there have been some whites coming up too. We threw a white or clear Zara spook Jr. Most of the bass were on the short side but then you would get one pushing 3lbs. Most of the whites have been in the 2-3lb range. When the sun gets higher the fish go a little deeper. |
| 08/17/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The bite has been hot this month. The stripers are hitting live bait, trolling umbrella rigs and jigging spoons. Look for them suspended down 40ft. They can also be on the bottom in 40ft. Hybrids and some whites are running at the same depth as the stripers. There are a few small stripers and hybrids chasing baitfish early in the morning too and will hit a topwater bait. My choice of a topwater is Zara spook. There is also a good topwater bite for bass from around 6 am. until about 9 am. I had some clients out this week and we quit around 9:45 and when we got back they asked if I would care if they went out in their boat back to where we were catching fish. I told them that is one of the reasons that people hire a guide to know where to look for the fish and what is going on that time of the year and what to use for lures. They called me the next day and said that the topwater fish were still coming up when they got back there and it lasted until 1:00. They also sent me a picture of one of the stripers they caught in the same area and it was in the upper teens. His biggest to date. The biggest that they caught when we were up in that spot was around 10lbs. The right spot at the right time. There are fish coming up in the evening just before the sun goes down too. The water temp is in the mid 80's and the lake level is 552. |
| 08/11/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is dropping but still in the normal pool range for the summer. The water temperature is in the low-eighties. The water visibility is stained. The stripers & hybrids are still feeding on crawdads & shad. The striper bite continues to be very early before 5 am. The stripers are in 35 to 40’ on the flats near the dam and mouths of creeks. Stripers are starting to school near the dam, with the continual cool weather the bite should last thru September. After first light the stripers are moving deeper. Look for them in 50 to 100’ of water at the 40’ level. Live shad is still the most effective method to catch a striper, but stripers are being caught trolling using swim baits, umbrella and Alabama rigs. If you find a school of stripers drop a spoon, they will hit it if correctly presented to them. August is the month for lots of stripers. If you want to catch a striper this is the month you should get on the water. I have started fishing at 4:45 am each morning. We have many bites before light but the catching is more difficult. The bite most often is a small hit and just a pull down. I have been fishing various spots close to the dam. Look at Point 1, Barron, Dam Cove, Koso, Thumb Point, & the Backbone. I took Sara & Wil out with their parents Bill & Tonya. We had over 20 hits and boated 6 nice fish. It was lots of fun and fast action. The kids caught their first limit of hybrids & stripers. The method is down lines, 2 oz sinker, with 8’ leader counted down to depth of the stripers. |
| 08/11/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 552.8 and the water temperature has dropped a couple degrees into the low 80's. Look for the stripers and hybrids down at least 35ft. and there are some deeper. Whatever bait you choose (live or artificial) to use get your bait down to them or just a foot above the fish. There has been a few stripers coming up chasing bait but they are smaller stripers. They are still a lot of fun on topwater. Bass are coming up early and just before dark chasing baitfish also. They have been hitting a white or clear Zara spook jr. Throw a worm or jig to the bank and work it slow back out to the boat or try dropping a jigging spoon if you see them on your depthfinder under the boat. Look for crappie in the deeper brush piles. |
| 07/27/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 554.2 and the water temp is in the mid 80's. The bass are coming up early and just before dark hitting topwater baits. There are a lot of short fish but some good fish are mixed in with them. Throw a white or clear Zara Spook Jr. After that you will need to fish with a worm, jig, drop-shot rig, or drop a jigging spoon. Most of this activity is in the creeks on points and channel swings. Start looking for stripers down around 40ft. and you need to get you bait or lure down to where you see them. Look in the Big Creek area, Diamond Bay, and down around the dam areas. There have been some whites hitting jigging spoons in the creeks and in some coves around 34ft. |
| 07/27/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is dropping but still in the normal pool for the summer. The water temperature is in the high-eighties. The water visibility is stained. The stripers & hybrids continue feeding on crawdads in 35 to 40’ in the mouth of creeks near the old river channel. Live bait is still the most effective method to catch a striper, but stripers are now being caught trolling using swim baits, umbrella and Alabama rigs & spoons. The previous week the polar express came in and the weather pattern changed. The stripers moved off the flats and retreated back into the deep water in the mouths of creeks. Shad is schooling in the main lake and the creeks. Find the shad and you will find the stripers. Everybody assumes that the use of live bait will always produce stripers, not true. When they go into a negative mood they will not bite. I had clients for four days and two of those days we did not catch a fish, the other two we caught one & two. With the changing weather patterns I had loss the catch able fish. We found lots of stripers but they just would not bite. Using a guide is your best choice to catch a striper but there is no way you can control the weather and changing patterns. I found feeding fish in the mouth of a major creek by Georges Cove, lots of shad and the stripers were feeding on them. The method was down lines, 2 oz sinker, with 6’ leader counted down to depth of the stripers. I took my brother and his grandson Devin on his first striper trip, the fish were biting early. Devin caught his first striper before light and finished up with 4 ranging from 8 1o 15 lbs. We had a great time seeing a young man catch a big fish. The walleye have slowed their bite, They are in their summer pattern and can be caught by trolling crank baits, nightcrawlers on worm harnesses, and spoons. The warmer water has moved the walleye deeper into 40’ of water on the flats, brush piles, and rounded points. Look at Diamond Bay, the Panther Bay area, Hand Cove, and Hudson point. |
| 07/07/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is at normal pool for the summer. The water temperature is in the low-eighties. The water visibility is stained. The stripers & hybrids are feeding on crawdads in 35 to 40’ of water on the flats near the old river channel. The bite begins before dawn and continues until 8 AM. Once the sun is bright, move off into the channel. Stay in 80 to 120 feet of water, the stripers are starting to school and the schools are roaming along the old river channel next to the flats. Live bait is the most effective method to catch a striper, but stripers are now being caught trolling using umbrella and Alabama rigs. Also spoons have produced a few nice fish. I caught stripers near the dam, the Brushy Creek area, and in Big Creek. The method was down lines, 2 oz sinker, with 6’ leader counted down to depth of the stripers. I took Sara & Chris out and they caught their limit of stripers. Now is the time to get out on the lake. The stripers are on the feed and the action will continue. The walleye have moved to their summer pattern and can be caught by trolling crank baits, nightcrawlers on worm harnesses, and spoons. The walleye are staying between 25 and 30’ of water on the flats, brush piles, and rounded points. Look at East Pigeon Creek, the Panther Bay area, Hand Cove, and the flats leading into Float Creek. |
| 07/05/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is at normal pool for the summer. The water temperature is in the high-seventies. The water visibility is stained. Again this past week we have seen rain each day with lots of cloud cover. The stripers & hybrids continue to be found suspended in the river channels, off the main lake and secondary points. They are feeding on 1” baby shad and crawdads in 35 to 50 feet of water. Live bait is the most effective method to catch a striper, but stripers are now being caught trolling using umbrella and Alabama rigs. Also spoons have produced a few stripers. I caught stripers near the dam, the Brushy Creek area, and the Robinson Point flat. The method was free lines 50 to70’ between the boat and down lines, 2 oz sinker, with 6’ leader counted down to depth of the stripers. I took Lisa & her father-in-law Earl out and they caught their biggest stripers. Lisa’s was 15 lbs and Earl’s 18 lbs. The fish were caught on live gizzard shad set at 40’. Now is the time to get out on the lake. The stripers are moving out of the creeks and setting up for their summer feed fest. The walleye have moved to their summer pattern and can be caught trolling crank baits, nightcrawlers on worm harnesses, and spoons. The walleye are staying between 25 and 30’ of water on the flats and rounded points. Look at East Pigeon, Panther area, Hand Cove, and the flats leading into Float Creek. |
| 07/01/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
As summer approaches Lake Norfork water temperature will continue to rise and reach its peak in late August. Stripers will continue to move towards the dam to find cool waters and oxygen. Stripers require 5 ppm of oxygen to stay healthy and active; as the water temperature rises the stripers will continue to seek deeper water. As the water warms the striper will move from the mouths of creeks towards the dam. The first area for the mid-lake stripers is the Robinson Point area, the stripers will move to the flats and channels feeding on shad and crawdads. The Big Creek & Brushy Creek fish will move to the Hand Cove, Thumb Point, Shoal Creek, Point 1 and Koso areas. This fish will stay in those areas until the lake turns over. Stripers will be found in the 40’ water column early in the summer and will progress move deeper. Last August we were catching stripers at 85’, they stayed in that range until fall. This is the easiest time to catch stripers, the three best methods is live shad, trolling, and spooning. Live gizzard & threadfin shad is and will always be the most productive method to catch stripers. Yes there is a lot of work to catch and maintain live shad but the results are very rewarding. A good depth finder is the most important item you must have on your boat; it’s not worth fishing an area unless you can mark stripers. You should begin to look in the 40’ range and keep moving out until you mark fish, then set your lines from the weight down. I always use a 6’ leader, I never count the leader when I’m counting line down to the fish, shad swims in circles so it’s not important to count the leader. Trolling is very effective until late summer, the stripers are high in the water column and can be caught using down riggers and long lining with lead core. Umbrella rigs, crank baits, Alabama rigs, and ¾ oz jigs produce the most stripers during this timeframe. When I trolled I would double stack, (2 rods on each downrigger), my downriggers varying the types of baits and depths until I zeroed in on the depth and lure the stripers wanted that day. Late summer the stripers will move close to the bottom and feed on crawdads, trolling becomes ineffective due to the location of the stripers, You cannot get the lure to where the fish are holding, this is when spooning becomes the preferred method. Spooning is effective year around but the best time of the year to catch stripers using a spoon is when the fish are schooling. You may see thousands of fish feeding on shad anytime during the summer. Just drop your spoon and hold on. As the stripers move deeper and begin to hug the bottom they become easier to catch with spoons. Marking and trying to catch one striper is very difficult, again a good depth finder is your best friend this time of year. From July on you will find stripers on the points near the dam or roaming the channels, its take move patience to fish with a spoon than any other type of fishing. Once you find them drop your spoon to their level and jerk up and slowly lower the spoon, most hits will be on the drop. Summer striper fishing is the most productive time year, you can catch you limits very quickly, remember, this time of year it's very hard to release a fish, they are always deep and will die if you release them. So catch your limit and go home, continue catching and releasing stripers will only kill them. |
| 06/24/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 556.5 and the water temp is warming up just like the weather. The temp is in the low 80's. The stripers are staring to group up suspended 35-40ft. and will start going deeper as the water continues to warm up. They were hitting on live bait and jigging spoons. The bass are starting to get more active early in the mornings chasing bait to the surface. Throw a Zara puppy or a spook and a soft jerkbait was working as well. After the sun get up higher the surface activity slows then you can throw a worm, jig or a drop-shot rig with a small worm or plastic minnow type bait will work. |
| 06/17/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the mid 70's and the lake level is 556.9 msl. There was a little topwater for stripers and hybrids this week when we had cloudy skies. If it was sunny they didn't come up casing baitfish. They were hitting Zara spooks, soft jerkbaits and a few on a swimbait. They were hitting live bait real good this week. Look for them suspended 35-40ft. and get your bait down to them. Bass were hitting spooks and soft jerkbaits as well. Throw a Texas rigged worm, drop-shot with a small worm or a jig in 5-25 ft. Look for crappie in the deep brush piles. Haven't heard anything on what the walleye are doing. |
| 06/17/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is at normal pool for the summer. The water temperature is in the high-seventies. The water visibility is stained. Again this past week we have seen rain each day with lots of cloud cover. The stripers & hybrids continue to be found suspended in the river channels, off the main lake and secondary points. They are feeding on 1” baby shad and crawdads in 35 to 50 feet of water. Live bait is the most effective methods to catch a striper right now. I caught stripers in the Big Creek area and Robinson Point flat. The method was free lines 50 to70’ between the boat and down lines, 2 oz sinker, with 6’ leader counted down to depth of the stripers. The early morning stripers were caught on free lines. As the sun comes up the stripers move deeper. We caught stripers up to 8 am using down lines between 35 to 50 feet. I took a friend Kris out to celebrate Father’s Day. We caught our limit in a little over 2 hours, Kris caught (1) 20 lb & (2) 15 lb stripers. My fish were all smaller but respectably. Now is the time to get out on the lake. The stripers are moving out of the creeks and setting up for their summer feed fest. |
| 03/01/2014 through 06/15/2014 |
Be sure to register for the Norfork Lake 2014 Fishing Derby.
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| 06/10/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 556.6 and the water temp is in the mid 70's. Stripers are hitting live bait and as for artificial bait try throwing a swim bait. There are a few coming up early and will hit a topwater bait. Throw a Zara spook or a red-fin if there isn't much wind or a soft jerkbait will get you bit too. Look for them suspended 30-40ft later in the morning after the sun get up above the trees. Bass are also hitting soft jerkbaits and a few on topwater when you can find them coming up chasing baitfish. Later in the morning throw a jig, Texas rigged worm or a drop-shot with a 4" worm. Some whites where hitting a swim bait down around 10ft. |
| 06/10/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is at normal pool for the summer. The water temperature is in the mid-seventies. The water visibility is stained. Again this week we have seen rain each day with lots of cloud cover. The stripers & hybrids continue to be found off the main lake and secondary points. They are feeding on shad and crawdads in 35 to 50 feet of water. Live bait and trolling are the most effective methods to catch a striper right now. I caught stripers in the Big Creek area and Crystal Cove area. All my fish were caught down lining shad, 2 oz sinker, with 6’ leader counted down to depth of the stripers. Most of my fish were caught at 40’ this past week. I took Ken & Ron out for their first striper trip on Norfork Lake. We caught 3 hybrids, 7 to 9 lbs, and lost 3 more. For a first time trip they sure had a great time. Now is the time to get out on the lake. The stripers will be beginning to school and a lot easier to catch. |
| 05/19/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 556.4 and the water temperature is in the mid 60's. The water temp will be on the rise again with the warmer weather forecast for the coming week. The water temp dropped 8 degrees this week due to the cold front. The stripers are hitting live bait and swim baits and if you mark some suspended drop a jigging spoon. At night throw a Rouge up to the bank and reel it back slow. You want it to slowly wobble side to side. There are a few coming up early chasing baitfish. Throw a top water like a Zara spook, soft jerk bait or a Red Fin. Bass will come up and hit these baits also. Bass are hitting worms and jigs and a Carolina-rig. Use a lizard with a 24-36" leader. |
| 05/19/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake has risen 2 feet over the last 10 days. The lake still in the normal range. The water temperature is in the mid-sixties. The water visibility is stained. The rain, cold & wind the pass week changed the conditions of the lake and slowed the striper bite. There was lots of top water at Cranfield & Diamond Bay but the strong north winds moved out the stripers. This week should see an increase in the striper activity with the switch to south winds and warm weather. The stripers are still off the main lake and secondary points all over the lake. I caught stripers on a flat in the Big Creek area. They were hitting small shad. I was long lining about 40’ behind my boat using just a small split shot and small gizzard shad. I fished with Craig Roberts and his family, everybody caught stripers but Craig was the only one to catch his limit of stripers, he also lost the biggest fish of his life. Stripers are being caught off the main lake points and bays in Big Creek & Brushy Creek, Crystal Cove, Point One, and Cranfield area. Remember if it’s sunny the stripers are moving off the shore and very hard to catch. The best bite is when the weather is overcast with a slight wind. The crappies are done spawning and are suspended over brush piles in 15 to 30’ of water. They are on minnow’s, small spoons, & jigs on the brush piles. |
| 05/06/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 554.3 and the water temp is in the upper 60's in the creeks and in the mid 60's in the main lake. The main lake visibility is clear. There hasn't been much top water activity yet. Just a few fish coming up sporadically. The night bite has been picking up the last couple weeks throwing stick baits and reeling them real slow back to the boat. The stripers are hitting live bait and some were hitting swim baits early in the morning before the sun was hitting the water surface. There are some bass still on beds and there are some hitting swim baits, jigs, and on Texas rigged worms. Some walleye are hitting stick baits at night but it's been hit or miss the last few nights. |
| 05/06/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is at normal pool. The water temperature is in the high-sixties. The water visibility is stained. The shad have moved back into the creeks and are having another spawn. The warm weather and wind created the perfect conditions for the shad to have spawn. The stripers are now staging half way up the creeks and some have moved to the main lake points. The night bite continues to be very strong all around the lake. I caught stripers off the main lake points and bays in Big Creek, Crystal Cove, and Cranfield area. Remember if it's sunny the stripers are moving off the shore and very hard to catch. The best bite is when the weather is overcast with a slight wind.
The crappies are in their late spawning cycle and are biting on minnow’s, small spoons, & jigs on brush piles, stickups, and bluff walls in 2 to 8 feet of water in the mornings |
| 04/14/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 553.8 and the water temp is in the upper 50's to the low 60's. The water is warmer back in the creeks in the stained water. The main lake is clear. There is a little top water action in the morning for bass and a few whites are coming up. We throwing a white Zara Spook. They were also hitting a 4" swim bait. Haven't seen any top water action on the hybrids and stripers yet. Throw a Rouge at night for hybrids and stripers. Throw it to the bank and remember you have to reel it real SLOW. Don't be surprised if you pick up walleye also. The length limit on walleye is 18" and the limit is 4 and the length limit on stripers is 20" and the limit is 3. Hybrids are counted as a striper. |
| 04/14/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is at normal pool. The water temperature is in the high-fifties and rising. The water visibility is stained. The night bite is good. The lake is warming up fast and the stripers are moving into the banks. The big fish have moved up the creek and are starting to feed. Shad have started moving to the banks and the stripers are following. The lake should be in the 60 degree range by week's end. I fished Bennett’s Bayou and found that the best bite was mid-day with clouds or overcast skies. Sunny days the bite is off with very little activity. I fished with Larry & Linda Leonard and we caught our fish from 10 am to 12pm, Linda caught the big striper at 12pm, it was 22 lbs. The stripers were caught on 5 to 7 inch gizzard shad. The night bite is strong, the best times is from 8 pm to 10 pm, fish the banks that had wind on them during the day, rouges are working the best. The crappies are biting on minnow’s small spoons, jigs, and minnows on brush piles in 20 feet of water in the mornings. Later as the day warms up the crappie are moving shallow. The crappy are getting ready to spawn and limits are being caught in all the major creek arms. The walleyes will be spawning now the water is warming. The rains this week will see a big push up the river to spawn. The best spots are at the state line, Liner Creek, Udall Marina, and from Bridges Creek to the 160 bridge. |
| 04/06/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 553.8 and the water temp is in the low 50's in the main lake and in the mid to upper 50's back in the creeks. Main lake is clear and the creeks are stained. The better fishing has been in the warmer water. When the weather stabilizes and the weather warms a little more the bite will be on. Stripers are hitting live bait and swim baits. I have had better bite at night throwing Rouges right at dark on the main lake flats and on some points. Hybrids, stripers and an occasional walleye or two. Just reel your lure SLOW. Bass are hitting jigs, jerk baits and swim baits and will be heading to the bank to do their thing soon. I haven't seen much top water action yet. |
| 04/01/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is at normal pool. The water temperature is in the high-forties and rising. The water visibility is stained. The night bite is good. The lake is warming up fast and the stripers are moving into the banks. The big fish have moved up the creek and are starting to feed. Shad have started moving to the banks and the stripers are following. The lake will be in the mid-fifties by the beginning of the next week. I had five outings without a striper bite but this week we are catching limits and having lots of action. I fished Bennett’s Bayou with the King family and helped 9 year Wyatt King caught the big fish of the trip. It was a 21 pounder that gave him the fight of his life and made lots of memories The stripers were caught on 7 inch gizzard shad. Stripers are looking for big baits right now so if you are throwing rouges make sure you use 5 inch or bigger. Look for the warmest stained water, the stripers are on the bank early in the morning then they move off the shore. The crappies are biting on minnows small spoons & jigs and minnows on brush piles in 10 feet of water in the mornings. Later as the day warms up the crappie are moving shallow. The walleyes will be spawning now the water is warming. The rains this week will see a big push up the river to spawn. The best spots are at the state line, Liner Creek, Udall Marina, and from Bridges Creek to the 160 bridge. |
| 03/25/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is at normal pool. The water temperature is in the mid-forties and rising. The water visibility is stained. The night bite has slowed this past week, the moon phase and cold weather have the stripers in a holding pattern. They are feeding but in short periods. The stripers become very active when the moon rises and the past week the moon is slowing becoming less visibly each day and rising later in the night, therefore the bite is increasing happening very late in the evening and night.
The stripers have moved up the creek and are staging, waiting on warm water, the magic number for stripers is 60 degrees. The 60 degree mark tells the stripers to begin their spawn, and until we can get consistent warm nights the water temperature will rise but very slowly. I fished Bennett’s Bayou this past week and caught striper’s three out of four trips. The big striper was caught by Ron Jones. Ron caught his first striper and it weighted 22 lbs, not bad for your first striper. The stripers were caught on 7 inch gizzard shad. The stripers are looking for big baits right now. If you are throwing rouges make sure you use 5 inch or bigger. Look for the warmest stained water, the stripers are on the bank early in the morning then they move off the shore.
The crappies are biting on minnows small spoons & jigs on brush piles in 30’ of water, later as the day warms up the crappie are moving shallow.
The walleyes have slowed with the cold water; the water temperature has dropped back to the high forties. Once the river begins to warm back up the walleye will begin their spawn. The best spots are at the state line, Liner Creek, Udall Marina, and from Bridges Creek to the 160 bridge. |
| 03/11/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is down 1 foot. The water temperature is in the mid-forties and rising. The water visibility is stained. This week the lake will change from winter to spring. The warm up will bring the lake temperature up into the high forties to low fifties by week's end. With the full moon this weekend you will see the beginning of a night bite for stripers & walleye. The warm-up will get the stripers to begin to move and start feeding. Find the bait fish and seagulls and you will find the stripers. Right now the bait fish are stacked in Panther Bay from Pt. 4 to Panther creek. It will be an early morning bite using shiners. Rogues will be the best bait in the evening. I found stripers near the Blue Lady dock and in front of Lake Norfork Marina in Henderson. The crappies are biting on minnows small spoons & jigs on brush piles in 30’ of water. The walleyes are starting to bite, the water temperature is in the low fifties above the old Udall Marina. I fished Sunday and caught one short walleye, but saw several keepers being caught. With the warm-up this week the spawn will begin and we should see a strong bite for the next several weeks. The best spots are at the state line, Liner Creek, Udall Marina, and from Bridges creek to the 160 bridge. |
| 03/11/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
It seems Old Man Winter just doesn't want to leave. We are going to start warming some if you believe the weatherman. The water temp is in the mid 40's and the lake level is 551.6. There are baitfish dying all over the lake. This hasn't happened for a few years because the last few winters have been mild. Spring fishing will be better because of all the dying baitfish. The jerk bait bite will be good. There are some bass hitting them along with crank baits thrown along the shore in 5-10 ft. of water. For the deeper fish I drop a jigging spoon and you can throw a jig and fish it slow. Hopefully the wind will start coming out of the south and with the longer days the water will start warming and the fish will start migrating up in the river and the major creeks. The night bite will get going also throwing rouges and retrieve them real slow. |
| 02/09/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Early Spring Striper Fishing Tactics. Winter in the Ozarks this year is the worst I have seen in 17 years of living here but it will be over soon so it is time to start thinking of early spring striper movements. The current water temperature is the lowest since 2000. That year we had a large shad kill and I expect the same this year. Striper fishing in 2000 was outstanding, the fish were hungry, and with reduced shad population, the bite was on. Starting in late February we typically will see the winds switch to the south and a gradual warm up of air and water temperatures. The stripers will begin to move from the deep water following the shad. There will multiple opportunities to catch stripers at that time. Both live bait and artificial baits will be very effective. The night bite will begin once the winds blow from the south. You will want to fish the northern and northeastern banks of the bays and main lake and main arm points. Some excellent spots are the points near the near the Norfork Dam, Koso Bay and Point, the Hudson area, Frog Pond, Diamond Bay, Cranfield Island, and the points north of the Cranfield area heading towards Red Bank access. The best time to night fish is a half hour before dark until about 10 pm. The best bait historically are 5” or 6” Rouges. The color of the Rouge varies with black/gold, clown, & blue/black combinations seeming to work the best, but experiment with the colors until you find the one that works best that night. Bone color has been hot the last few years. Make long casts parallel to the bank and reel very, very slowly. A lot of the bites will be right next to the boat so always have a big net ready. Stripers, Hybrids, & Walleye are all active during this time. Watch the water temperature. As it moves up towards 60 degrees, the bite will get stronger. During this time of year live bait, shad & shiners, are also very effective. The stripers will be roaming the shoreline looking for food. I use shad but everything I do can be done using shiners. Most days I will run a large spread of lines. I begin with 2 inside planner boards, one near the shore and other out 20 to 30 yards. These board lines will have large gizzard shad in the 4 to 8 inch range. Out of the back of the boat I will have two lines with floats, shad on the hooks, with no weight at varies depths from 10 to 30 feet from the floats. These lines will be set back from the boat between 30 to 60 yards. I then set out two free lines with a split shot weight on one line and nothing on the other. Both will have large shad on them and will be set 40 to 60 feet from the back of the boat. The last outside line will have one planner board with a large shad out 40 yards from the back of the boat. As the water warms the stripers will continue to move into the larger creeks to spawn. The magic water temperature number is 60 degrees. Your tactic to catch stripers should be to keep moving with the fish and continue to experiment with your techniques |
| 02/09/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temperature is still in the low 40's and the lake level is 552.4. Hopefully this cold weather will be over in the next few weeks. Then the water will start to warm up and the fish will start to move up from the deep water. The whites should start to head towards the back of the creeks and up the river along with old marble eyes (walleye). The stripers and hybrids are still down 40-60ft. You have to be patient this time of year and work your baits slow. There are a few bass hitting wiggle warts along the bank. For the ones down 20-50 ft. drop a jigging spoon use a 3/4 - 1 oz. jig and drag it real slow. Look for crappie in brush piles around 25-30 ft. |
| 01/28/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is normal pool. The water temperature is in the low forties. The water visibility is stained. Patience is very important this time of year. The stripers have moved from the creeks and are in the main river channels. The bite is very slow; the varying weather patterns have turned off the stripers right now. The best lure is a spoon. The stripers are holding in the river channel at 55 to 65’. The most active spot this week has been in the river channel under the 62 bridge. If you cannot find stripers in the main channel by the bridge look for them in the channel near the Blue Lady dock, 101 Area, Bidwell Point, and in front of Lake Norfork Marina in Henderson. The crappies are biting on minnows small spoons & jigs on brush piles in 30’ of water. The cold water has moved the walleyes back to the deep holes. Until the water begins to warm the walleyes will stay in deep holes waiting on warming water. The best bite in the river is at night using stick baits. |
| 01/28/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 553.5 and the water temp is in the mid 40's. There are some bass up on the banks and will hit crank baits. It's better if there is some wind blowing onto the bank. Try throwing a suspended jerkbait too. For the deeper bass throw a jig and if you mark suspended fish drop a jigging spoon. Look for stripers, hybrids and whites down at least 40ft. and get you bait down to them or just above them. Look in the major creeks and if you see gulls fish close to them. |
| 01/13/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake has risen 1 ft over normal pool. The water temperature is in the low forties. The water visibility is stained. Last weeks rains raised the lake 1 foot. With that, the shad bait moved up the creeks. The best spots to find bait and stripers are Panther & Float Creeks. When you mark the shad put your live bait above the shad and just move very slowly following the shad. You may not mark many fish but the stripers will follow the bait sometime during the day. Patience is very important this time of year. One friend fished point 4 but did not mark any stripers so he moved to a different spot. Another friend stayed and limited out. The stripers had moved in and started biting. Look for stripers in Float Creek, Panther Bay, the Blue Lady dock area near Howard Cove, Bidwell Point, and in front of Lake Norfork Marina in Henderson. Expect to find stripers, hybrids, and whites in 40 to 100 feet of water. The best bait will be shiners and spoons. Look for schools of shad and you will find stripers. The crappie are biting on minnows small spoons & jigs on brush piles in 30’ of water. The cold water has moved the walleyes back to the deep holes. Once the water begins to warm they will begin to make their move up the river to begin the spawning run. The best bite in the river is at night using stick baits. |
| 01/13/2014 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 554.3 and the water temp is in the mid 40's. There are some bass up on the banks and will hit crank baits. It's better if there is some wind blowing onto the bank. Try throwing a suspended jerk baits too. For the deeper bass throw a jig and if you mark suspended fish drop a jigging spoon. Look for stripers, hybrids and whites down at least 40ft. and get your bait down to them or just above them. Look in the major creeks and if you see gulls fish close to them. |
| 01/06/2014 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake is ½ foot above normal pool The water temperature is in the high forties. The water visibility is stained. I fished the past week in Float Creek, Panther Bay, and the Henderson area for stripers. I found stripers in 80 feet of water at caught them at 35 and 60 feet. The best bait was shiners. Nate caught his first Norfork striper on Sunday. We were on lots of stripers. Most of the fish we caught on Sunday were holding at 60 feet, just above the shad. Look for schools of shad and you will find stripers. The stripers are in a full winter pattern. Look for stripers in Float Creek, Panther Bay, the Blue Lady dock area near Howard Cove, Bidwell Point, and in front of Lake Norfork Marina in Henderson. Expect to find stripers, hybrids, and whites in 40 to 100 feet of water. The best bait will be shiners and spoons. The hot spot for crappie is Red Bank. the crappies are biting on minnows, small spoons, and jigs, on brush piles in 30’ of water. The walleyes are being caught under the 160 bridge using shad. The bite will continue as the walleye begin their pre-spawn move into the head waters of the North Fork River. If you cannot use shad, try Rouges after dark. |
| 12/23/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The State of Norfork Lake Year-End Report - Norfork Lake ends 2013 in excellent shape. This year saw short periods higher water levels twice but did little damage to the fish population or habitat, There was no low dissolved oxygen fish die off this year and with the moderately higher waters in the spring the large game fish had a good opportunity to spawn. The 2008 class fish are now producing good size bass, crappie, bluegill, & walleye. Water levels on Norfork are forever changed with the implementation of Minimum Flow. We will see higher water levels more often now. Arkansas Game and Fish upgraded some of the boat rams, parking lots, and beaches around the lake to partially accommodate the higher waters. Higher spring water will allow for better spawns each year. The striper population is healthy. This year we saw more smaller fish caught then any of the previous years I have fished Norfork Lake, the fish & game stocking program is working. I caught stripers from 6” to 20” this year; each one of those stripers represented a year class of stocking. Fish & Game in 2013 stocked well over 200,000 stripers and almost 100,000 hybrids. The “survive to catch-able size” rate of these fish is thought to be about 25%. The sheer numbers of fish stocked does provide that a significant number of stripers and hybrids will survive. We did lose a number of bigger stripers in the 2008 high water event but the consistent stocking program has produced an equal amount of small stripers that are growing at a rapid pace to replace the loss fish. This will ensure a great striper population for years to come. The bass spawns in 2008 and 2010 and 2011 produced great year classes. In previous years, bass tournaments were won with 10 lbs bags or less. Now if you have less than 15 lbs you will not even place. The Bass Cat tournament produced over 3000 pounds of fish in 2 days that averages out to be over 2 ½ lb bass being caught. Lots of 4 to 6 pound bass are caught in the spring and fall periods. Crappie is another game fish that produced great spawns. Sure, there are lots of 8 to 9 ½” crappies being caught but there are equal number of 12 to 15” crappies being boated also. I have seen lots of crappies being caught as I catch bait in the creeks. Arkansas Game and Fish consistently upgrades the brush piles in Norfork Lake that produces lots of crappies. Walleye spawns each year early and is the most under fished species on Norfork Lake. Both Missouri and Arkansas have excellent stocking programs. The best time for walleye bite on Norfork Lake is the winter and early spring when the fish move up the river channel to feed and spawn. Night fishing is one of the best ways to consistently catch a limit of walleye. Overall 2013 saw a significant change to the lake infrastructure and water levels but overall Norfork is healthy and ready for great fishing and boating opportunities in 2014. |
| 12/23/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the upper 40's to the low.50's and the lake level is 554.7. Look for stripers in the river and in the deeper creek channels down 35ft. and deeper. Check the flats close to deep water also. There are some bass roaming the banks. If it's windy throw a crank bait along the bank. For the deep fish throw a heavy jig, drop shot, jigging spoon and try a grub on a 1/4oz jig head. Look for crappie in brush piles down 25-30ft. |
| 12/09/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week I fished north of Cranfield Island and found the sea gulls working on schools of shad. My clients Chris & Marvin got very excited as we started to see schools of fish on the depth finder. Several boats were spooning up stripers, hybrids & white bass so we setup with shad, shiners, and creek chubs. While we waited on the live bait we started spooning. We caught several whites when a big school went under the boat and the live bait rods went down. In the chaos we caught a nice hybrid & striper but lost several more since we could not get to the rods quick enough. The action continued for a couple hours as we just kept following the gulls while they feed on the shad. Right now the best bite is mid-day after the sun warms up the water. Look for stripers in the Blue Lady dock, near Howard Cove, on the flat above 101 bridge near Cow Point and north of Cranfield Island. The stripers are in depths from 40 to 100 feet of water. |
| 12/09/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 552.3 and with the cold weather this week the lake temp dropped into the upper 40's. The cooler weather has pushed the stripers deeper. Look for them suspended at least down 30ft. on flats and close to the creek channels. Get your bait down to the fish, live or artificial. Drop a 3/4oz. or a 1oz. jigging spoon. There are some bass roaming the banks and will hit a crank bait. Throw a suspending jerk bait also. For bass in deeper water try a jigging spoon, drop shot or a grub on a 1/4oz jig head. Look for crappie in the deeper brush piles. When the water is cold remember to fish slow. |
| 12/02/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The lake is 1 ½ feet below pool, with the cold weather and winds the water temp has dropped in the mid-fifties, the water visibility is good. The cold weather will push the bait out from the creeks to the deep creek and main lake channels. The winter fishing pattern will be sooner this year if the weather continues as predicted. The stripers are biting in the river, on the flats, and in the channels. Fish are biting on shad, shiners, topwater, & spoons. I fished the river near the state line and caught 3, the fish were in 25 to 40' of water in the main river channel. Stripers are also being caught on the south side of Cranfield Island, off Blue Lady, and off the channel above 101 bridge.5. Look for them in waters from 40 to 100' of water. With the cold weather the stripers will be moving into their winter pattern early this year, that pattern will consist of fishing the river channel with shiners, shad, and spoons. Crappie are biting on minnows & small jigs on brush piles in 30’ of water in the creeks and off the points. Walleye will be staging for their spawn, with the cold weather the water temp will drop faster than normal and the walleye will begin their movement to the shallow pea gravel banks. Rouges after dark will be the best bait. |
| 11/18/2013 |
By Larry Olson
Now that the water temperature is hovering around the 60 degree mark, the bite has really picked up. I targeted bass the weekend and found the night bite was really on. I fished from 1C in Big Creek to Sally Hand Cove near the dam and boated well over 30 fish. It was a mixed bag of large and smallmouth but mostly Kentuckies, all nice fish. Cleaned 2 and threw the rest back for another day. The best bite was on the points and rock walls using a spinner that mimicked crawdad colors with a hint of orange in the skirt. Make sure to use a large blade. |
| 11/17/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are biting in the river, on the flats, and in the channels. Fish are biting on shad, shiners, topwater, & spoons. I fished the river near the state line and caught 3, the fish were in 25 to 40' of water in the main river channel. Stripers are also being caught on the south side of Cranfield Island, off Blue Lady, & in the channel in front of Pt. 5. Look for them in waters from 40 to 100' of water. With the cold weather the stripers will be moving into their winter pattern early this year, that pattern will consist of fishing the river channel near Henderson all the way to Blue Lady. |
| 11/17/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 552.6 and the water temp is in the low to mid 50's. The water is coolest up in the river. The stripers are suspended in the 20-40ft.depth and will hit live bait and jigging spoons. Early and just before dark there are some coming up feeding on baitfish. After dark throw stickbaits to the bank and retrieve them slow. Throw a topwater bait to them. Try a swimbait too and reel it in slow. Bass watch for them feeding on the surface early and just before dark and they will hit just about any topwater bait. When they are not up feeding throw a jig to the bank and work it back to the boat in short hops or drag it slow. Try throwing a grub also. |
| 11/03/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The river striper bite has started. We fished near the state line and found lots of bait & stripers. We hooked 8 but only boated 2, 14 & 18 lbs. We fished with 6 & 8 inch gizzard shad, water depth was 30 to 40 feet, we had our lines set at 16 & 20 feet, we hooked fish on down lines & floats |
| 11/03/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 552.5 and the water temperature is in the mid 60's.There are some stripers coming up early and just before dark. They are on running on the small side. The bigger fish should start showing up with the water cooling down. Some hybrids and whites are coming up with them also. Throw just about any top water bait or cast a spoon to them and jig it back. Try a swim bait as well. Look for some suspended around 30ft. and drop a spoon or your live bait to them. The night bite should get going soon. Bass are doing the same as the stripers. After the top water is over throw a jig to the bank and drag or hop it back to the boat. If it's windy throw a spinner bait or crank bait along the bank. |
| 10/30/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The lake is cooling down and the bite is picking up. Stripers, hybrids, & white bass are surfacing in the mornings and evenings off Cranfield Island, and around the Blue Lady area. Spoons, Spooks, and live bait are all working. The fish are on the small size right now but as the water cools down the bigger fish will show up. |
| 10/28/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 552.5 and the water temp is in the upper 60's. With the temperature dropping the bite will only get better. The stripers are down around 40ft. and they will move shallower as the temp keeps falling. There are some bass coming up early for a couple hours but if it's cloudy or a little wind blowing they will stay up longer. Look for them on points. Try throwing a swim bait after the topwater is over . I had a client catch a smallmouth that went 4 pounds on a swim bait along a bluff last week. If it's windy throw a spinner bait or a crankbait along the bank. The night bite for stripers should get going in the next week or two. |
| 10/25/2013 |
Greg's Outlook
As we transition into fall you will find Norfork Lake to be in great shape. The lake level is just a little below normal. The dissolved oxygen level is the best that we have seen in a few years keeping the fish population pretty frisky. Looking forward, I see the Norfork Lake level continue to slowly wind down to below normal through October, the dissolved oxygen levels increasing, and the fall striper, bass, and crappie, yes crappie bite getting stronger earlier than normal. Currently stripers are hitting shad and shiners hard. Fish deep (30 to 50 feet) and troll slow. For those of you that like spooning for stripers, now is the time to be fishing within 2 to 3 miles of the dam. Always have a Spook ready in case you get into the middle of a boil of hybrids or white bass. As the water cools in late October expect a good night bass bite to develop near the shoreline. The crappie bite is picking up earlier than expected. Head to the brush plies in Brushy and Big Creek with some minnows or small light colored jigs with twister tails and you'll have dinner. The numbers are not huge but you'll be impressed with the size. Tipping rigged jigs is working well also. Smaller inline spinners like Rooster Tails would also. Speaking of Rooster Tails, with the current lake conditions, these will be an excellent choice by the white bass angler. Flatheads are hitting worms at Sand Island. Some fairly good size catfish have been brought to the dock. To sum up, November is looking to be pretty good. By the way, our campground is open through November. |
| 10/25/2013 |
By Larry Olson
Did some night fishing for bass recently and boated about 25 in one night. The bite was strong along the shoreline. I fished from point 1C in Big Creek to point 1 near the Norfork Dam throwing spinner baits with large blades and Zoom chuck trailers parallel to the shore in about 5 feet of water. I normal make my own lures but sometimes throw a Jewel. I use nothing but Jewel blades on all of my spinners. As the water cools the night bite will keep getting better. Head out just before dusk and work the shoreline. |
| 10/20/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 552.9 and the water temp has been staying around 70. With the cooler weather and the water temp starting to drop the fall fishing will only get better and the lake will clear up. Stripers have moved up from the deep and look for them around 30-40ft. deep. The night bite will get going in the coming weeks. Check the mid lake area and the creeks. Bass are a few coming up early. If it's windy throw a spinner bait or crank bait on the banks where the wind is blowing into them. Try a jig or worm in the brush piles. Look for walleye down 25-30ft. on the bottom. |
| 10/15/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are moving, we found fish on Robinson Point flat and between the bridges. The stripers on Robinson are in the 50' range and the stripers between the bridges are suspended at 40' in waters ranging from 50 to 120' of water. Spoons & shad are working best, the fall bite is beginning and will get better as the lake cools down to the mid sixties. Norfork Lake is open for business and fishing well during the government shutdown. The fish have not been furloughed. |
| 10/06/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the mid to upper 70's and the lake level is 553.5. The stripers are still within a few miles of the dam and are suspended 60-80ft. Look out off the points and in the coves. With the cooler weather on the way they will start to move shallower and head up the lake and into the creeks later. There are bass still some coming up hitting top water baits early and just before dark. There are some down around 30-35ft. For the deeper fish try a jigging spoon. |
| 10/06/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The lake has returned to normal pool and the fishing is outstanding. The stripers & hybrids have been biting near the dam. Look for them off points and the river channel. They are deep, 85 to 105' but they will hit live bait & spoons. Live bait is working best since you can have more poles out to catch the fish. Both threadfin & gizzard shad are working, lower your bait to the bottom and reel up three times and just wait. The lake will be cooling down and fish moving from the deep up the water column the next few weeks, look at Robinson, Float, Panther Bay, and north. |
| 09/22/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 554.8 and the water temp has dropped to the upper 70's. Look for the stripers within a few miles of the dam suspended down around 80ft. Hybrids are hanging around the same depth so get your bait down to where you mark the fish. There are a few fish that have been between 35ft. down to 50ft. also. The bass are coming up early and just before dark chasing shad. Look for them on points, coves and back in the creeks. We caught them on Spooks, pop-r's, suspending jerk baits, and shallow running crank baits. After the topwater is over try a deep running crankbait or throw a worm or a jig in about ten ft. of water and work it out to the boat. We also caught some jigging a spoon in 30-38ft.just off the bottom. |
| 09/22/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The lake has returned to normal pool and the fishing is outstanding. The stripers & hybrids have been biting near the dam. Look for them off points and the river channel. They are deep, 85 to 105' but they will hit live bait & spoons, the live bait is working best since you can have more poles out to catch the fish. Both threadfin & gizzard shad are working, lower your bait to the bottom and reel up three times and just wait. |
| 09/20/2013 |
By Larry Olson
I fished for large and smallmouth bass twice in the last week. One night we boated 9, the largest being a 5 pound largemouth. The following evening we netted 5 the largest was a 3 pound smallie. With the recent weather changes, it looks like the evening bass bite has started. We fished the flatter shoreline from Woods Point to areas near the dam with large spinners. Make sure to use a spinner with a large blade. Jewel makes the best. |
| 09/16/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Norfork Lake has returned to normal pool and the fishing is outstanding. The stripers & hybrids have been biting both morning & evening near the dam. Look for them off points and the river channel. They are deep, 70 to 85' but they will hit live bait & spoons, the live bait is working best since you can have more poles out to catch the fish. Both threadfin & gizzard shad are working, lower your bait to the bottom and reel up three times and just wait. |
| 09/08/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is still in the mid 80's and the lake level is 556ft. Look for bass busting shad for a couple hours after daybreak on points and back in the creeks. Throw a white or clear Spook or a pop-r. After the topwater bite is over throw a worm or jig. The stripers are suspended 30-60ft. Hybrids and whites are hanging with them. We've been using silver or white 3/4 to 1oz. jigging spoons. Look for walleye on points down close to the bottom in 30-36ft. deep. We caught them on jigging spoons. |
| 09/08/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The rain is gone, the warm weather has returned and the stripers & hybrids have schooled up near the dam. Live bait (shad), spoons, and trolling has produced limits of fish daily. The fish are within site of the dam, look for schools of shad at the 60' level, the fish are near the main channel at the 60 to 75' level. The water level is being lower daily so the fish will stay within the dam due to the current being generated from the release of water. |
| 08/25/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 560ft and the water temp is in the low to mid 80's. The stripers and hybrids are suspended 35-40ft. There are a lot of fish within a few miles of the dam. They are finally starting to school up. Look out off points and in coves. Just get your bait down to the depth you mark the fish. If you are using a jigging spoon try silver on sunny days and white on cloudy days. Look for bass early in the mornings chasing shad to the surface on points and back in the creeks. Throw topwater baits like a Spook, or pop-r. They are also hitting swimbaits and suspended jerkbaits. You can throw a worm or a jig when the sun gets higher. At night you can switch to throwing salt craws to the bank and drag it or make short little hops. |
| 08/17/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The weather had turned cooler and the past two weeks we have had about 7" of rain, the rising water level has turned on the stripers. The fresh water has reduced the thermocline and the stripers are schooling, the preferred depth is 34', fish are being caught trolling, jigging, and live bait. I expect the next few weeks fishing will continue to be fast with lots of limits. |
| 08/11/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is up to 561.5 ft. with all the rain we have had and the water temp has dropped to the low 80's. Look for stripers suspended 30-50 ft. If you use a jigging spoon try silver on sunny days and white on cloudy days in 3/4 or 1 oz. Bass are chasing shad to the surface early in the morning. Throw a topwater bait like a spook or a pop-r. After the sun gets high you will need to fish deeper with a worm (red or red with silver or gold fleck in it). You can also throw a jig in green pumpkin or peanut butter and jelly. Smallies like pb&j. |
| 07/30/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 554.6 and the water temp is in the low to mid 80's. Bass are coming up early and just before dark. They will hit a Zara Spook, pop-r, Bass Assassins and suspending jerk baits. Then after the sun gets high throw a worm or a jig. Green pumpkin or peanut butter and jelly will get you the most bites. Look for stripers within a few miles of the dam. They will be suspended 30-50 ft. They can be in coves off the main lake and in the creeks with deep water. They will stay in their summer haunts until fall when the water starts cooling down. |
| 07/21/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Lake Norfork is in great condition this year, the oxygen level is great from the mid-lake to the dam and the stripers are roaming everywhere. The best depth to catch them is 40', I have caught them at 60' but the most are being caught in the 40' range. The water depth the fish are holding can vary from 40 to 144', lots of fish are being caught along the channel in water deeper than 90'. Live bait (shad) & spoons are working the best. The past week I have caught fish on Koso, Shoal Creek, Robinson Point and Point 4.. |
| 07/21/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 554.7 and the water temp has been in the mid 80's
Bass: The bass are chasing baitfish to the surface early in the mornings. Watch for them along bluff banks, points and back in the creeks. We caught some on a Zara spook, swimbait and shallow running crankbait. If it's windy throw a spinner bait or a crankbait along the bank. Throw a jig or worm after the sun gets higher.
Stripers: Look for them suspended 30-60ft. out off points and on flats close to deep water. The hybrids and some whites are at the same depth too. If you are using a jigging spoon white or silver are a good choice. |
| 07/10/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the low to mid 80's and the lake level is 556.1.
Stripers: The stripers are starting to get into their summer pattern suspended and in schools. Look for them down 40-50ft. As the water gets warmer they will travel deeper.
Bass: Bass are hitting topwater baits early in the morning. After the sun gets up higher you'll need to fish with a jig, drop shot or Texas rigged worm. Try a swimbait and real it in slow.
Walleye: This time of the year you can catch some hanging around brush piles. Try dropping a jigging spoon but be prepared to lose a few in the brush. |
| 07/10/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The last couple of weeks fishing has been slow with the cold north winds lowering the water temp and turning off the fish. The past week we have seen warmer weather and the return of south winds. The stripers are on the feed, the best bait is a 7" gizzard shad, I have been fishing the mid-lake area around Robinson Point but will be moving south towards the dam as the stripers continue to migrate. The fish are being caught on flats in 50' of water and along river channels in 125' of water. The baits have been set at 45' & 60', the best bite is early morning and late afternoon. |
| June 2013 |
Norfork Lake Fishing Derby Results
The All Lake Norfork Lake Fishing Derby is over and the results are in. Hand Cove Resort is pleased to announce that 4 of the 5 species winners are Hand Cove Resort anglers. Congratulations goes out to:
Aaron Nicholson - Bass
Rick Crayton - Striper
Randy Van't Hof - Crappie
Waylon Bland - Walleye
Each winner will receive a $500 check from the Norfork Lake Chamber of Commerce.
Special note: All winning fish in all species were caught in the south end of the lake. |
| 06/16/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the upper 70's to the low 80's and the lake level is 560.1.
Stripers: The stripers are starting to go deeper down 30-40ft. For live bait you need to get your bait down to that depth or drop a jigging spoon. There are still a few coming up busting baitfish but they are smaller ones 3-5lbs. It's still fun watching them bust a topwater bait no matter how big they are. We caught some on a Zara spook and a soft jerkbait.
Bass: The bass are coming up early and just before dark. They will hit any topwater bait. I like to throw Spooks and soft jerkbait. There are some hitting crankbait and spinner baits if there is some wind. Throw a jig to the outside of the brush and drag it or work it in short hops. Whites: Look for them in coves in 25-40ft. and you can drop a jigging spoon.
Walleye: I had a couple locals tell me they were fishing for bluegill in the flooded brush with crickets and worms and they caught walleye and a few catfish. |
| 06/16/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are schooling and are on the feed. Today fish were caught mid-lake and the lower end. The fish are feeding between 30' & 50' over open water ranging from 50' to 80' in the channel.
A lot of people keep saying Norfork is down, this year the weather was what kept the fishing slower than normal. When the stripers range, they are hard to catch. The bottom line is until they school they are hard to catch. Between the 5 boats fishing with gizzard shad today, 40 to 45 stripers were caught. 19 were kept, they ranged from 10 to 24 lbs. Yesterday we caught 8 with the biggest being 27 lbs. The lake is in great shape and the best fishing of the year will be July & Aug. |
| 06/09/2013 |
Greg's Report
Crickets are now in stock at our bait and tackle shop. Our current inventory includes Tuffie blackhead crappie minnows, #12 bass minnows, Arkansas #30 shiners for stripers and catfish, goldfish for catfish, worms, and an assortment of frozen baits. New items on the tackle walls are Bandit crank bait and deep diving walleye lures, Razor Minnows, Flicker Shad, and the brand new Perfect 10 Rogues, all in proven Norfork Lake colors, all at competitive prices. We are the only bait and tackle shop on the eastern shoreline of Norfork Lake. Call us for hours 870-488-5367. |
| 06/09/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 560.4 up .2 from last week and the water temp is in the mid 70's. There are still a few stripers and hybrids coming up early and just before dark. Bass are coming up also so keep a rod rigged up with a topwater bait like a Zara spook or a soft jerkbait. When you mark suspended fish drop a jigging spoon. Look for them down 30-40ft. |
| 06/06/2013 |
Greg's Forecast
Patterns are shifting again. For the next few weeks expect the unexpected. The crappie bite is intermittent but producing big fish. Most are in the creeks, in deep water, near the brush piles. The trick is to not fish on top of the piles. Keep your boat in 20 - 25 feet of water and throw toward the piles. Keep some distance between you and the piles because our water is so clear the fish will see you if you move in on them. Use 4 Lb test. Crappie have also been reported on the rock walls between Reynolds Island and the Bogie Access, near the docks of Brushy Creek, at the very end of Barren Creek, Wolfe Cove, and past the sand bar in the cove south of Sand Island. Nice bass can be caught along the main channel shoreline in the morning and evening on spinners. The bite is in deep open water during the day. Be more productive, use a Jewel in Norfork Lake colors in the mornings and evenings. The best striper bite is early in the morning. When I say early, you need to be out of the dock and on the water by 5:30. Most early fish are being boated by live baiters. Get into the back of Big Creek by 6 AM and fish to the mouth just past Woods Point. Try the same from the back of Brushy also. Note, the fish will go deeper at the day progresses so be sure to check for fish in the open water of the main channel of the Big Creek arm. If you are new to striper angling, you might ask me about our Striper School. This is a new offering by Hand Cove Resort and our Pro Staff Guides. Jump start your trip and make it more productive by learning techniques and locations matched to the seasonal lake conditions. |
| 06/05/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the low to mid 70's and with the rain from last week the lake level is 560.2. The lake is up 1.5 ft. from last week. Keep a rod rigged with a top water bait ready for when the fish start chasing baitfish to the surface. Try throwing a soft jerkbait or a swimbait. Stripers, hybrids and bass have been hitting these baits. If you see fish suspended 25-40ft. drop a jigging spoon or if using live bait get your bait down just above them. You may also see fish a little shallower. |
| 06/04/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The striper bite continues, the shad are continuing to spawn, I have been fishing a channel swing in water 50 to 90 feet. Stripers & Hybrids are now both shallow less than 30' and deep. I marked fish from 40 to 80' and caught 1 striper at 40'. The fish are moving from shallow to their summer patterns. In the next several weeks you should fish with free line, weighted line & down line, you will catch fish in all levels. Most of the stripers are still in the upper end of the creeks, some fish are being caught on the main lake, stay fluid because each day the fish will move. |
| 05/26/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 558.7 and the water temp is in the low to mid 70's. Watch for the stripers, hybrids and whites busting shad so keep a rod ready with a topwater bait. Some bass are blowing up on points also. Throw a swimbait when you don't see any surface activity or a soft jerkbait. The bass will hit the swimbait too. We caught some whites on a jigging spoon suspended down 30-38ft. in 40ft. of water. |
| 05/20/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 558.7 and the water temp is warmed into the low to mid 70's. With the warmer temps the fish are getting more active. The stripers are starting to chase baitfish to the surface. Keep a topwater rod rigged with a Spook and if they miss it follow it up with a soft jerkbait or throw a swimbait. Bass are hitting these baits also as well as jigs, crankbaits and if it's windy a spinner bait. The night bite has been hit or miss but should improve with the weather finally getting better. Find baitfish and you'll improve your chances.. |
| 05/18/2013 |
Greg's Wrap Up
It's been a crazy season so far. Sometimes it's hot, sometimes it's not. This last week was more not than hot. The good news is the night bite for stripers is quickly developing between Woods Point and the dam area. The Koso area has been most productive although Barren Creek is fishing well also. Now when I say night bite, I talking after dark between 9 PM and 2 AM. Larry has been doing well throwing Rogues to the shore. He's boated a few 20 pounders lately. There has been more top water action as of late. Be ready with your Spooks because when it happens, it does not last long. Crappie has been hit and miss but the ones brought to our dock are big and fat. 14's to 16's are common. A 17 came in yesterday. The best crappie bite is on minnows, tipped jigs, and small spinners. Hybrids are picking up in the creeks, whites have slowed down, and the bass bite is strong along the shoreline and flat points. The lake is rising very slowly. Top water temp reaches 65 to 68 most days. If the weather patterns remain the same look for water temps in the 70's by Memorial Day. |
| 05/18/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are still waiting on the weather, the water temp is in the mid-sixties and now starting on the way up. We should see 70 degree water by the weeks end and the shad should spawn. Once the shad begin spawning the stripers will move to the clear lake points to feed on the shad. Right now the bite has been slow. There are some fish being caught off the points in the Cranfield area but its hit or miss. I caught fish near the dam off the clear water points on Monday, Thursday & Friday but Sat. & Sun. the fish were gone. The top water bite should begin once the south winds start. Look towards the end of this week to see a big improvement in fishing. |
| 05/06/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 558.2, up 1-1/2 ft. and the water temp was in the upper 60's till this cold front and it dropped back to the low 60's. There were a few fish coming up earlier in the week when the water started warming up busting baitfish. The night bite is picking up throwing rouges for stripers and hybrids and a walleye or two. Some bass are on beds. They are hitting swim baits, spooks , pop-r's, Carolina rigs, soft jerkbaits, and jigs. Checkout the Norfork Lake Chamber website for details on the Fishing Derby. |
| 04/28/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
With the rain we had this week the lake is up to 556.7 and the water temp is in the upper 50's to the low 60's. The stripers are up in the creeks but a few have migrated to the main lake. The water is stained up in the creeks and it's a little warmer. There are a few coming up chasing baitfish so keep a topwater rod handy. Whites, hybrids and some bass are coming up also. The night bite is getting better. Just remember to reel your stickbaits slow. there have been a few walleye hitting stickbaits at night too. Don't forget to check out the Lake Norfork Fishing Derby on the Norfork Lake Chamber's website. |
| 04/27/2013 |
Greg's Update
White bass have been on fire in Big Creek the last few days. Most anglers are bringing in full live wells with a few slab crappie mixed in. The evening striper bite is on. There has been a lot of top water action between 1C and Reynolds Island and then on the southern shoreline moving southwest of Reynolds Island. It has been starting between 5 and 6 o'clock and lasts until dark. Super Spooks have been the bait of choice in bone, clear, and blue. Sit in the middle of the channel, be still, and wait and listen for the action to start. |
| 04/27/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
We have had lots of rain the last few days and the lake has risen 2 feet and should rise a couple of more feet. For May that is good news, the higher water covers up some of the buck brush and lets the new spawn have some hiding places and the shad a place to spawn. I saw last week the first spawn of Threadfin, with the warmer weather coming the shad will spawn in earnest. This will happen all over the lake and bring the stripers out into the open water and near the banks. The lower end from Diamond Bay to the dam and up Big Creek and Brushy will see lots of top water and stripers chasing shad. The afternoon bite will kick in. Fish the points and make sure you stay out until dark. The stripers will get real active the last hour of light. I did not fish today due to the storms, we did have a big storm come in early but I had friends go out at 7:30 am and had their limit of stripers by 9 am with the biggest being 17 lbs. So don't be afraid of the higher water, it will add color and get the fish into a biting mode. |
| 04/21/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 555.1 up 3 feet from last week and the water temp is in the upper 50's to the low 60's back in the creeks. The water is stained up in the creeks. There are a few fish hitting topwater early and just before dark. Have a topwater rod ready. The stripers are up in the water column 10-20ft . Get your bait or lure up above them. At night throw a rouge and bring it back in real slow. Bass are hitting swimbaits, jerkbaits and jigs. If it's windy throw a crankbait or spinner bait along the bank. The bite is only going to get better as the water warms. |
| 04/21/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The fishing is getting good for all species, With the recent runoff, the creeks are stained and the stripers, bass, & crappies are spawning or in pre-spawn and biting. The last two days we caught over 20 stripers, a lot of them were short but some big were hooked and got off. The next several days the fishing should be very good before the rains come, The water is warming. Look at Big Creek, Brushy & Bennett's Bayou, The fish are coming up early morning and late evening, Throw rogues and have a top water plug ready. This is going to get good the next several weeks. |
| 04/14/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The fishing is getting good for all species, With the recent runoff, the creeks are stained and the stripers, bass, & crappies are spawning or in pre-spawn and biting. The last two days we caught over 20 stripers, a lot of them were short but some big were hooked and got off. The next several days the fishing should be very good before the rains come, The water is warming. Look at Big Creek, Brushy & Bennett's Bayou, The fish are coming up early morning and late evening, Throw rogues and have a top water plug ready. This is going to get good the next several weeks. |
| 04/14/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 553.8 and the water temp is in the upper 50's to the low 60's. The water is warmer the farther you get back in the creeks with the off colored water. The bite is getting better every day with the warmer days and nights. The stripers are up in the water column (10 - 25ft.) A few are coming up busting shad early and just before dark. After dark throw a stick bait and remember to reel it real slow. Bass are hitting soft jerkbaits, swimbaits, crankbaits and the deeper fish are hitting jigs. Look for whites in the back of the creeks. Check out the fishing derby on the Lake Norfork Camber website. |
| 04/14/2013 |
By Larry Olson
We fished last Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights for stripers. There was a good night bite on Sunday and Monday. We boated 37 fish using Rogues and released most. We fished between Woods Point and the dam. The night bite is not solid yet but it's getting close. Maybe another week or so and it will be on! |
| 04/07/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
With the water finally starting to warm up ( in the low to mid 50's) the bite is improving. The water level is 552.7. There has been a few hybrids and stripers coming up. The night bite is getting good for stripers and hybrids. Friday night I had three clients out and they caught their limit. The best bite was just after it got dark. They were throwing rouges and the color didn't really make a difference. I had to keep reminding them to reel the bait SLOW. The water up lake is running a little warmer. Bass are hitting soft jerkbaits, swimbaits and a few came up and hit a Zara spook. When they stop hitting go to a jig. If it's windy throw a crankbait or spinner bait along the banks with the wind blowing in on them. If you see fish down 25-35ft. drop a jigging spoon. Check the Lake Norfork Chamber website www.NorforkFun.com for information on the Fishing Derby here on Lake Norfork |
| 04/05/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers have move to the creeks, find the warmest stained water half way up the creek and you will find the stripers. The weather has kept the lake from warming up much, but with a few days of south wind the fishing will get hot. I have been fishing with threadfin & gizzard shad freeline with a split shot, put your lines 50' behind your the boat. |
| 03/31/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The weather is beginning to warm up and the winds have changed to the south. The water has gone from 43 to 51 degrees and the stripers and white bass have started their migration to the creeks. The whites are spawning in the creeks and the stripers are staged to move from the mouths of the creeks to the stained upper creek arms. I have fished the Cranfield area using Threadfin shad. I have been using a split shot free line 80' back of the boat. The stripers are smashing the baits, they also are catching stripers in the 101 area using stickbaits both early morning and evening. The walleyes are up the creeks and river spawning. |
| 03/31/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the upper 40's in the main lake and in the upper 50's in the creeks. The lake level is 552.2. Look for the more active fish in the warmer water. With the water starting to warm up the bite is going to improve. With the upcoming warmer days and nights this will help a lot. Look for the fish migrating into the creeks. Watch for some topwater fish in coves with the wind blowing in them. Throw a topwater bait like a Zara spook or try a swimbait, or soft jerkbait. Bass are hitting this baits as well as some whites. We caught some bass on jigs from about 10-35ft.deep. The night bite is getting better too throwing stickbaits for stripers and a few walleye are showing up as well. |
| 03/30/2013 |
By Larry Olson
Randy and I fished the Woods Point area last night. We threw Rogues at the shore most of the night with the boat in about 10 feet of water. We hooked up many stripers and boated 15. Quite a few were just short of 20 inches. ended up keeping 4. It was a little chilly but fun night. |
| 03/29/2013 |
Greg's Report
The spring fishing season is just about to bust loose. White bass are hitting in the back of big creek near 1C. Crappie turned on today in Brushy Creek on small jigs and jigs with twist tails or small tubes. A few stripers are being caught in the Big Creek arm and just outside of Hand Cove. Watch for the striper bite to steadily improve near the dam and the big Creek as we move into April As the water temperature increases, so will the bite. On average we are seeing temps bounce up and down in the low 50's. Be sure to check out our fishing derby here http://www.handcoveresort.com/tournament.shtml |
| 03/24/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers have move to the creeks, find the warmest stained water half way up the creek and you will find the stripers. The weather has kept the lake from warming up much, but with a few days of south wind the fishing will get hot. I have been fishing with threadfin & gizzard shad free line with a split shot, put your lines 50' behind your the boat. Don't forget about the Norfork Lake Fishing Derby |
| 03/17/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake has been on the rise the and the lake level is 550.3 and the water temp is in the mid 40's to the low 50's. The water back in the creeks is stained and warmer. The main lake is clear. Look for stripers in the warmer water suspended 15-20ft. At night throw stick baits up on the bank and reel your bait real slow. Bass are in the same areas and hitting swim baits and crank baits. Look for them where the water starts to get some color. The bite will get a lot better once we get some stable weather and it starts to warm up. |
| 03/17/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
We had lots of rain and the lake has rose 5 feet, the stripers and walleye have moved to the creeks and upper river. The water is very stained and warming. Set your baits at 15’ and just keep moving slowly with your shad. The bite is lasting all day long. The walleyes and stripers have started to migrate, the pre-spawn has started, the bite occurs from last light to 9:30 pm, stick baits are the best bait, throw parallel to the banks and retrieve slowing back to the boat. |
| 03/03/2013 |
Greg's Outlook
It looks like the beginning a very promising fishing season. The top water temperature is in the upper 40's, the Norfork Lake level is on the rise, and the weather has been about normal for this time of year. There has been a fair bass and crappie bite all winter. A good walleye bite in the north end of the lake is moving south and into the creeks. Stripers have been fairly active on live bait in the mid-lake areas with the fish beginning to move to the creeks for pre-spawn. Watch for the white bass and hybrid bite to get stronger in the creeks soon. A few anglers report the very beginnings of a night bite developing. All of this is historically typical for this time of year. As of today, baring a major rain event we will see lake levels following the normal pool levels for this spring and summer. To sum up, I think we are off to a good start.
New this year at Hand Cove Resort will be a high power Wi-Fi system. Installation is taking place now and should be complete and tested in 2 weeks. We also installed a new water supply system on our fish cleaning table at the dock.
New products have arrived for our bait and tackle shop. Added for this season are 4 sizes of Bink's Spoons, Berkley's Flicker Shad in 2 sizes, Bandit crank baits and walleye lures, and some new style Alabama rigs all in Norfork Lake specific colors. We are very excited about our new additions, all priced competitively, and expect them to perform well. |
| 03/03/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 548.1 and the water temp is still in the mid 40's. We are expecting some warmer weather next week and that should bring the water temp up as long as it doesn't cool down much at night. With the lake coming up the fish are starting to move. The stripers are still following the shad down 30-40ft. but some are starting to move up shallow at night and hitting stick baits. What you have to remember fishing stick baits at night is to reel them in real slow. Bass are hitting suspended jerk baits, jigs, crank baits and grubs on a 1/4 oz. jig head. The Lake Norfork Chamber is having a fishing derby. For more information on it click here. You could be a winner of $500 for the biggest fish of one of the five different species. |
| 03/01/2013 |
Be sure to register for the Norfork Lake 2013 Fishing Derby.
Learn
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| 02/26/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are still schooling in the main lake, but some fish are moving up to the creeks in a pre-spawn mode. Set your baits ranging from 35 to 50’ and just keep moving slowly with your baits, shiners & shad are both working. The morning bite is from first light until 10:30 am and 1 pm. Set your lines about the shad balls, the fish will come up to eat your bait. The walleyes and stripers have started to migrate, the pre-spawn has started, the bite occurs from last light to 9:30 pm, stick baits are the best bait, throw parallel to the banks and retrieve slowing back to the boat. |
| 02/17/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the mid to upper 40's and the lake level is 543.9. With the weather starting to get warmer and the days getting longer the fish will start moving shallower soon. Look for stripers down 30-50ft. and get your bait down just above them. The bass are hitting stickbaits, crankbaits, jigs and stingray grubs on a 1/4 oz. jig head. |
| 02/17/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are schooling in the main lake, Set your baits ranging from 35 to 80’ and just keep moving slowly with your baits, shiners & shad are both working. The fish are located between the 62 and 101 bridge area, the water depth varies from 80 to 120' and the are from 30 to 80' depending on the time of day. Some days it's a early morning bite, but other days the fish become active around noon. Look for schools of bait, the stripers will be close by. Set your lines above the shad balls, the fish will come up to eat your bait. |
| 02/04/2013 |
By Tim Partin of
101 Grocery and Bait
Norfork Lake water level is around 541 msl and looking good. Fishing has been good for stripers using live shiners and stick baits. Crappie fishing has been fair using minnows fished around the brush. Bass fishing has been good using crank baits and Alabama rigs. Water surface temps have been in the mid 40 - low 50 degrees. |
| 02/03/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
With the rain we had last week the lake came up 1.3 ft. to put the lake level at 541.9 and the water temp remains in the mid 40's. The stripers are still hanging around 30-50ft. following the baitfish. Some baitfish are starting to move up. Bass are still hitting crank baits along the bank and suspending jerk baits out over deeper water. Try along the bluffs and out off the end of the bluff. Look for suspended fish out there also and drop a spoon or a drops hot. |
| 02/03/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are schooling in the main lake, Set your baits ranging from 35 to 50’ and just keep moving slowly with your baits, shiners & shad are both working. The morning bite is from first light until 10:30 am and 1 pm. Set your lines about the shad balls, the fish will come up to eat your bait. Today we caught an 8 & 13 lb stripers, 8 lb hybrid, and two bass. Be sure to enter the 2013 Norfork Lake Spring Fishing Derby. Check it out here: Norfork Lake Fishing Derby |
| 01/22/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are schooling in the main lake, Set your baits ranging from 35 to 50’ and just keep moving slowly with your baits, shiners & shad are both working. The morning bite is from first light until 10:30 am and 1 pm. Set your lines about the shad balls, the fish will come up to eat your bait. Today we caught an 8 & 13 lb stripers, 8 lb hybrid, and two bass. |
| 01/20/2013 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the mid to upper 40's and the lake level is 540.6. With the lake being this low don't cut points to close when you are running. Look for stripers suspended around 40ft. and get your bait down to them. There are some in the creeks and around the mid lake area. Bass are hitting drop shot, with a small worm off bluff ends and they will hit a suspending jerk bait. They are hitting Wiggle Warts too. Try a grub on a 1/4 oz. jighead. Sometimes they will take it on the fall. If they don't hit it work it slow along the bottom in short hops. Remember when the water is cold, fish slower. |
| 01/14/2013 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers have schooled along the channels and edges of flats in the main lake. Henderson, Bidwell & the 101 Area are the best places to find fish. The best bite is mid-morning then late afternoon, vary your live baits from 35 to 50’ and just keep moving slowly with your baits, shiners & shad are both working. Set your lines about the shad balls, the fish will come up to eat your bait. |
| 12/31/2012 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are in their winter bite, the last four days my friends and I have caught over 30 stripers with the biggest being 18 lbs. The fish are in the channels or edges of channels in the Henderson, Bidwell, & 101 Area. I have my lines set at 40' to 50' using gizzard shad & shiners. The fish are biting really good right so if you're thinking of fishing Norfork now is the time, give me a call and let's go fishing. |
| 12/30/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 541.1 and the water temp is hanging around 50. Look for stripers around the mid lake area (30-40ft) deep and look for some in the creeks. Find the baitfish and they will be close by. Sometimes they will be right in the school of baitfish. However you fish for them ( live bait or artificial) get the bait to just above them and watch them come up for your bait and hang on. Bass are still hitting crank baits along the bank or back out off the bank and throw a jig, grub or suspending jerk bait. Remember the lake is low so be careful and fish slow. |
| 12/24/2012 |
By Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers have started schooling up in the main lake, we caught 5 stripers on the Bidwell Flat near the channel, the biggest was 18 lbs, stripers & hybrids are schooling in the 101 area. Set your baits from 35 to 40’ and just keep moving slowly with your baits, shiners & shad are both working. Set your lines about the shad balls, the fish will come up to eat your bait. |
| 12/17/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers have started schooling up in the main lake. We caught three small stripers in Float Creek. The schools are roaming so you need to just keep moving slowly with your baits, shiners & shad are both working. Set your lines about the shad balls, the fish will come up to eat your bait. The walleye pre-spawn bite has started, we caught 4 walleye in the river, 2 short & 2 legal, we were using bottom bouncers with 4" slicks. As the water turns colder and we get some rain the bite will improve thru Dec. & Jan.
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| 12/17/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the mid to upper 50's and the lake level is 541.2. Stripers are moving all over the lake. Look for the shad and they'll be close by. Get your bait down to around 20ft. Try a swim bait and reel it slow and steady. Bass are hitting crank baits in 5-15ft.deep. If it's windy fish the banks with the wind blowing in on them. Try a spinner bait too. If the water is pretty calm throw a jig to the bank and work it back to the boat slow. Sometimes they will hit it on the fall so be ready. If you see fish down 30-50ft. drop a jigging spoon. Remember the lake is low so be careful. |
| 12/04/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Stripers are still up the lake near Red Bank & Calamity Beach, I fished the last two days and caught stripers & hybrids in 28 & 40 ' of water. The water has warmed up from the lower fifties to the high fifties. Look for bait balls and fish on top of the bait, the stripers are holding in the bait and will come up for your bait. Once the weather begins to cool the bait will move to the channels and you will begin to fish the main lake channels near Bidwell, Blue Lady, Crystal Cove, Float, & Panther Bay.
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| 12/03/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 541.9 and the water temp is in the low to mid 60's. There are some stripers up in the river and look for them in the creek arms also. If you don't use live bait try a swim bait and reel it real slow. Bass are hitting jigs, suspending jerk baits and crank baits. Try throwing a Wiggle Wart, green with a brown back. With the lake being low like it is use caution. There are some hazards to watch out for. There are not many boaters on the lake this time of year so make sure your cell phone has a full charge. If you don't own one let someone know what area of the lake you are going to fish and what time you are going to be back. Be SAFE. |
| 11/12/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are in their annual migration from the dam area, I have fished the river close to the Missouri line the last seven times and caught fish each time but one. I have also caught 5 stripers 18 lbs and larger. I have my lines set a 20' using gizzard shad. The fish are biting really good right so if you're thinking of fishing Norfork now is the time, give me a call and let's go fishing.
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| 11/12/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the low 60's and the lake level is 543.2. The lake is still turning over which should be over with soon and the fishing will get better. There are stripers and a few walleye being caught up in the river. We caught a few small stripers at night in Big Creek. Bass are hitting top water early if there isn't much wind blowing. You can also catch them on crank baits, jigs and grubs. If you mark suspended fish (30-40ft) drop a jigging spoon. Look for deep brush piles and work your jig though it. |
| 11/03/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
I fished near the MO. line in 24 to 30' of water and caught 4 stripers ranging from 8 to 19 lbs plus a 21" walleye. The stripers are hitting 5" gizzard shad on down lines and floats set at 22'. The walleyes are also biting from the state line up to Udall on chubs, a friend caught two limits using bottom bounces. The water temp is 62 degrees and will be going down the next several weeks, some stripers were caught near Crystal Cove the past weekend.
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| 10/28/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 544.2 and the water temp is in the low to mid 60's. The lake is down almost 8ft. The night bite should get going with the water starting to cool down. We caught a few small stripers this week at night on Rouges. The bigger fish will start moving to the flats feeding at night. If you throw a Rouge or any other stick bait remember to reel it SLOW. Bass are chasing baitfish to the surface early. Throw a top water bait like a Zara Spook or Pop-R. Throw a curly tail or a stingray grub and if you don't get a hit when it's falling then when you hit bottom swim it or give it short hops along the bottom or drag it slow. We caught a few nice smallies with this technique. If you mark deeper fish on your depth finder (25-40ft) drop a jigging spoon or a drop shot. |
| 10/28/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers have started their annual migration from the dam area, the last two days I fished the lake close to the Missouri line and found lots of stripers in the 30' range. We caught limits each day with a big fish being caught each day. I had my lines set a 20' using gizzard shad. The fish are biting really good right so if you're thinking of fishing Norfork now is the time
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| 10/26/2012 |
Greg's Outlook - Stripers
Look for stripers to migrate to their winter pattern by moving toward the headwaters. There are signs that they are on the move up the main lake channel to their spawning grounds already. By the way, they do go through the spawn motions but their eggs do not hatch. Schools have been spotted in the mid-lake, near the state line, and in the Big Creek areas. There are still fish within 2 to 3 miles of the Norfork Dam area in all directions that have not started the move. As the lake temperature drops, the morning top water action will improve. Light winds out the south and southwest will only help the bite. Full moons the last full weekend of October, Thanksgiving weekend and the following Friday look promising. Always be ready with Spooks, Rogues, and other popular jerk baits in typical Norfork Lake colors. We stock these colors along with custom clown, trout, and bone colors developed specifically for Norfork Lake Stripers. If you're new to striper fishing or just need a tune-up, ask us about our fall striper school package for live bait anglers. Learn the special techniques required to catch these monsters. |
| 10/18/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers have started their annual migration from the dam area, the last two days I fished the lake close to the Missouri line and found lots of stripers in the 30' range. We caught limits each day with a big fish being caught each day. I had my lines set a 20' using gizzard shad. The fish are biting really good right so if you're thinking of fishing Norfork now is the time, give me a call and let's go fishing.
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| 10/15/2012 |
Greg's Outlook - Bass and Crappie
Fall has arrived on Norfork Lake. Warm days and cooler nights are making for pleasant fishing trips. The fall fishing bite is swinging into action. Large and small mouth bass has been very good this year. Expect this to continue into the early winter. During the day, bluff walls in the main channels and larger creeks are holding fish. Fluke and shad type swim baits will work well as will Rogues thrown to the shore. You'll catch fish in depths of 3 to 25 feet. Work the shoreline. As the water cools, you will find more bass feeding shallower. We are seeing a fair amount of 5 pounders brought to the dock these days. If you prefer evening or night fishing, spinners with large blades will be your go-to lure. This year, red seems to be the favorite color followed by black/red and purple. Once again bigger blades thump better/louder and seem to attract more strikes. We stock Jewel brand spinners in our tackle shop for this reason. The fall crappie bite will begin shortly. We are already seeing 12 to 14 inch fish at the dock, taken on minnows and glow jigs with swim minnows and grubs, but not in numbers yet. With the lake temperature dropping, the big bite should start before the end of the month and continue into November. Watch for lots of crappie to move onto the brush piles in Brushy and Barren creeks soon. Wolf Cove should start producing soon also. Don't overlook the docks in Brushy Creek but take care not to cast into a boat. Your courtesy will be appreciated by the boat and dock owners. As always, have a favorite top water rigged and ready. The top water bite is more frequent now but does not last too long. We recommend having Spooks and Rogues rigged and ready in colors to match the day's conditions. If you're in the area, check out our tackle shop for our Fall Sale - Smithwick Rogue sale $4.99ea, and Rooster Tail sale, $1.50ea. Items in stock are available for pick up or mail delivery.
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| 10/15/2012 |
By Tim Partin of
101 Grocery and Bait
Blue gill fishing on Norfork Lake has been good using crickets and red worms fishing along the bluffs in deep water. Crappie fishing has been fair using minnows fishing in the deep water around brush. Bass fishing has been fair. As the water cools fishing will continue to pick up. |
| 10/14/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 544.5 and the water temp is in the upper 60's. The striper bite has been slow but should pick up with the water temp dropping and the night bite will get going. The walleye bite will get better too. We caught a few on a grub in 20-25ft. and at night on a Rouge on flats. The bass bite is getting better every day. You can catch them just about any way you want from top water to a jig or a spoon. |
| 10/14/2012 |
Greg's Update
It's been a good bass weekend. Large and small mouth are hitting hard along the rock walls and in the creeks. The bluffs and rocky points in Big Creek between 1B and 1C is pretty hot. Fish very close to the shore. Brushy Creek produced some nice baskets also. Crappie are starting to become alive again on the piles. Barron Creek behind Jordan was particularly active in the far back by the fork. Look for a sunken tree and watch your graph. Some 4 and 5 pound bass were catch just inside the entrance to Hand Cove along the southeast shore and the shoreline of Quickie Cove. The lake level was at 544.5 this morning, about 7.5 feet below winter pool. Lake temperature swings from the lower 70's in the main channels to the mid 60's in some of the creeks. |
| 10/14/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Striper fishing has slowed, the water temp has dropped to the high 60's, the shad has moved to the mid-lake and starting to migrate from the creeks. I fished near Woods Point and found both stripers & shad in 80' of water, the next day I fished the Crystal Cove area and found lots of bait but the stripers are very few right now. The next few days with the rain & cold weather we should see a major move, I plan on beginning to fish the northern part of the lake near the Mo. line, the fish will stage there for the next several months. I will keep you posted after next weeks trips.
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| 10/01/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the mid 70's and the lake level is 544.6. The lake is down almost 7-1/2 ft. There are fish suspended down 40ft. The bite for the stripers has been on and off. Bass are hitting jigs and grubs in 10-20ft. We need some cooler weather to drop the water temp and then the bite will get better. |
| 09/24/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers in the main lake near the dam, they are roaming in deep water, from 145' to 165'. You will not see any bait but if you stay in the deep water and move slow you will catch fish. The baits are set at 40' with 8' leaders and 2 oz weight. The fish are biting really good right so if you're thinking of fishing Norfork now is the time, give me a call and let's go fishing.
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| 09/12/2012 |
Greg's Forecast
The bass night bite is picking up. Throw spinners parallel to the shoreline. The coves east of the dam have been producing. The best colors have been red or white depending on the moon. Stripers have been hitting live bait trolled between 30 and 40 feet deep about 1 mile west of Hand Cove. Catfish have been hitting pretty good on goldfish and bream also. |
| 09/09/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are roaming in deep water, from 125' to 165'. Follow the shad line which is holding at 30', the stripers are staying inside the shad. My baits are set at 28' with 8' leaders and 2 oz weight.
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| 09/09/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the low 80's and the lake level is 544.8 which is 7.2 feet below normal pool. Look for stripers out off points and in pockets down within a few miles of the dam. They are suspending down 30-40ft. Look for bass in 10-30ft. deep. A few walleye started biting this week. Check points and flats in 20-35ft. |
| 08/26/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 545.2 and the water temp is in the mid 80's. The lake is down almost 7ft. Look for stripers suspended down around 30ft. Look off points and in coves down within a few miles of the dam. There are some bass coming up early chasing baitfish. Throw Zara spooks or a pop-r. After the top water bite stops throw a jig, drop shot or a Carolina rig. Try dropping a jigging spoon too. If it's cloudy use a white or gold colored spoon and if the sun is shining use a silver spoon. |
| 08/20/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are off the points in the main lake near the dam. They are roaming in deep water, from 125' to 165'. Follow the shad line which is holding at 30', the stripers are staying inside the shad. My baits are set at 28' with 8' leaders and 2 oz weight. The fish are biting really good so if you're thinking of fishing Norfork now is the time.
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| 08/12/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the upper 80's and the lake level is 545.7. Watch for bass busting baitfish early in the morning on points and back in the creeks in channel bends. Throw a Zara Spook in clear or white. Then look for them in 5-35ft. deep and use a Texas rigged worm, drop shot or a jig. Stripers are suspended down 30-60ft. Look for them from within a few miles of the dam. There were some walleye finally getting a little active lately. Look for them down 25-35ft. close to the bottom. |
| 08/12/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are off the points in the main lake near the dam. They are ranging from shallow to deep water, some places they are holding at 165' while others areas they are being caught at 30'. I'm catching stripers on down lines, in water from 28 to 165'. In deep water follow the shad line which is holding at 30', the stripers are staying inside the shad. My baits are set at 28' with 8' leaders and 2 oz weight. The fish are biting really good right so if you're thinking of fishing Norfork now is the time.
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| 07/23/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The last two days we have found the stripers & hybrids schooling in 30 to 90' of water, if you find them in 30' they are feeding on crawdads, drop your bait only 26' and hold on. Tony & Jim caught their limits the last two days, the biggest striper was 16 lbs and the hybrid 10 lbs. The fish are from Thumb Point to the dam
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| 07/15/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
With the extreme heat and no rain the water temp is in the upper 80's and the lake level is 547.5. There are still a lot of fish down 20ft.-30ft. and deeper. Most of the shallow fish are whites and bass while the deeper fish are usually hybrids and stripers. We need some rain to get the bite to get better. The weatherman says we are supposed to get some rain later this coming week. I hope he is right. Throw top water baits early for the bass chasing bait to the surface and then you can use a jig, dropshot, carolina rig or drop a spoon. If you are after the stripers they are moving around a lot and when you find them get your bait down to them in the water column. You need to be patient as the bite has been slow. |
| 07/03/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are off the points in the main lake, they are migrating towards the dam in larger numbers each day. I'm catching stripers on down lines, in water from 28' to 60', my baits are set at 27', they are feeding on shad & crawdads. I have been fishing between deep and shallow water.
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| 07/03/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 549.6 and the water temp is in the mid 80's early in the morning and in the upper 80's in the afternoon. In May the Arkansas Game and Fish released 24,000 striper fingerlings and 44,200 hybrid fingerlings in the lake. This week we caught some hybrids suspended (20-30ft.) on a 1/4oz.jighead with a 3" green grub by casting out and swimming it back to the boat and we also used a jigging spoon. There were some nice whites running with them. (2-3lbs) Bass are chasing baitfish to the surface early will hit any top water lure. We had better luck on a white Zara spook jr. After the top water bite is over throw a jig, worm, drop shot rigged with a 4" worm or a jigging spoon. Most of them will be 23-25ft.deep hanging on the bottom or just off the bottom. We also caught some on the grub that was mentioned earlier. |
| 06/25/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are moving towards the dam, I have been finding them on the flats in front of points & roaming in deep water, the schools are still shallow, less than 30' in deep water. The fish seem to be boat shy so if you're using live bait your best bet is floats away from the boat, set them from 22 to 26'. Spoons are working if you can stay with the schools, they are moving so it's a job to keep up with them.
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| 06/25/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 550ft. which is 2ft.below normal pool of 552. The water temp is in the low 80's. The stripers are starting to go deeper. Start looking for them down at least 40ft. and get your bait down to their depth. If you drop a spoon and they don't hit it within 5 or 6 drops they probably aren't in the feeding mood so move on and find some more. Bass are still coming up early and just before dark chasing baitfish. Throw a Zara Spook Jr. in white or clear or a pop-r. Try swimming a grub when they quit feeding on the surface or throw a Texas rigged worm or a jig. |
| 06/17/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
This past week we saw a major storm that produced large waves and north wind for 2 days. Striper fishing slowed down after the storm. The stripers have remained inactive, trollers & spooning has produced the most fish this week. The fish are reacting to the quick movement of the lure, whereas the live bait fishing is slow. The stripers have too much time to study the bait. You can mark lots of fish but few takers. I expect the next weeks normal weather should get the fish back in an active feeding pattern.
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| 06/17/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 550.3 and the water temp is in the upper 70's to the low 80's. The fish are still in their summer patterns. Bass are still coming up early and just before dark hitting top water baits. Then you can throw a jig, Texas rigged worm, Carolina rig or drop shot to catch them after the top water is over. At night try a worm, salt craw (Texas rigged) or a single spin spinner bait. Look for stripers down at least 30ft. I found some in a channel swing in a creek in 60ft. of water suspended at 30ft. and caught a few on a jigging spoon. |
| 06/11/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake is still a foot below normal and the water temp is in the upper 70's. Look for stripers and hybrids down around 30ft. and get your bait down to them. Look in coves, out off points and on flats. Bass are hitting top water baits early on points and some are coming up in channel swings in the creeks. After the top water is over throw a jig or deep diving crank bait or try a drop shot with a small 4" worm. I had another guide tell me earlier in the week a few hybrids were coming up but they went down as fast as they came up. If you just happened to be close enough you would get one before it was over. |
| 06/03/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The last three days the striper bite has been great. The stripers have started their summer pattern holding in 20 to 50' of water suspended between 20 & 30'. Today was a slow day for me but several other people caught their limits. The evening bite was strong over the weekend. We caught 12 stripers which include a 20 & 21 lb striper which was released. The fish were caught in 32 to 38' of water on flats, they moved up on the flats to feed as the sun sets.
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| 06/03/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is about a foot below normal and the water temp is in the mid to upper 70's. Bass are hitting top water early in the morning. They will hit on just about any top water bait you throw to them. Look for stripers down around 30ft. and get your bait down to where you see them. A few walleye are hitting crank baits on points just before dark along with some smallmouth. You have to keep looking because one night they are there and gone the next. Find baitfish and you'll improve your chances on getting bit. |
| 05/21/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are off the points in the main lake. Fish the points from Diamond Bay to the dam and up to Brushy and Big Creeks. The stripers are scattered, the ones I'm catching stripers are on down lines, from 25 to 40', they are feeding on shad & crawdads. There are some schools in the 35 to 40' of water, I will start fishing once I see one or two fish and keep weaving between deep and shallow water.
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| 05/21/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is still in the mid 70's and the lake level is 551.9. The top water bite for hybrids and stripers is pretty much over with. There were still a few coming up this week but it didn't last long at all. If you were fortunate enough to be close to them you usually had one chance to get a cast to them. Bass are coming up on points and back in the creeks. After the top water bite is over try throwing a deep diving crank bait or a swim bait and reel it real slow. Look for suspended fish and drop a jigging spoon. This works better if you mark a lot of fish rather than seeing one or two. They should start to school up in deeper water as the water temp starts to get warmer. |
| 05/11/2012 |
Greg's Forecast
Large and small mouths as really hitting. Looking at the weather forecast for this weekend, the bite should remain strong. I'm expecting some cloud cover and short periods of rain in the evenings. Head to 1C in Big Creek and fish your way out. Do the same in Brushy. Barren creek behind Jordan is producing also. If you target bass, use a large spinner bait. The Jewel version is working great the last few weeks. We stock the complete line in all colors and weights. Tossing bass minnows to the shore is working good also. We brought in a load of #12's if you will be trying this. The crappie bite has been very good , once again in the creeks and near the docks. Minnows seem to perform the best this week. Watch for the white run to start. We have Rooster Tails on sale now for the whites. 10 for $20. Stock up now. |
| 05/10/2012 |
By Larry Olson
I fished 3 nights this week. Randy an I filled the live well with another nice load of bass. They are still hitting Jewel spinners with trailers. Red remains the color to go with. Tried different colors of craws and chunks. Darker colors all worked good. We caught a nice flathead with the same rig. It should be time for the whites to start hitting hard. I'm going after them next week.
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| 05/08/2012 |
Greg's Re-Cap
The overall bite has been very good this last week. White bass have woke up again and are hitting in the creeks. Shoal Creek was on fire in the last few days. You will need Rooster Tails for the whites. A few bigger stripers have come into the dock. Steve Oloman boated a 35 pounder in Big Creek, A 39 was brought to the dock for weigh-in last weekend. A fair amount of 8 to 12's along with some hybrids are showing up boated on shiners and Spooks. The bass bite is as best as I've seen in 7 years. I've restocked our Jewel Jolt and trailer inventory for the 3rd time in 4 weeks for the bass bite. This is a new world record for HCR. The bass are tearing them up. Crappie are hitting on the brush piles and rock walls of the creeks on minnows and the new Mo Glo's. We are seeing a few walleye most days on minnows, worms, and smaller stick baits. Overall it seems like spring has re-started for a second run. |
| 05/07/2012 |
By Larry Olson
The bass have been hitting hard most evenings. They have worn out a few of my red Jewel Jolt spinners this week. I've boated at least 10 keeper large and small mouths each night in Big and Brushy Creeks. Make sure to add a trailer to your Jewel. I've used a red craw but think any color and style will work. Be sure to work the Big Creek area between Reynolds Island and 1C. In Brushy, the area opposite of Wild Cherry Prong has been productive. I had my boat is 5 to 6 feet of water over the pea gravel. See ya out there. |
| 05/06/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Norfork Lake level is 551.8 and the water temp is in the mid 70's early in the morning and gets to the upper 70's late in the day. Largemouth, smallies, Kentuckies, whites, hybrids along with a few stripers are surface feeding early in the morning. The stripers are not coming up in schools just one here and there. They are hitting Zara Spooks. White and clear colors are working the best. White bass and some hybrids are coming up just before dark. Look for them in coves. Look for some whites back in the creeks and throw a Rooster Tail and for the larger whites let the bait get down 5-10ft. Neal Mustard of Indiana caught a 35lb striper on a clear Zara Spook on the 5th while fishing with me using 10lb monofilament. |
| 04/30/2012 |
By Larry Olson
Was out 3 nights last week bass fishing. Caught nice limits every night, all 3 pounders or plus. The shorelines in front of the dam was the best on a red Jewel spinner with a salty craw. Bass fishing on Norfork Lake is as good as I can remember right now. |
| 04/30/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp is in the mid 60's early in the morning and late in the day it's in the upper 60's. The lake is staying within a inches of normal pool and the water is clearing up. Look for some surface activity early and just before dark on points. We seen a few whites coming up on a couple bluffs but couldn't get to them quick enough and they went down as soon as we got within casting distance. Thursday evening just before dark a school of hybrids came up on a point and we threw white Zara Spooks to them and we caught four before they stopped with the biggest being 11lbs and the smallest was 7lb. We went back the next night to the same spot and they weren't there. The fish are moving a lot and you need to find the baitfish and the fish will be close by. Bass are also coming up too. If you see a school feeding on the surface get to them fast because most of them disappear as just as fast as they come up. Bass are hitting top water baits, jigs, crank baits and swim baits. Throw a stick bait after dark on flats |
| 04/30/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
Fishing continues to change due to the outflow of water. Last Wednesday the corp. shut the gates of the dam cutting the current and changed the position of the fish. Also the weather has turned cooler and the water temp dropped from 72 to 65 degrees. The fish I have been catching the last few days have gone deep, the average fish is being caught in 35 to 45 feet of water off the main lake points. The trollers are catching fish using Alabama rigs with weights to get the bait down to that level.
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| 04/22/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake is back at normal pool and the water temp is still in the mid 60's. Early in the morning there are still a little surface activity. Keep an eye out for surface activity just before dark also. It's better when there is no or a little wind. Mid week we got onto some nice hybrids and a couple of nice Kentucky's. The biggest Kentucky was 4lb and the biggest hybrid was 8lb. The fish were caught on a white Zara Spook Jr. We also threw a jointed red-fin and caught a few stripers and hybrids along with a 4" swim bait. We also got a couple smallies in the 4lb range on the swim bait. With the lake finally getting back to normal the bite should start picking up. I had a fellow fisherman tell me he caught some nice largemouth (3-5lb) at night on a single spin. The night bite was a little slow this week throwing rouges with the water still dropping.
|
| 04/20/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are off the points in the main lake, fish the points from Diamond to the dam and up to Brushy and Big Creeks. I have been catching most of the stripers dragging a split weight and gizzard & threadfin shad in 25 to 50'' of water. The Threadfin are spawning in the marinas so look for them on the points as the main lake warms. Fishing will continue to get better as the weather continues to warm.
|
| 04/16/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake dropped 4 1/2ft. from last week to put the lake just 2ft. above normal pool level of 552. The water temp dropped also to the mid 60's. With the lake dropping so fast the bite was tough this week. The Corps is supposed to stop letting water out early this week. Then the lake will stabilize and fishing will get better. When the wind wasn't blowing there were some fish feeding on the surface early in the morning and just before dark. When it's windy they just don't come up. We caught a few nice largemouth on a white Spook busting baitfish out in 100ft. of water. We also caught some bass and whites on a 4" white swim bait. A few stripers were caught on points at night on rouges. |
| 04/09/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are off the points in the main lake. The Corps. has been lowering the lake with four gates and a generator going 24 hrs a day. This will continue until April 14th, the fish have moved from the creeks by the current from the dam. Fish the points from Diamond Bay to the dam and up to Brushy and Big Creeks. I have been catching most of the stripers dragging a split weight and threadfin shad in 25' of water. Today the best bite was after 10 am. The Threadfin started spawning in the marina so look for them on the points as the main lake warms. Fishing will continue to get better as the weather continues to warm.
|
| 04/08/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The Corp. has been letting water out and the lake level is dropping 6" a day. The lake is 559 and last week it was 562.5. The water temp was around 70 early in the week and has dropped to the mid 60's. The water is still dirty. You can see down about three feet. There are a few stripers coming up chasing baitfish but they aren't schooling. Just a fish or two here and there. The hybrids are doing the same. Most of the fish this week have been caught on a swim bait. We did manage to catch a few nice hybrids on Spooks and Red Fins. A few bass are coming up too. We also got a few nice whites on Spooks and swim baits.
|
| 04/04/2012 |
Greg's Update
Harry and Steve had a nice morning yesterday. They boated 7 stripers and a nice assortment of large and small mouth, all on jointed Red Fins and Spooks. Rick had a great evening last night. He caught some big hybrids and a fair amount of bass near the dam. He boated 42 whites in Big Creek past 1C. He had good luck with swimming minnows. All were C&R with both boats. |
| 04/04/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers have been moving a lot, we were catching fish up the creeks until the Corps opened the gates to release the water we received from the 7 inch rain. Some great top water started last weekend and has continued near the mouth of the major creeks and main lake points. I have been fishing main lake points and cuts in the Big Creek area. The water temp has continued to rise. Some places in the creeks it's in the high 70's. Fishing should continue to get better as the weather continues to warm.
|
| 04/02/2012 |
Greg's Weekend Update
Fishing is returning to more normal levels after our big rain last week. Bass is good along the main shorelines and flatter points. Crappie are more active up in the creeks as they clear. Fish shallow for both. Most crappie anglers are having their best luck with live bait. I'm seeing more walleye coming to the cleaning table. Try smaller stick baits in the evenings and worms for walleye right now. The night bite for stripers was not good this weekend but we had 2 boat limits with the morning top water action. As always, have a Spook ready to go for when you see the boils. To sum up, the fish are becoming less confused as a result of the big rain and change in shoreline location. The lake level is in the lower 560 range, just short of 10 feet over normal and dropping close to 2" a day. Another week should make a big difference. For you lake lovers, baring another significant rain event, I think there will be plenty of sand by mid-May. Would you believe the air temperature cracked 90 degrees at Hand Cove Resort yesterday? There were 2 groups of jet skis in our cove Saturday. We will cool down by the end of the week as will the lake temp.
|
| 04/01/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 562.5 and the water temp is in the upper 60's. The lake is still 10 1/2 ft. above normal. The stripers and hybrids are chasing baitfish to the surface early and just before dark. It's mostly just one or two fish and they should start schooling this week. You can catch the top water fish on Spooks, Bass Assassins and Red Fins. They are hitting swim baits too. At night throw a Rogue up to the brush. Remember to reel your bait real slow. The walleye should start hitting stick baits at night too. There are a lot of fish in the brush and just outside the brush where the bank is at normal pool. We still were catching some nice largemouth and smallmouth on a swim bait out off the brush. The lake is still dirty up lake but is getting better every day. The lower end of the lake has been clearer. About two to three foot of visibility. But the water is dirty the farther you get back in the creeks. |
| 03/31/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The stripers are near the points in stained water, I have been fishing the Big Creek area and fished the points and sides of points about 75 yards back. Small shad has been the trick, I have been using free lines back 60 to 80' with a small split shot and two sets of planner boards with one set with a small split shot and other nothing but the bait. I caught fish both yesterday and today after 9 am, the biggest was 20 lbs on a gizzard shad.
|
| 03/25/2012 |
Greg's Weekend Update
That 6 inches of rain we had the past week put the striper bite on pause this weekend. In spite of the lake rising 10 feet the white bass bite was strong this weekend when anglers found them. One boat brought in a well of 30 Saturday night on Rogues and another netted a nice mix bag of whites, largemouth, and smallmouth. Both came from near the entrance to Brushy Creek where the clear and muddy water met. A fair amount of nice size crappie were taken at the docks on Mr. Crappie gold hooks with live minnows and the new Mo Glo line of shad and grubs. Not a bad weekend considering the conditions. The forecast for the coming week and weekend is Norfork Lake will stabilize, continue to warm with clear skies and 80 degree air temps. Look for the bite to be "On" again by mid-week somewhere between the old shoreline and the new. |
| 03/25/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The water temp dropped about 4 degrees (55-56) while the lake rose 10 1/2 ft. above normal. The lake level is 562.7. Most of the lake has dirty water which should start cleaning up in a couple days. A lot of fish will be up in the flooded brush and along the old bank. There are parts of the lake that has water that isn't as dirty or as off colored. The stripers and hybrids were starting to chase shad to the surface and will again as soon as the lake stabilizes and starts clearing up. A client caught a 10lb. hybrid on a Spook early in the week before the rain and we got a 18lb. striper on a swim bait in a main lake cove as the lake was coming up Wednesday. They also got some nice largemouth and a couple good smallies in the 4 lb range also on swim baits. We also caught them on Spooks. Look for fish moving up in the creeks. When the lake clears up throw a bass assassin. Throw a spinner bait up in the brush for some bass. At night throw a rouge close to the brush and reel it real slow. |
| 03/24/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
We have had very heavy rains that will raise Norfork 10'. This will change the way the stripers relate to the shore. The bait will move into the buck brush and the fish will move to the old shore line. Early morning the fish will be chasing bait in the brush, during the day they will move off to the old shoreline. Windy days fish the banks making long cast that parallel the brush.
|
| 03/20/2012 |
By Larry Olson
Fished last night (Monday), the wind was a real challenge. Boated 3 stripers, a 20, a 15, and a smaller. Nailed 2 hybrids too, the largest a 10 pounder. Got them all in the Big Creek arm on Rogues again.
|
| 03/19/2012 |
Greg's Weekend Update
Had a good weekend. Crappies were hitting hard all weekend. Notable hot spots were on the brush in Brushy and Barren creeks. A few stripers were boated Saturday night along with some nice hybrids on the east end of Hudson. Rogues won the weekend again with the new Norfork Lake colors performing the best. Orange OB is your best bet followed by the new trout colors. White bass seem to have started their spring run. Look for them on the flatter channel points. To sum up, the night bite is on but intermittent. Bass remains strong, stripers are waking up, hybrids are starting. Crappie is very good on live minnows, no news on catfish. If you like to target blue gill, there are a number of big ones out there right now.
|
| 03/19/2012 |
By Tim Partin of
101 Grocery and Bait
Fishing Norfork Lake has been great this March. The bass, crappie, walleye, stripers, monster blue gills and white bass are all doing great what else can you say. |
| 03/18/2012 |
By Steve Olomon of
Steve's Guide Service
The lake level is 552ft. which is normal pool and the water temp is in the upper 50's to the low 60's back in the creeks. The striper bite has been hit and miss but the bite should get good any day and the night bite will only get better in the weeks ahead. There are a few stripers and hybrids chasing baitfish to the surface in the morning. I had my wife out yesterday and she caught 4 bass that weighed a little over 16lb. They were caught on a SINGLE swim bait. She also lost a good striper on a swim bait. We also caught a few smallies ( 1 was 4 1/2lbs) on the swim bait and Bass Assassins. We found a pocket that had hybrids in it and they were caught on the same baits. Earlier in the week a client caught a 5-1/2 lb. largemouth and a 4 lb. smallie on a Bass Assassin. Remember that when you fish at night for stripers if you use a stick bait to reel it SLOW. Look in the back of the creeks for some activity. |
| 03/14/2012 |
By Larry Olson
Fished Monday and Tuesday nights this week in Hand Cove, Big Creek, and Brushy Creek. Monday we boated 5 stripers the biggest being 13lbs. Tuesday night we landed 6 with the largest at 15lbs all on suspending Rogues. Bone with orange belly, grape, and brown were the good colors. Water temperature was 58 in the creeks. |
| 03/10/2012 |
By
Tom Reynolds
of STR Outfitters
The recent rain has trigger the stripers to begin biting. The stripers are in deep water 50 to 80' but are in the 30' range, so stay in deep water but fish shallow during the day. Early daylight and evenings the stripers are moving to the shore feeding on crawdads. The past two days a 25, 18, 16 & two 12's were caught on shiners and shad.
|
| 03/10/2012 |
By Tim Partin of
101 Grocery and Bait
Norfork Lake fishing has been good for walleye and crappie. Sunfish are hitting worms fished around the brush in the back of most coves. Bass are hitting swim baits fished 15-25' deep. White bass are starting to show up in the shallow water up stream as are some stripers.
|
| 03/07/2012 |
Greg's Outlook
We have had a mild winter this year. Norfork Lake's surface water temperature did not dip below 45 degrees, much warmer than the past few years. Assuming no substantial change in weather patterns, here is our outlook for the next few weeks in the Hand Cove and Big Creek Arm areas of the lake.
The primetime spring fishing season is beginning a few weeks earlier than normal this year. The fair night bite is already starting. Watch for the top water to begin in the next week or two. The lake level has been near normal and the water temperature bouncing around the lower 50's already. Daylight crappie and bass fishing is very good right now.
|
| 03/04/2012 |
By Tim Partin of
101 Grocery and Bait
Norfork Lake fishing has been good for walleye and crappie. Sunfish are hitting worms fished around the brush in the back of most coves. Bass are hitting swim baits fished 15-25' deep. White bass are starting to show up in the shallow water up stream as are some stripers. Have Fun Go Fishin. |
| 03/02/2012 |
By Larry Olson
Fished the last 2 nights. Got into some nice walleye and bass between Woods Point and the Hudson area. Picked up a 10 pound striper and a 5 pound walleye behind Jordan in Berrien Creek. Water temperature was 49 and rising. |
| 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. |