NORFORK LAKE FISHING REPORT

Last week was another crazy week of Norfork Lake weather that produced lots of inconsistent patterns. We started the week cold and with good fishing. As the week wore on, we had lots of high winds, bad storms, rising water, high boat traffic – and slower fishing. We ended the week with cold weather but better fishing. We were catching good numbers of stripers up in Big Creek from Woods Point to 1C all last week and weekend.
The lake level was consistent; then the Corps opened the spillways about 1 foot, and that changed the current in the lake and drew the fish out of the creeks. The stripers were still in the area but quit biting. I spent one morning fishing there and realized what was happening and moved to Point 1 and began catching stripers. The pattern stayed that way until Thursday, when they closed the spillway. The fish were still inactive but then did start biting later in the morning in Big Creek again.
On Friday, it picked up, and on Saturday, Sean caught 13 stripers on planner boards with only a 6-foot leader near the shore. On the other hand, I had only caught three, but the fish were there. You just had to be at the right spot along a bluff wall to catch them.
Once this cold spell moves out we should see better action as the lake warms up and we get some consistent weather.
Greg at Hand Cove Resort reports the night bite is still happening although the weather has greatly affected the bite. He expects it to be more consistent by the end of this week. I have seen some surface action the last two days, which means the top-water action is not far behind.
Better sharpen those hooks for some reel-ripping action!