Thread: Any report on North Fork?

Hey Guys do you have any report on north fork after the ice and snow? Any thing going on around Big Creek area? Planning a trip in a week or so.

Beaver lake is about the only lake in North AR that people really post reports on. I don't know that many people on here fish Norfork. Be sure to give a good report when you get back. It may stir up some interest in traveling north.

I think Darryl Morris used to guide up there on one of those lakes but I am not sure.

Dont let the fact there are not many crappie.com guys up there keep you from posting. We are glad to have you and look forward to post from North Central Arkansas

Norfork is up about 8 feet in the last week. I went 11-25 and didn't do anything. I read a report somewhere that said the bite was slow but the ones you catch are good ones.

Here is the report from AGFC website for Norfork yesterday.
Lake Norfork: As of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s elevation at 556.48 feet MSL.
Cranfield Junction Quik Stop said the water on the main lake is clear, but the rains have muddied up the creeks. Crappie are biting fairly well on a jig-and-minnow combination. Bass are biting well on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Stripers are excellent on spoons worked close to main river channels.

Well I got back today. COLD! COLD! Big Creek had a north wind blowing and some of the banks had a little ice on the shore line, I found a stump fields near the main lake and after fishing on some of the fallen tops I managed to find a school of crappie on a top at 26'.
I used a orange and chartreuse Trout Magnet (Smaller then the Crappie Magnet.) I could not move the jig and get a bite, I had to lower the jig to 26" and not let it move. The bite was light and the only way I could tell I had a fish was a slack appeared in the line. Set the hook and after a few light tugs it was like reeling in a wet huge leaf.
I got 9 crappie in 1 hour of finding them, then it was like they had a shark swim by them. I could not get another bite. I moved about 20 yards and found them on another pile, and at 21' deep. I used the same pattern as before but came up with only 3 at 8".
I tied on a red/white jig about 15" above the original, and placed a bobber stop and bobber on and set the stop at 25'. First lower I came up with two crappie and thought I had it made. Not so. Not another bite on that pile.
I changed to a tinsel jig on the bottom and a white marabou on top. Lowered it and in 20 min I caught 5 over 11". Then the bite stopped and I could not get it worked out again. All in All the fishing is fair but you have be willing to WORK and Change tactics.
I plan on going to Lake Ozark and Grand Lake in the next two weeks.

Hey bobberdown, I'm sure that you did much better than I would have on Norfork. Thanks for the detailed report. Be sure to check the MO board about LOZ; I know that it was/is closed because of all the dock problems. Take care.

Never been south to fish for crappie .I would like to plan a trip this year to North Fork or Bull Shulls (SP) .When and where would you go ? I only have one week for fishing, the rest are with the family .Thanks for the help ....

Originally Posted by drake

Never been south to fish for crappie .I would like to plan a trip this year to North Fork or Bull Shulls (SP) .When and where would you go ? I only have one week for fishing, the rest are with the family .Thanks for the help ....

I've got a call in to my buddy Troy to find out what's happening on Norfork. He owns Three Oaks Resort - http://www.3oaksresort.com/

- very nice place and some of the best crappie fishing on the lake right under his dock. I'll let you know what I find out.

Originally Posted by Darryl Morris

I've got a call in to my buddy Troy to find out what's happening on Norfork. He owns Three Oaks Resort - http://www.3oaksresort.com/

- very nice place and some of the best crappie fishing on the lake right under his dock. I'll let you know what I find out.

Your a man with a line in many waters.