Lake Norfork Fishing Report 11/7 (Gamaliel Rec Area)

[Ham 4,692]

 I love Bull Shoals. My deep affection for Bull blinds me to the quality of Norfork. I am trying to work on this flaw. I have gradually come to realize that certain areas of Norfork warm quicker in Spring than my spots on Bull and cool quicker in the fall than BSL.  

Yesterday, Bret and I had the run of the place. Today was crowded. Mostly striper fishermen and Crappie fishermen I think, but lots and lots of boats. 😕

I got a late start today. I wasn’t really fishing until about 11:00. I ran around hunting and pecking. Learning and looking. I wasn’t catching much, but I was having fun. 

I went north. Way north. I idled way up. I caught a small White Bass and while I was fighting him in a big Largemouth came up and hit him. I stayed in the area and my little rod loaded. I think the same LMB that hit the fish ate my swimbait. Nice fighting fish. 

I found a stretch of bluff that was loaded with smaller fish and sore mouthed a bunch with the Ned. A few keeper Spots, but not many. I tried to find some Crappie to no avail. I ran to a few spots I knew and they were covered up with boats. So I ran way up the other creek and then I idled further until it got too shallow to idle. Shallow dirty water and Shad ! 

Wind had come up and I tied on a spinnerbait and started burning. I missed a few bites, but I started connecting. Hard Strikes! I think my arms are longer now. Most were good chunks, but only a few keepers. I burned thru the fish that would eat a blade, but stumbled into another group that WANTED a square bill. I throughly worked a small area and caught 16 bass in a very short period of time. Final count was 51 fish in 5 3/4 hours of fishing. Likely the best SB and square bill bite I have ever experienced. 

I had a long slow idle out and then a fast run to the ramp to beat darkness. Awesome Day.

 

[Ham 4,692]

19 inches 

[Ham 4,692]

Fun little fish

[Ham 4,692]

I love that Dirty Water

[Ham 4,692]

Crank it up

[Ham 4,692]

I had two larger fish choke it down more than this one, but he was #50. 

[Ham 4,692]

[Johnsfolly 7,414]

Another awesome trip buddy! Congrats on figuring out those green fish!

[J.M. 51]

I like your boat.

[Ham 4,692]

49 minutes ago, J.M. said:

I like your boat.

Thank You! I love my boat. It’s paid for and very functional.