Missouri residents 16 years of age and older who fish the Arkansas portion of Norfork Lake should take advantage of the $10 White River Border Lakes Permit. ![]() Anglers can identify largemouth and spotted bass by using differences in the jaw bone length, cheek scale size, connectivity of the soft and spinous dorsal fins, and absence/presence of a tongue patch. This species doesn't have the growth potential of largemouth bass and often dies before reaching 15 inches. Anglers wanting fish to eat should harvest spotted bass greater than 12 inches. Jigs and plastic baits, such as worms, "creature" and tube baits are great choices to use when pursuing black bass. These successful recruitment years, due in part to high water levels during the summer months, will provide good fishing opportunities now and in future years. Also, the large recruitment class of bass from 20 will be above the minimum length limit and should provide good catch rates in 2023. ![]() As a result, anglers should expect high catch rates of bass between 8 inches and 14 inches, or below the minimum length limit, in 2023. High water levels throughout 2020, 2021, and 2022 produced substantial year classes of largemouth bass and spotted bass. Largemouth bass and spotted bass make up the majority of the black bass population. Fishing for white bass usually begins in the upper end of the lake between late March and mid-April and anglers prefer jigs, minnow/shad imitating crankbaits, and live minnows/shad. While the number of White bass harvested had improved over recent years, in the spring of 2019, a lake-wide white bass fish kill occurred extending from Arkansas into Missouri so expect below average catch rates in 2023. Vertically fished spoons on brush piles and trolled crankbaits are also productive methods. In the following months, minnows and nightcrawlers rigged on bottom-bouncers, slowly trolled along flats and points, catch good numbers of fish. ![]() ![]() Rogues, jigs, and live baits catch the majority of fish during this time of year. From late February through the first half of March, spawning walleye migrate to Norfork Lake's upper end and into the lake's two main tributaries, Bryant Creek and the North Fork of the White River.
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