Memorial Day Weekend kicks off the Summer for camp grounds, area resorts and local businesses in the twin lakes area around Mountain Home. The flooding in April has raised water levels on the lakes to record levels.
Lake Norfork host hundreds and hundreds of camp sites for both RV and tent camping, according to Park Rangers we spoke with over the holiday weekend an estimated 2/3 of the campsites are still under water on Lake Norfork.
Resorts in the area had vacancies and boat traffic was much less than years past. Most of this is due to high water limiting access to the water, other effects are debris floating in the waters making the water difficult to navigate. Weather over the weekend was perfect, fishing was a challenge.
With the high waters, the normal fishing points were under 25 feet of water, but if you ask the locals you’d hear things like “fish in the trees”. Bait fish were in the treelines causing a feeding frenzy. Bass were coming off the bed and hungry. The challenge was to keep your lures out of the trees! The normally blue waters are murky but this is a temporary situation.
Bull Shoals is considerably clearer than Norfork, but Bull Shoals is also at flood pool. Local marina owners at Lakeview Cove Marina told us that the effect of the high waters will be around for a while. Estimates are that it will be November or December before the water levels return to normal.
The lakes are still a great place to go for a weekend, vacation or just a day trip. If you are a boater, call ahead to the local docks and ask lots of questions. Preparing well will make you trip more enjoyable.
Thanks to Lou and Linda at Hummingbird Hideaway for a wonderful weekend.
