Thursday, March 27, 2008

Lake Level Today = 673.7

(Top left): As you can see, the water is starting to creep up on the top road now. (Top right): This shot was taken from the dock near the dive shop... you can see the launch ramp is... well... barely there. But it is functional! (For now.) The latest forecast from the Corps for when we can expect B. S. to crest is 678.6 on April 6. We'll see!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Fishin' Gooooood


Gabe and Matt both caught their limit of whites this evening. I'm not supposed to tell where they caught them. I guess they're afraid everyone will flock to their honey hole. But here's a clue: It sort of rhymes with string cheese... uh-huh... think about it. Yep, you guessed it. It's not that difficult to figure out. Lots of people go there to fish for white bass. Anyway, Gabe also caught a nice largemouth. You could say fishing is good!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Lake Level Update

I reported earlier today that Bull Shoals is supposed to crest at 680.4 on April 11. That's the info we received via e-mail from the Corps office in Mtn. Home yesterday. However, if you click here, you can see the lake level forecast, which shows B.S. cresting at 675.2 on April 4. They do update this forecast daily, so I'll be checking later in the week to see if that changes again.

Yes, Bull Shoals Lake is navigable.

Hi folks. I'd like to dispel any rumors you may have heard that Bull Shoals Lake is not fishable, nor is it safe to navigate because of the high water. This is simply not true. At least not in Pontiac. There are people fishing every day out of this marina. Now, the condition of the lake certainly is not ideal. We're used to clear water, and right now the clarity is just terrible. But there are still fish being caught by our local fishermen. Also, I would advise boaters to watch for debris in the water (something else we're not used to having to worry about). But other than that, you can certainly go out on the lake. If you're looking for a place to launch your boat, our ramp is still accessible as well.

Current lake conditions: Bull Shoals is currently at 672.4 (18 feet above normal pool). According to an e-mail we received from the Corps of Engineers office in Mountain Home, Ark., yesterday, the lake is still going up another 8 feet, where it should crest at 680.4 on April 11. This does not take into account any rain we may get in the next few days, so that could very well change. We'll keep you posted.

PCM is open daily: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Thursday; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday & Saturday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Keep Left :)


In case you're wondering, we survived all the rain! So far, anyway. Matt and Josh did have to take a boat to get on the dock this morning! But everything is fine. Just a little extra water. The lake is about 664+ now. By the time I finish writing this it will probably be even higher than that! It's coming up about 4 inches an hour today. A rep from the Corps called this morning and told us Bull Shoals will crest next Thursday, March 27, at 675 -- that's 21 feet above normal pool. And that's ONLY if we don't get any more rain between now and then. Yowzas. Get ready to say bye-bye to the top road. By the time this is over we'll be able to walk right off the dock and onto Jackie's deck! Some of you have seen it that high before. Others haven't. Get your cameras ready!

FYI: Our hours are 8 to 5 Monday to Thursday; 8 to 6 Friday and Saturday; and 8 to 4 on Sunday. As you know, that will change as the days get longer and we get closer to summertime.

Despite all the rain we've had the past couple days, Easter weekend looks to be promising weather-wise. The sun is already out this afternoon. By tomorrow we should be in the upper 60s and sunny, and staying that way through the weekend! Hope you're staying dry, where ever you are! Cheers!

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Fish Tales


(Above left): Chris Geroff caught this largemouth Saturday afternoon. His fishing buddy (who I won't name here, because I don't want to embarrass him) caught the little white. (Above right): Bob Gunkel caught a mess of whites Saturday afternoon.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Signs of Spring











Easter lilies and white bass. 'Nuff said.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Addin' On

(Above) The new addition to the 500 dock is under way. The guys have already made a lot of progress, and this is only Day 2. When the project is finished, there will be 12 new slips at the end of this dock (by the launch ramp).
(Below) It looks like the lake level has peaked out at almost 661 today, and starting tomorrow it is scheduled to start back down.

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Oh, the lake level...

The lake is completely over the lower road now. It's about 660, which is six feet above normal pool. When you come to the dock, it would be best if you park on the top road and come down the stairs. The walkway extends all the way from the bottom of the stairs, across the water-covered lower road, and onto the dock. According to the Corps lake level prediction it's still going to come up almost another foot. Hopefully at that point we'll see it peak and start to go back down.

Snow, snow, go away!

Yet another snow storm is upon us. As I type it is snowing outside. There is some accumulation on our deck -- an inch or maybe two -- but I noticed it's melting when it hits the pavement. That's a good sign, although I imagine as the temperature drops throughout the night it may start to stick to the roads, too. Earlier today we were in the 6-9 inch range, but I just checked ky3.com and it looks like we're right on the border between 1-3 inches and 3-5 inches. Let's hope for the lesser amount. Everyone I talk to agrees... Winter has worn out its welcome. Time for warmer weather to get here and stay! Sunday's forecast looks pretty darn good. Sunny and around 50 degrees. Don't forget we're open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday. The time changes this Sunday. So, we may start staying open later as soon as next weekend, depending on the weather, of course. I'll keep you posted. Have a good evening. I hope it isn't snowing where you are!

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

The Lake Runneth Over


Fortunately, we didn't get the 6 to 12 inches of snow that was predicted for our area; however, it is still snowing. The biggest problem we have right now is the lake level. You can see that the lake is over the lower road now. The question is... how much higher is it going to go? Wish we knew the answer!!

Saturday, March 01, 2008

19 Days and Counting

Well, Mother Nature got it right this time. It's March 1. It's Saturday. And it's absolutely gorgeous. Mid to upper 60s. Not a cloud in the sky. A little breezy. But that's okay. We'll take it. We're officially open full time again! Today we're open until 4 p.m. Tomorrow we'll be open until noon. (It's supposed to be rainy and turning cold again... go figure.) It's been fairly busy today. It's great! Fishing licenses are the big seller. (The '07 license expired yesterday.) A little gas. Some tackle. A lot of folks are just out and about enjoying the day. If you're sitting inside reading this on Saturday afternoon, shame on you. Get out and breathe the fresh air! Spring is near! (19 days and counting)

Cheers!