The Overall Picture:

As of Monday, 21 Oct, the lake level is approx 3 inches above normal conservation pool and rising. There is a increase of current of Little River since last week. The Largemouth Bass have been schooling in several locations over the past month. Little River and the oxbows over the past week had begun clearing again until the increase of current & release rate at the dam of discharge in the river. Surface water temps dropped only slightly over the past week.

Largemouth Bass continue in a fall transition phase, and the topwater bite which has been very good over the past 4-5 weeks with schooling activities continue.

Surface temps as of Monday, 21 Oct are ranging 70ºF early to 75ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Monday 21 Oct is currently is 259.43 mfsl, and rising with increased river current, which is approx 3 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was a total discharge of 1728 CFS . The tailwater level as of Monday was up slightly, 225.31 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility are fair to good in some areas over the past week. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 12-18 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 15-20 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity began to clear over the weekend with the reduced current of Little River, ranging approx 3-4 feet depth of visibility depending on location. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds, rain, or thunderstorms.

The USACE recently completed addition of the 5 new campsites to White Cliffs campground. Currently, the new pavement in the park and the electrical work is completed. The new campsite areas opened for overnight camping with electrical hookups recently. The government shutdown has now ended, and all functioning US Corps of Engineer's day- use parks, campgrounds, and boat ramps have reopened. The Arkansas State Park, Millwood Lake State Park campground, and both of its (2) boat ramps are open. Jack's Isle and Yarborough Landing both boat ramps are open, all operated independently, by Little River County.

To volunteer for one of the cleanup dates or ramp and USACE park information, contact Tony Porter at the Millwood Tri-Lakes Project Office. To receive project updates, daily lake level information updates, gate release flows, tailwater information, park and campground information, or volunteer, call the US Army Corps of Engrs toll-free Millwood Project information line at 888-697-9830 or the US Army Corps of Engineers' main number to verify another Corp of Engineers project is open, at 877-444-6777.

The Details:

Largemouth Bass: The top water action has been very good to excellent over the past 6-8 weeks, with surface breaking in various locations by bass in the 2-3 pound range. The schooling continues as the bass are beginning their fall feedbag frenzy on large pods of threadfin and gizzard shad in lily pads, hydrilla, and creek junctions with the river . Johnson Chrome spoons with white grub trailers continue working in the lily pads, and Bass Assassin Shads, soft plastic frogs, and spinnerbaits continue to get good reactions from Largemouths around vegetation. Crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps have been the number one bait for good daily limits of Bass for weeks. Largemouths are continuing to stage at creek junctions, and on points, in preparation for the shad move to the backs of creeks.

Over the past week, the best reaction baits were Bass Assassin Shads, Bomber crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps around pads and vegetation on points and creek junctions. Bass Assassin Shads and Twitch Assassins wacky-rigged, in Black Shad, Crystal Shad, and Smoke Pepper Shad continue working well for 2-3 lb class Bass. Frogs in black or pumpkinseed and Johnson spoons remain as good choices in pads.

War Eagle Spinnerbaits in Firetiger, Hot Mouse, and Aurora colors are still the best colors working along the edges of pads, hydrilla, pond weed, and coontail moss or most any vegetation lines. Best color for Rat-L-Traps over the past week are Natural Shad, Liv-N-Chrome, or White Zombie colors around 5-9 feet depth creek channel swings near vegetation and stumps. 10" Yum plastic worms are working randomly, Watermelon Red in the clearer water; Junebug, Black Neon, or Grape Red in stained water around cypress trees and stumps.

Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs continue randomly working for nice, chunky, 2-3 pound Largemouths with improved water clarity. Best colors over the past week were Cinnamon Raisin, Texas Craw, or Junebug colors. We are using black craw trailers with the jigs in the clear or stained water clarity. The jig bite moved more shallow over the past few weeks, and work the jigs on base of cypress trees, knees, and stumps in 3-4 foot depths of ditches, creek channel flats adjacent to deep creek bends, shallow patches of sawgrass, and where alligator weed is in close proximity to cypress trees in less than 5 feet of depth.

White Bass: Whites and hybrids continue on the move, roaming Little River and being caught on points along side the Largemouths using Bomber & XCalibur crankbaits in Chartreuse Blush, Pearl Melon, Ghost, or Foxy Momma colors, and in grass and pads on spinner baits. Whites also continue biting Rat-L-Traps in Chrome Black Zombie, Sexy Zombie, or Spin-Traps in Chrome blue-back colors on points and creek mouth junctions.

Crappie: Crappie are beginning to move shallow following shad and baitfish into the creek channels. Live shiners, hair jigs, and Blakemore Roadrunners continue working by vertical jigging in and around planted brush piles from 6-8 feet of depth and jigs in white/red, black/chartreuse, or Blakemore Roadrunners in white & chartreuse seem to be best colors, and have improved w/ the water clarity improving.

Cats: Blues and Channel Cats improved to very good along Little River this week with the increased current, on trot lines, traps, or yo-yo's with Charlie, cottonseed meal cake slabs, and homemade blood baits, along Little River and creek junctions w/ the river. The 15-18 feet deep wash-outs and outer sweeping bends of Little River seem to be best locations for drop lines or tight lines for the past few days. Yo-yo's hung from cypress tree limbs in the oxbows up Little River still are working from 9-12 feet depths using live shiners, chicken livers, and Charlie dough balls.

}><(((º> Lake Level & River Conditions Report <º)))><{

Surface temps as of Monday, 21 Oct are ranging 70ºF early to 75ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Monday 21 Oct is currently is 259.43 mfsl, and rising with decreased river current, which is approx 3 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was a total discharge of 1728 CFS . The tailwater level as of Monday was up slightly, 225.31 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility have improved over the past week from last week. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 12-18 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 15-20 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity began to clear over the weekend with the reduced current of Little River, ranging approx 3-4 feet depth of visibility depending on location. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds, rain, or thunderstorms.

The USACE recently completed addition of the 5 new campsites to White Cliffs campground. Currently, the new pavement in the park and the electrical work is completed. The new campsite areas opened for overnight camping with electrical hookups recently. The government shutdown has now ended, and all functioning US Corps of Engineers' day- use parks, campgrounds, and boat ramps have re-opened. The Arkansas State Park, Millwood Lake State Park campground, and both of its (2) boat ramps are open. Jack's Isle and Yarborough Landing both boat ramps are open, operated independently, by Little River County.

To volunteer for one of the cleanup dates or ramp and USACE park information, contact Tony Porter at the Millwood Tri-Lakes Project Office. To receive project updates, daily lake level information updates, gate release flows, tailwater information, park and campground information, or volunteer, call the US Army Corps of Engrs toll-free information line at 888-697-9830 or the US Army Corps of Engineers' main number to verify another Corps of Engrs project is open, at 877-444-6777.

Wear your Life Jacket and kill switch!! If you are suddenly or unexpectedly thrown from your boat, it could be your only chance of survival. Use caution navigating Little River in low light conditions, SLOW DOWN, and pass friendly to other boaters! As always, careful watch for any random floaters and debris in Little River's current, and wearing your PFD and kill switch is a requirement!

Visit with us on our website, YouTube, and on Facebook, for the most current Millwood Lake fishing and water conditions report, updated weekly. See some great catch and release photos, sponsor links, tons of great information and resources on the lake available to you, along with excellent related direct links to Arkansas' State Parks, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Black Bass Program, The US Army Corps of Engineers, Arkansas.com and tons more great fishing stuff....

'Til next week, hope to see you on the lake.