• Millwood Lake Fishing Report

    Millwood Lake Guide Service
    (870) 772-6840 http://www.millwoodguideservice.com/index.html MillwoodLakeGSvc@aol.com
  • Millwood Lake Guide Service has been featured numerous times on the popular TV show Fishing Country with Charlie Pack. We guide for Largemouth bass, White bass, Kentucky bass, and Crappie. Since 1990, Millwood Lake Guide Service has supported and worked with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and The US Army Corps of Engineers regularly, Catch and Release Foundation, Black Bass Federation and Restoration Projects

  • Millwood Lake Fishing Report

    The Overall Picture:

    As of Monday, 04 Nov, the lake level is approx 2.5 inches above normal conservation pool and falling. There is increased current of Little River with the gates releasing around 1162 CFS as of Monday. The Largemouth Bass have continued schooling in several locations over the past month. Little River and the oxbows over the past week began clearing again over the past several days. 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 5-6 weeks with schooling activities and random surface feeding.

    Surface temps as of Monday, 04 Nov are ranging 68ºF early to 75ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

    Lake level as of Monday 04 Nov is currently is 259.40 mfsl, and falling with increased river current, which is approx 2.5 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was a total discharge of 1162 CFS . The tailwater level as of Monday was down, 226.59 mfsl.

    Clarity and visibility are fair to good in most areas over the past week, but beginning to improve since the rain. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 10-15 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 12-18 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 2-3 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 feeding during most all daylight hours on large pods of threadfin and gizzard shad in lily pads, hydrilla, and creek junctions with the river . Johnson Chrome spoons (on sunny days) and gold spoons (on cloudy days) with white or smoke grub trailers continue working in the lily pads. Bass Assassin Shads and soft plastic frogs continue getting 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, Hybrids, Spots, and Whites are continuing to stage at creek junctions, feeding on the large schools of shad located on points near stumps and vegetation. A lot of the lily pad stands are beginning to die back with the cooler night time temperatures. Green/live lily pad stands are still producing good fish explosions on top water and Bass Assassins.

    For the past several weeks, the best reaction baits are Bass Assassin Shads, Bomber crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps around points with stumps and vegetation. Bass Assassin Shads and Twitch Assassins wacky-rigged, in Smoke Pepper Shad, Crystal Shad, and Salt N Pepper continue working well for 2-3 lb class Bass. Frogs in black or pumpkinseed and Johnson spoons remain as good choices in pads. During randomly surface feeding, clear Baby Torpedoes, Dying Flutters, Ken Pops, Cordell Crazy Shads, or Cordell Gay Blades will load the boat in a hurry. Heddon Moss Bosses in the pads are also working, while Crazy Crawlers and Jitterbugs are taking some chunky bass along the creek channel swings near live pad edges over grass patches.

    War Eagle Spinnerbaits in Firetiger, white, or Hot Mouse, colors in stained water remain the best colors working around pads, hydrilla, pond weed, and vegetation. Aurora color or Spot Remover seems to be better in clear water. Best color for Rat-L-Traps over the past couple weeks remain Natural Shad, Liv-N-Chrome, or White Zombie colors around 4-8 feet depth creek channel swings near vegetation and stumps. Tail spinner Rat-L-Traps worked yo-yo style in 12-16 feet depths of the river on points, will connect with some larger Black Bass underneath the schools of yearling bass. 10" Yum plastic worms are working randomly, Watermelon Red in the clearer water; Junebug, Black Neon, or Black Grape in stained water around cypress trees and stumps.

    When surface feeding and breaking subsides, Bomber and XCalibur crankbaits in Foxy Lady, Citruse, and Pearl White continue working on the schools of Largemouths & Kentucky Bass. Bomber Flat A's in Silver Flash and Pearl Shad will also pull up the Bass from the huge schools roaming Little River in search of threadfin and gizzard shad.

    White Bass: Whites and hybrids continue roaming Little River and being caught on points along side the Largemouths using Bomber & XCalibur crankbaits in Chartreuse Blush, Pearl Melon, Ghost, and Foxy Momma colors, and in grass and pads on spinner baits. Whites also continue hitting 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 continuing 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 8-12 feet of depth and jigs in white/red, black/chartreuse, or Blakemore Roadrunners in white & chartreuse seem to be best colors.

    Cats: Blues are fair to good this week with the increase of current in Little River. Trot lines between 12-18 feet of depth in the outer river bends are working using chicken livers, cut bait shad, drum, and buffalo. Traps using cottonseed mill cake are also working for some nice Flatheads.

    Lake Level & River Conditions Report

    Surface temps as of Monday, 04 Nov are ranging 68ºF early to 75ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

    Lake level as of Monday 04 Nov is currently is 259.4 mfsl, and rising with increased river current, which is approx 2.5 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was a total discharge of 1162 CFS . The tailwater level as of Monday was down, 226.59 mfsl.

    Clarity and visibility has began improving over the past few days. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 10-15 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 12-18 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 2-3 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,
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