• 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, 25 Nov, the lake level is approx 16 inches above normal conservation pool and rising. There is decreased current of Little River with the gates releasing around 2841 CFS as of Monday, however we expect a gate change this week with all the fresh water and rainfall over the past few days. The Largemouth Bass schooling has tapered off in the past week with cold frontal passages. Little River and the oxbows clarity worsened from several days of thunderstorms and high winds. Surface water temps dropped again 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 surface breaking has diminished with the cooler water temps.

    Surface temps as of Monday, 25 Nov are ranging 52ºF early to 58ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

    Lake level as of Monday 25 Nov is currently is 260.52 mfsl, and rising with decreased river current, which is approx 16 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was a total discharge of 2841 CFS . The tailwater level as of Monday was 238.19 mfsl.

    Clarity and visibility worsened in most areas on main lake over the past few days. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 5-8 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 5-10 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity also stained over the weekend, ranging approx 12-20 inches 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 Arkansas State Park, Millwood Lake State Park campground, and both of its (2) boat ramps are open.

    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 which has been excellent over the past 8-12 weeks, with surface breaking in various locations by bass in the 2-3 pound range has subsided over the past week. The schooling and random surface breaking by large schools of bass, on large pods of threadfin and gizzard shad has been ongoing for several months, was reduced with the recent cold fronts. Tail spinners such as Little Cleos, Little Georges, rooster tails, and Rocket Shads are still catching all species of Bass, albeit worked much slower. Best colors of tail spinner hard baits like the Little Georges seem to be white, chartreuse, gray/smoke colors, or a combination of those. Best colors of the Rooster Tails seem to be white/red/chrome combinations.

    Crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps continue to be the number one bait for good limits of Bass. Largemouths, Hybrids, Spots, and Whites are continuing to stage and feeding on the large schools of shad located on points near stumps and any remaining live vegetation. A lot of the lily pad stands are beginning to die back with the cooler night time temperatures. Recent overnight lows in the freezing mark have reduced majority of the surface breaking this week, but fish are still biting the crankbaits, just slower.

    Slow rolling War Eagle Spinnerbaits in Firetiger color in stained or muddy water remain the best color working around vegetation in creek channels. Aurora or Spot Remover seems to be better in clear water. Best color for Rat-L-Traps over the past week have been Liv-N-Chrome, White Zombie, and Sexy West colors around 4-8 feet depth creek channel swings near vegetation and stumps are working well. 10" Berkley plastic worms are working randomly, Junebug, plum, or Black seem to be best choices in stained water around cypress trees and stumps in the 8-9' ditches and creek channels.

    Bomber and XCalibur crankbaits worked slower this week, in Pearl White, Black Shad, and Foxy Phantom or Firetiger continue working on the schools of Largemouths & Kentucky Bass. Bomber Flat A's in Pearl Shad, Firetiger, or Black/Chartreuse will also pull up the Bass from the huge schools roaming Little River in search of threadfin and gizzard shad, but the response has been reduced and slower.

    White Bass: Whites and hybrids continue roaming Little River and being caught on points along side the Largemouths using Bomber & XCalibur crankbaits in Threadfin Shad colors close to grass and pads adjacent to creek channels. Whites also continue hitting Rat-L-Traps in Chrome Black Zombie, or Spin-Traps in Chrome blue-back colors on points and creek mouth junctions. Rooster tails and Little Georges, chrome blue jiggin spoons are also catching Whites.

    Crappie: Crappie are beginning to stack vertically on planted brush piles along Little River in 10-15 feet. Live shiners, hair jigs, and Blakemore Roadrunners continue working by vertical jigging in and around these planted brush piles. Jigs in black/chartreuse, or smokey mouse colors as well as Cordell smoke colored paddle tail grubs on light wire jig heads, and Blakemore Roadrunners in white & chartreuse seem to be best colors.

    Cats: Blues were good this week on trot lines set between 9-16 feet of depth in the outer river bends are working using chicken gizzards, hearts, and cut shad.

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

    Surface temps as of Monday, 25 Nov are ranging 52ºF early to 58ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

    Lake level as of Monday 25 Nov is currently is 260.52 mfsl, and rising with increased river current, which is approx 16 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate was 2841 CFS Monday. The tailwater level as of Monday was at 238.19 mfsl.

    Clarity and visibility continued to stain over the past few days. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 5-8 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 5-10 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity also began to stain over the weekend with the thunderstorms, ranging approx 12-20 inches 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 Arkansas State Park, Millwood Lake State Park campground, and both of its (2) boat ramps are open.

    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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