The Overall Picture:

As of Monday, 28 Apr, the lake level is approx normal conservation pool and steady. There is reduced current of Little River with the gates releasing around 2100 CFS as of Monday. Water temps rose slightly over the past week. There were good numbers of fishermen on the lake over the past week. Lake level has almost reached normal pool over the past few days, and only slightly above normal.

Surface temps as of Monday, 28 Apr are ranging 67ºF early to 75ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Monday, is currently is 259.22 mfsl, and steady with river current, which is approx normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was reduced to near 2100 CFS. As of Monday the tailwater level was 232.06 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility improved, slightly stained this week, in most areas on main lake, Little River clarity improved as well. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 10-15 inches. Cottonshed and northeast section of the lake is still muddy. Little River's visibility ranges 10-15 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 24-36 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River above McGuire oxbow is improved. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds, rain, or thunderstorms.

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: Most of the Bass we are seeing this past week are post spawn. Largemouth Bass up to 8 or 9 pounds have been on the beds for the past couple weeks. The bite was slowed last week with cold fronts that dropped water temps but over this past week, temps are back on the rise again. Conditions and water clarity improved and we are seeing bass pick up their feeding activity.

Plastic lizards, tubes, jigs, spinnerbaits, and Bass Assassin Shads continue taking bass on flats with stumps, and in creek channels. Key continues to be finding water temps that are 5-8º warmer than surrounding areas, and clearer water with the current conditions. Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs and Bass Assassin Shads were catching Largemouths in the 4-5 pound class over the past several weeks.

The clearest water you can find away from river flow has been the best method over the past few weeks. After these cold fronts slam through Millwood, it typically takes a few days to stablize the feeding activity. The further from Little River current and heavy stain water; and in deeper sections of creeks over the past couple weeks, will produce best activity and agressive reactions. Cordell Red Fins, Smithwick Rouges, and black chatterbaits have been taking a few good size Bass in pockets of the west end area of main lake and the Millwood State Park as well as the oxbows up Little River.

Best colors of Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs over the past few weeks are the Texas Craw, Green Pumpkin Candy, or Chilli Pepper colors with a Yum Wooly Bullee trailer. Bass Assassin Shads continue catching nice bass in the oxbows over the past couple weeks in and around heavy vegetation lines and new lily pads beginning to bloom.

Best colors Rat-L-Traps working over the past week that will get bit are Millwood Magic, Red Shad, or Creole Craw around 4-8 feet depth flats near creek channel swings, deflecting off stumps in the clearest water you can locate away from muddy water or Little River current.

Salty Rat tails and Yum Dingers in watermelon red colors were catching some random bass over the past week. Large plastic lizards in green pumpkin, blue fleck, or watermelon-red colors, are all good choices over the past week or two.

White Bass: Whites are post-spawn as well, and finished up Little River. Whites/hybrids are scattered in schools.

Crappie: Prespawn Crappie improving in 3-6 feet depth creek channels around cypress trees, on Blakemore Roadrunners, beetle spins, and jigs. Best colors with the improved water clarity seem to be white, smoke Cordell Grubs, and pink tubes.

Cats: Blues and Channel cats continue to feed well in current in Little River this week on trot lines running 10-15 feet of depth, or on Yo-Yos in Mud Lake and other oxbows up Little River, using chicken liver, blood meal, and cut shad.

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

Surface temps as of Monday, 28 Apr are ranging 67ºF early to 75ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day. Water temps jumped back up, as much as 7º over the past week.

Lake level as of Monday is currently is 259.22 mfsl, and steady with reduced river current, which is approx normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate was around 2100 CFS on Monday. The tailwater level as of Monday was at 232.06 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility much improved as of Monday. On main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 10-15 inches. Cottonshed and Saline in the northeast section of the lake is muddy. Little River's visibility ranges 10-15 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity also began clearing over the weekend ranging approx 24-36 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River above McGuire oxbow is still muddy and lots of current. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds, rain, or thunderstorms.

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,