The Overall Picture:

As of Monday, 26 May, the lake level is approx 2 inches above normal conservation pool and falling. There is reduced current of Little River with the gates releasing around 9,380 CFS as of Friday, not updated due to Memorial Day Holiday. Water temps rose stable over the past week. Lake level has dropped dramatically with all the increase in discharge over the past 2 weeks, and navigation is much improved, near normal for Little River.

Surface temps as of Monday, 26 May are ranging 68ºF early to 80ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Monday, is currently is 259.35 mfsl, with reduced river current, which is approx 2 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was not updated, but as of Friday, release was reduced to 9380 CFS. Continue to use caution during navigation on Little River and Millwood, as normal.

Clarity and visibility is much improved most areas on main lake and Little River clarity drastically improved as well. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 5-8 inches. Cottonshed and northeast section of the lake remains heavy stained to muddy. Little River's visibility ranges 5-6 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 10-15 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River above McGuire oxbow is very muddy. 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: Over the past week to 10 days with the reduction of pool elevation and improved water clarity, the Largemouth Bass up to 3 or 4 pounds are returning to normal conditions. Clarity improved dramatically and have improved the temperment of most Bass.

Large worms, jigs, Rat-L-Traps, frogs, and Bass Assassin Shads again are the go-to baits, taking bass on flats with stumps, and in creek channels over the past week. Finding clearer water areas away from current in Little River are producing best reaction bites. Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs and Bass Assassin Shads have been catching Bass in the 2-4 pound class over the past week, and plastic frogs are drawing reactions in the new pad growth.

The clearest water you can find away from river flow has been the best method over the past week. 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. Chatterbaits and Bass Assassin Shads around vegetaion, Rat-L-Traps or cranks around deeper drops, and 10" to 12" worms have been taking a few nice sized Bass in the oxbows up Little River.

Best colors of Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs over the past week have been black/blue/Bruiser, Cinnamon Raisin, or Tx Craw colors with a Yum Wooly Bullee trailer. Bass Assassin Shads and plastic frogs 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. Lots of 2-3 pound bass are biting and reacting to the frogs and various top water baits like Zara Spooks, Jitterbugs, and Moss Bosses around pads and vegetation.

Best colors Rat-L-Traps working over the past week were Millwood Magic, Sunrise Perch, or Chrome Black Zombie away from any remaining current. Back in the oxbows as far from river current and in the clearing water, around 4-8 feet depth flats near creek channel swings, deflecting off stumps in the clearest water you can locate seem to produce best over the past week.

Salty Rat tails and Yum Dingers in watermelon red colors were catching some random bass over the past week. Large 10" or 12" Power worms in black grape, purple, or blue fleck colors, are all good choices over the past week or two.

White Bass: Whites/hybrids post spawn also and are still scattered in schools along Little River's oxbows and the river.

Crappie: Crappie scattered when the lake rose over a foot and was muddy with current, and have not produced any reliable pattern that is reproducible day to day.

Cats: Blues and channel cats were biting good in the current in Little River over the past week on trot lines set approx 10-12 feet deep in creek mouths and outer bends of the river. Best baits were cut shad, buffalo, chicken livers, and stink balls on trot lines. YoYos were taking some 2-4 pound blues in Mud Lake oxbow up Little River using live shiners last week under cypress trees in 8-12 feet depths.

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

Surface temps as of Monday, 26 May are ranging 68ºF early to 80ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Monday is currently near normal conservation pool at 259.35 mfsl, and falling with reduced river current, which is approx 2 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate was around 9830 CFS on Monday. The tailwater level as of Monday dropped several feet with the to 228.39 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility much improved as of Monday. On main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 5-6 inches. Cottonshed and Saline in the northeast section of the lake is heavily stained to muddy. Little River's much improved visibility to around 5-8 inches. The oxbow's clarity also improved and ranging approx 10-15 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.

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, see you on the lake........ and BE CAREFUL out there!