The Overall Picture:

As of Monday, 25 Aug, the USACE has Millwood Lake in drawdown conditions. The USACE are conducting shoreline work at Cottonshed Park, inspection of the dam, and also the AGFC are planting winter duck millet. The lake level is approx 11 inches BELOW normal conservation pool and falling. There is increase current of Little River with the gates releasing around 3,535 CFS as of Monday. Water temps were stable over the past week. Navigation is cautious for Little River, as of Monday, due to the drawdown conditions, lake level is beginnin to expose stumps and submerged hazards below the surface not typically found or seen near surface. The drawdown will last approximately 3-5 weeks.

Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging approx 84ºF early to 89ºF range, depending on location. Bass remain good from 2-4 pounds on topwaters, spinnerbaits, and frogs early, away from muddy current in Little River. One angler caught an 11 pound bass last week. Crappie have disappeared with the increase of current and muddy water in Little River. Channel Cats and Blues are good in the river's current on trot lines.

Lake level as of Monday, is currently is 258.28 mfsl, with increased river current. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was 3,535 CFS. Continue to use extreme caution during navigation on Little River and Millwood, watching for floating debris, floaters, and limbs from current as well as submerged objects nearing the surface during the drawdown. Tailwater level as of Monday is 227.45.

Clarity and visibility is slightly improved over last week, in most areas on main lake and Little River. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 8-12 inches. Cottonshed and northeast section of the lake improving, but stained. Little River's visibility ranges 8-10 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity continue improving away from current, ranging approx 15-20 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River above McGuire oxbow is heavy stain and Cossatot River is contributing lots of incoming flow. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds, rain, or thunderstorms.

The Details:

Largemouth Bass: Bass are good from 2 to 4 pounds on topwaters early and late as far away from the current and Little River as you can get. Most bass are agressive at dawn around lily pad stands, and shallow vegetation at dawn, if you can find the clearest water away from current in backs of the creeks and oxbows. An eleven pound bass was caught and released last week, late in the week.

Frogs, Bass Assassin Shads, crankbaits, and spinnerbaits remain the go-to baits over the past couple weeks with all the bass chasing shad, early and late. Working top waters around pads and vegetation adjacent to deeper sections of the creek channels continue drawing good reactions at dawn. Good bites continue on the soft plastic frogs this week around pads in clearest water you can find away from heavy current and discharge of Little River. Johnson chrome spoons with curly tail grub trailers continue taking some good fish in the lily pads.

Bass Assassin Shads in Native Shiner, Gold Pepper Shiner, and Chartreuse Diamond are working around any stained water and vegetation. Rat-L-Traps and cranks continue working along vegetation growth and weed lines near deep water drops. Chartreuse Shad or Citrus Shad Bomber crankbaits continue to be best reaction colors over the past couple weeks by Largemouths and White Bass alike. Magnum sized, 4" salty tubes and Berkley Craw Fattys in black neon, blue disco, or California 420 colors continue working by flipping and pitching in the heavy vegetation away from river current last week and this week.

Upriver, in the oxbows as far from river current and in any remaining clearer water, around 8-9 feet flats with stumps and laydowns, Real Deal Custom Tackle Jigs are taking a few nice keeper size bass from 3-4 pounds. Best locations are near creek channel swings with stumps or cypress trees, and best colors to get a response over the past couple weeks have been the Texas Craw, Watermelon Candy-Red, and PB&J.

White Bass: Whites/hybrids continue roaming the oxbows, and continue hitting the Tenneessee Shad or citrus shad colored crankbaits in the back of the oxbows. Several days over the past 3-4 weeks, the Whites were surface breaking on shad in back of Horseshoe and McGuire oxbows, but have not been seen surface breaking over the past 2 weeks with the stained water moving to the oxbows, but should begin again this week since those areas have begun clearing with the drawdown conditions. Those fish were hitting small, Smokey Joe Pop-R's & Chug Bugs with a rear feather tail hook or Little Cleos and Rooster Tails in red/white or chartreuse/white, and Rat-L-Traps.

Crappie: Improved around planted brush piles over the past week, 12-16 feet depth in Little River behind current breaks and points where brush piles are located. Best bets were vertical jigging Southern Pro Tubes in red/white, chartreuse/white, or smoke colored Cordell paddle tail grubs on light wire jig heads.

Cats: Blues and channel cats remain good this week in the increased current of Little River on trot lines this week, approx 6-9 feet deep, in creek mouths and outer bends of the river. Best trotline baits last 2 weeks continue to be cut shad, Charlie, and cut buffalo.


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

Surface temps as of Monday, 25 Aug are ranging 84ºF early to 89ºF range, depending on location.

As of Monday, 18 Aug, the USACE has begun 15" drawdown on Millwood to conduct shoreline work at Cottonshed Park, inspection at the dam, and the AGFC are planting winter duck millet grasses. The lake level is approx 11 inches BELOW normal conservation pool and falling. There is increase current of Little River with the gates releasing around 3,535 CFS as of Monday. Water temps were stable over the past week. Navigation is cautious for Little River, as of Monday, due to the drawdown conditions are beginning to expose stumps and submerged hazards below the surface not typically found or seen near surface. The drawdown will last approximately 3-5 weeks. Lake level as of Monday, is currently is 258.28 mfsl, with increased river current. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was 3,535 CFS. Continue to use extreme caution during navigation on Little River and Millwood, watching for floating debris, floaters, and limbs with stumps and submerged objects nearing the surface during the drawdown. Tailwater level as of Monday is 227.45. Clarity and visibility is slightly improved over last week, in most areas on main lake and Little River. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 8-12 inches. Cottonshed and northeast section of the lake improved, but heavy stained. Little River's visibility ranges 8-10 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 15-20 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River above McGuire oxbow is heavy stain, with lots of current and Cossatot River is contributing lots of inflow. 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, wear your life jacket & we'll see you on the lake........