The Overall Picture:

As of Monday, 2 Feb, 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 3,400 CFS with a few limbs, and broken vegetation mats holding debris. Use caution during navigation. Water temps stable over the past week. Navigation is considered cautious for Little River, as of Monday. Several river buoy markers are missing in Little River, use caution during navigation at low light conditions.

Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging approx 40ºF early to 45ºF range, depending on location.

Lake level is currently is 259.34 ft-msl, with decreased river current. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate near 3400 CFS. Tailwater level is 228.75. Clarity and visibility is improved, yet stain to muddy in most areas on main lake and Little River.

As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 3-5 inches. Cottonshed and northeast section of the lake is heavy stain from recent high winds. Little River's visibility ranges 4-5 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity is stained, ranging approx 10-15 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River above McGuire oxbow is muddy. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds, rain, or thunderstorms.

The Details:

Largemouth Bass: the Bass have been lethargic over the past couple weeks w/ low temperatures, but the bite continues to slowly improve, as do conditions.

Bass are more aggressive during the warmest time of the day, typically 11am-3pm, hitting very slowly moving target crankbaits and a few soft plastics. Bomber and XCalibur cranks in Rayburn Gold, Dance Crawfish, or Nest Robber will get a reaction bite during the warmer days. Clear water seemed to be their preferred hang out, in the back of McGuire. Crankbaits had to be moved erratic; stop and go, to get bit, but they were more aggressive during the warmest period of the high sun over the past few days.

Big 3/4 oz size, slow-moving Rat-L-Traps in Red Shad, Valentine's Craw, or Pinch'n Peach colors will get noticed if moving slow and deflecting off stumps in creek channels adjacent to large warming flats on warmer, bright sun days. Best bite was in 8-12 feet of depth with stumps and cypress knees in the deeper water, moving slowly and deflecting off timber and stumps.

Real Deal Kustom Tackle jigs in Black/Blue, or Texas Craw continue to get random reactions from some decent keeper size Largemouths as long as they are hopped slowly with a big Warrior Bait Jig Trailer craw, around stumps in deeper water. Using either a black/blue flake, saphire blue, or green pumpkin Warrior Bait Jig Trailer on either skirt color appears not to make any difference. We are dipping the pinchers of the green pumpkin's Warrior Bait Jig Trailer in JJ's Magic garlic chartreuse dye. Pitching the jigs to cypress trees in 9-12 feet depth in close proximity to flats and creek bends. Hopping rather than crawling the jigs seem to draw more reaction strikes.

Vertical jigging Johnson chrome/blue Splinter Spoons, Thinfisher, or Cordell jigging spoons with bucktails, continue taking random sized fish by vertical jigging standing timber in 12-15 feet depth ranges, close to or in deeper water standing timber in the cleanest water you can find with least amount of stain or color to it.

Magnum size 4" Warrior Baits Teaser tubes with rattles will get a reaction on cypress knees in 9-12 feet depth in backs of the oxbows where you can find any clearer water sections. Black/blue tail, Bluegrass craw, and pumpkinseed/chartreuse tail colors continue to be best color choices over the past couple weeks.

White Bass: no report.

Crappie: no report.

Cats: have been fair to good and consistent w/ the current increase of Little River past 2 weeks. Best selections remain over the past couple weeks, homemade blood bait, cut shad or buffalo, and chicken hearts on trot lines about 12-14 feet deep in heavy current and outside bends of Little River.

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


Surface temps as of Monday, 2 Feb currently range 40ºF to 45ºF later in the day under full sun.

As of Monday, 2 Feb, Millwood Lake level is approx 2 inches above normal conservation pool and falling. There is reduced current in Little River with the gates releasing around 3400 CFS with a few broken vegetation mats and reduced debris fields Use caution during low light or other navigation. Water temps stablized over the past week. Navigation is considered cautious caution for Little River. There are a few river buoys missing in Little River.

Lake level is currently is 259.34 mfsl, with increased river current. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate around 3400 CFS. Tailwater level currently 228.75 ft-msl as of Monday and lots of discharge and current for fishing below the spillway.

Clarity and visibility is about the same over the past week, in most areas on main lake and Little River from recent thunderstorms and high wind. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 3-5 inches. Cottonshed and northeast section of the lake are muddy. Little River's visibility ranges 4-5 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity continue improving away from current, ranging approx 10-15 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River above McGuire oxbow is 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 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, boat safely, be courteous, wear your life jacket, kill switch, & we'll see you on the lake........