The Overall Picture:

As of Monday, 25 May, lake has begun receding, and is approx 7 feet above normal conservation pool, slowly falling, and hazardous. With the additional rainfall this week, it may reverse course and rise again. There is reduced current of Little River with the gates releasing around 16,695 CFS Monday. Water temps stable over the past week. Navigation is considered hazardous for Little River and the lake with this much current, with trees, logs, grass mats, and wide debris fields coming downriver in extremely heavy current. Several river buoy markers are missing in Little River with heavy current. Use extreme caution in any navigation on Millwood or Little River with these conditions!

Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging approx 67ºF early to 75ºF range, depending on location, wind, and sun.

Lake level is currently is 266.18 ft-msl, which has dropped almost 4 feet since last week, still 7 feet above normal, with heavy river current. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate near 16,695 CFS as of Monday. Tailwater level 244.5, has dropped approx 5 feet over the past week, and falling. Clarity and visibility is improving to heavy stain, some areas away from current are clearing. Millwood State Park remains closed but water is very clear in that region of the lake. Cresting of the lake may have been over the past few days. This week's additional rainfall could reverse that falling trend over the next week.

As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 6-12 inches. Majority of main lake is heavy stained. Little River's visibility is still muddy and ranges 0-3 inches depending on location due to rapidly moving current. The oxbow's clarities have begun clearing away from current and with the level dropping, over the past week. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds, rain, thunderstorms, or increased current.

The Details:

Largemouth Bass: Over the past week if you were able to get out and into some of the backwater oxbows and pockets off the main lake, the bite was fair to good. We were catching nice Largemouth Bass in pockets along the golf course, and the Millwood State Park on a variety of lures. War Eagle spinnerbaits in Spot Remover, white/chartreuse, and Bleeding Peach were working. Buzzbaits in white and chartreuse w/ red or orange were taking early morning Largemouths.

Chatterbaits, Bass Assassin Shads, Lizards and 10" Berkley Power worms, frogs, and Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs in black/blue/purple or Texas Craw are working again this week around the Millwood State Park and out of any river current.

Squarebill cranks and Rat-L-Traps were beginning to take a few keeper size 15-18" Largemouths this week also up river in the oxbows of McGuire and Horseshoe Lake areas.

Magnum, 4" gizits tubes in black neon or large, bulky craws texas rigged, and top water frogs were also taking bass in the same pockets around south Hickory and the golf course in 4-9 feet depth around cypress trees.

Warrior Baits Buzz Frogs were catching nice bass around lily pads, early, along with the buzzbaits

White Bass: no report.

Crappie: beginning to improve away from Little River current around cypress trees in 6-9 feet of depth on Southern Pro tubes and jigs.

Cats: were back in action this week on trot lines along Little River current and in creek mouths where current is moving through. Best bait over the past week has been spoiled chicken livers, Charlie and homemade blood baits.
}><(((º> Lake Level & River Conditions Report <º)))><{


Surface temps as of Monday, 25 May currently range 67ºF to 75ºF later in the day under full sun.

As of Monday, Millwood elevation has begun falling. There is reduced current in Little River with the gates releasing around 16,695 CFS on Monday. Navigation in Little River still remains hazardous with the increased current, logs, trees, and lots of debris in the heavy current. There are a few river buoys missing in Little River.

Lake level dropped a little over 4 more feet in past week, bringing the current pool elevation down to 7 feet above normal conservation pool, and currently is 266.18 mfsl. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate around 16,695 CFS as of Monday. Tailwater level likewise dropped approx 4 feet, and currently is 244.5 ft-msl as of Monday below the spillway.

Clarity and visibility in most areas on main lake and Little River improved mostly lake wide. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 6-12inches. Little River's visibility ranges 1-3 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity turned to muddy as well, away from any river current also. 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........