The Overall Picture:

As of Monday 05 Aug, the lake level is approx 5 inches above normal conservation pool and slowly falling. There is a decrease of current of Little River since last week. The Largemouth Bass have been schooling in several oxbows over the past 2-3 weeks, prior to the increase of incoming muddy water from flash flooding in se OK and western AR. Little River and the oxbows over the past week are still heavy stain, but beginning to settle out and clear somewhat. Surface water temps have stablized over the past week.

Largemouth Bass are full blown summer routines, the topwater bite has been excellent over the past 3-4 weeks, tapered off w/ the recent rapid rise and muddy water from all the recent flash floods in sw Arkansas and se Oklahoma but are now beginning to return slowly.



Surface temps as of Monday 05 Aug are ranging 81ºF early to 86ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Monday 05 Aug is currently is 259.60 mfsl, and slowly falling with reduced current, which is approx 5 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was a total discharge of 1177 CFS . The tailwater level as of Monday was up, 226.84 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility have slowly began improving over the past weekend with the reduced current from all the flash flooding in sw Arkansas and se Oklahoma 2 weeks ago, and oxbows are beginning to settle out back to semi-normal water clarity. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 4-8 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 2-5 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity improved over the weekend and the current of Little River, ranging approx 2-3 feet 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.


The USACE upgrade project and maintenance work including installation of a new bypass valve at the River Run East recreational area below the spillway is complete and River Run East park at the spillway is now open.


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.

The Details:


Largemouth Bass: The top water action from dawn to around 10am has been excellent over the past 2-4 weeks (excluding the week & a half muddy rise) with surface schooling in various locations by adolescent bass from 12-15" and was taking place in lily pads, grass, and pockets out of any direct sunlight. Majority of these Bass continue their surface feeding activity aggressively at dawn until mid morning or the sun begins heating surface from overnight lower temps. Recent Mayfly hatch on Millwood has bream, and bass both looking to surface feeding. Plastic frogs in the lily pads are beginning to get good reactions again, and Bass Assassin Shads are catching good Largemouths. The schooling adolescent bass are returning to frenzy feeding again, albeit slowly and depending on water clarity and location.

The best reaction baits at dawn for the past couple weeks for these schooling fish were Bass Assassin Shads, Buzz baits, Arborgast Jitterbugs, spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps, Dying Flutters, and soft plastic frogs. Buzz baits in black, firecracker, or blue glimmer colors are good choices at dawn. Jitterbugs in cricket frog or leopard frog were also good in the clearer water, along with wacky rigged Yum Dingers in watermelon-red and Bass Assassin Shads in salt - n - pepper or gold pepper shiner. War Eagle Spinnerbaits in Firetiger or Spot Remover were working along the edges of pads, hydrilla, pond weed, and coontail moss or most any vegetation lines. Best color for Rat-L-Traps continue to be Millwood Magic, Diamond Dust, Liv-N-Chrome, or Sexy West colors around 2-3 foot flats with stumps/grass/pads nearby. 10" Power Worms in Black Grape, plum, or blue fleck are still working near cypress trees and stumps.

Jumbo Yum 4" F2 2ubes are still working around cypress trees in the oxbows from 5-9' depths. Best reactions we have had w/ water clarity improving on the tubes are on Candy Bug, Pumpkin Bug, or Sooie Shiner colors with rattles inside.

Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs are working for nice chunky Largemouths with improved water clarity. Best colors over the past week are Cinnamon-raisin, Bruised Melon, or Okeechobee Spice colors. We were using a black and blue or pumpkinseed craw trailer. Work the jigs on base of cypress trees, knees, and stumps in 8-10 foot depths, around patches of sawgrass, and where alligator weed is in close proximity to cypress trees.


White Bass: Whites were also surface schooling up river and being caught in the oxbows along side the Largemouths using Bomber & XCalibur crankbaits in sexy shad or Tenneessee Shad colors, and in grass beds on Firetiger colored spinner baits. Whites also continue biting Rat-L-Traps in Chrome / black or chrome/blue back and Millwood Magic. Impoved water clarity has improved the White Bass bite as well.



Crappie: Crappie improved as well over the past week with the water clarity improvements. Live shiners, Southern Pro Lit'l Hustler or Umbrella tubes are working by vertical jigging in and around planted brush piles from 8-14 feet of depth from daylight to around 9am. Jigs in white/chartreuse, black/chartreuse, or Blakemore Roadrunners in black/chartreuse seemed to be best colors w/ the water clarity and stain.


Cats: Hi Fin Blues and Channel Cats continued improving w/ the Little River current, on trot lines or yo-yo's with cut shad, cut drum, and carp, chicken hearts, or livers, along the Little River and creek mouths dumping into the river, and remain best from around 10-12 feet deep with the current in Little River over the past week. Yo-yo's hung from cypress tree limbs in the oxbows up Little River are working from 8-14 feet depths using live shiners, hot dogs, cut bait, and Charlie dough balls.


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

Surface temps as of Monday 05 Aug are ranging 81ºF early to 86ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Monday 05 Aug is currently is 259.60 mfsl, and slowly falling with reduced current, which is approx 5 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was a total discharge of 1177 CFS . The tailwater level as of Monday was up, 226.84 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility have slowly began improving over the past weekend with the reduced current from all the flash flooding in sw Arkansas and se Oklahoma 2 weeks ago, and oxbows are beginning to settle out back to semi-normal water clarity. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 4-8 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 2-5 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity improved over the weekend and the current of Little River, ranging approx 2-3 feet 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.


The USACE upgrade project and maintenance work including installation of a new bypass valve at the River Run East recreational area below the spillway is now completed. USACE has now opened River Run East facility on the east side of the spillway below the dam. All other USACE parks around Millwood Lake project are operating normally with a few specific campsites being worked on and some minor dead tree & debris removal.

To volunteer for one of the clean-up dates, to receive ramp or campground and park project updates, daily lake level information and project release flow updates, or tailwater information, call Tony Porter at the US Army Corps of Engrs toll-free information line at 888-697-9830.

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 and on Facebook, for the most current Millwood Lake fishing 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....

Until next time, see you on the water,