The Overall Picture:

As of Monday 29 July, the lake level is approx 1.6 feet above normal conservation pool and rising rapidly. There is increase of current of Little River. The Largemouth Bass and Crappie bites, were schooling in several oxbows over the past 2 weeks, have shut down w/ the increase of incoming muddy water. Little River and the oxbows over the past weekend are heavy stain to muddy. 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 2 weeks, tapered off w/ the recent rapid rise and muddy water from all the recent flash floods in sw Arkansas and se Oklahoma.



Surface temps as of Monday 29 July are ranging 81ºF early to 84ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Monday 29 July is currently is 260.78 mfsl, and rapidly rising with increased muddy current, which is approx 1.6 feet above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was a total discharge of 518 CFS . The tailwater level as of Monday was down, 225.40 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility worsened over the weekend with the flash flooding in sw Arkansas and se Oklahoma and muddy water is rolling current in Little River. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 2-4 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 0-2 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity worsened over the weekend and the current of Little River, ranging approx 1-2 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 2-3 weeks 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 were getting good reactions until all the muddy water and rapid rise of over a foot and a half in 2-3 days this past weekend.

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, Avocado, or bleeding bluegill colors were 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 hydrilla, pond weed, and coontail moss or most any vegetation lines. Best color for Rat-L-Traps have been Wild Shiner, Millwood Magic, or gold/black back 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 Gizit tubes are still working around cypress trees in the oxbows from 5-9' depths. Best reactions we have had lately with the muddy water on the tubes are on pumpkinseed/chartreuse tail, or black/red flake with rattles inside.

Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs were working for nice chunky Largemouths before the rapid rise and muddy water clarity. Best colors were 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. All this changed with the rapid muddy water inflow, and jig bite has died off over the past few days.


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. Muddy inflowing water has slowed the White Bass bite to almost nothing and the large schools have gone deep.



Crappie: Crappie continue to be slow over the past couple weeks. Live shiners, Southern Pro Lit'l Hustler or Umbrella tubes were working by vertical jigging in and around planted brush piles from 8-14 feet of depth. Jigs in chartreuse, black/chartreuse, or Blakemore Roadrunners in black/chartreuse seemed to be best colors.


Cats: Hi Fin Blues and Channel Cats improved w/ increased 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 29 July are ranging 81ºF early to 84ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day. There is increased in current of Little River. Little River and the oxbows over the past weekend muddy and heavy stain from all the recent rains.

Lake level as of Monday 29 July July is currently is 260.78 mfsl, and rapidly rising with increased current, which is approx 1.6 feet above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was a total discharge of 518 CFS . The tailwater level as of Monday was 225.40 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility worsened to heavy stain and muddy over the past weekend with the flash flooding and heavy thunderstorms. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 2-4 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 0-2 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity worsened with the increased current of Little River and muddy water inflow, ranging approx 1-2 feet depth of visibility depending on location. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds 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,