The Overall Picture:

As of Monday, 30 Nov, the lake level is approx 5.3 feet above normal conservation pool and rapidly rising. There is increased current of Little River with the gates discharge level around 17,869 CFS as of Monday. Water temps dropped over the past week. Navigation hazard has increased this week with incoming, rising water levels and current. Use extreme caution with increased current in Little River; watch for floating logs, wide debris fields, and subsurface obstructions!
Surface temps as of Monday, 30 Nov are ranging 47ºF early to 57ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Monday, is currently is 264.43 mfsl, and rising with increased river current. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. As of Monday the tailwater level was 248.46 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility worsened over the past week, in most areas on main lake from recent high wind, thunderstorms and influx of muddy runoff. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 0-5 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 0-5 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity ranging approx 6-12 inches 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.

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 Millwood Project information line at 888-697-9830 or the US Army Corps of Engineers' main number to verify another Corp of Engineers project is open, at 877-444-6777.

The Details:

Largemouth Bass: Bite has slowed over the past week with increased current, muddy water, thunderstorms, and rapidly rising lake level from recent storms. Best action prior to the rapid increase in lake level just this week, from the past few weeks were very constant on Crankbaits, Chatterbaits, and Rat-L-Trap Echo 1.75 Squarebills. Best colors were Firetiger, Chartreuse Shiner, Gold, and Red Craw. Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs were beginning taking some keeper bass in the 3-5lb class using Texas Craw, Voodoo, or Okeechobee Spice colors. Big, over-sized magnum Tubes in black neon, pumpkinseed/chartreuse with rattles, and slow moving chatterbaits were also working. Large, slow-rolling War Eagle spinner baits in firetiger, peach, or Spot Remover were working around dying or dead lily pads.

Likewise, Bass Assassin Shads were working very well around remaining vegetation and lily pads, catching nice 3-5 pound Largemouths. Best colors prior to this rapid rise and muddy water, have been the Gold Pepper Shiner, Grey Ghost and Rainbow Shad. Working the Bass Assassin Shads in and around vegetation and in back of live lily pad stands in 2-5 feet depths using light wire hook and bumping over the pads and falling with a pause in between pads and letting it settle slowly was drawing best reaction bites from nice 2-4lb Largemouth Bass.

Tail spinners such as Rat-L-Traps Spin Traps, Little Cleos, Little Georges, rooster tails, and Rocket Shads are still catching random Whites, Kentucky and Largemouth Bass, slightly deeper. Best colors of tail spinner hard baits like the Little Georges continue to be white, chartreuse, or a combination of those. Best colors of the Rooster Tails continue to be white/red or red/chrome combinations. Chrome and blue Johnson Jigging spoons on points with timber or stumps were taking a few bass over the prior week, out of river current in breaks where huge schools of bass are following and chasing shad.

Slow moving squarebill crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps worked slower out of current in creek channel bends, deflecting off stumps and timber were also taking nice size 2-5 pound bass in the clearest water you can find away from river flow. Bass were still hitting the crankbaits, just slower and they are locating in the clearest water you can find, in the outer turns and deeper sections of creeks over the past week.

Bomber and XCalibur crankbaits worked slowly, in Citruese, Threadfin Shad, or Firetiger continue working for the Largemouths & Kentucky Bass, but much slower and away from river current. Bomber Flat A's in Firetiger, or Black/Chartreuse are also catching Bass, but the trick continues to be working very slowly and deflecting off stumps in the creeks.

White Bass: Schools of Whites were very aggressive on the crankbaits, chatterbaits, and squarebills from 5-9 feet deep last week before all the deluge of fresh and muddy water. All White Bass now are random and scattered unless you can find a nice school back in the back of the clearer water oxbows and away from current in Little River.

Crappie: disappeared with all the recent inflow of muddy water along Little River.

Cats: Cats no report. Not many cat fishermen out this week.

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

Surface temps as of Monday, 30 Nov are ranging 47ºF early to 57ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Monday is currently is 264.43 mfsl, and rapidly rising with increased river current, which is approx 5.3 feet above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate was around 17,869 CFS on Monday. The tailwater level as of Monday was at 248.46 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility as of Monday much worse w/ the increase in muddy water and thunderstorms, and incoming runoff, more especially the oxbows. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 0-5 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 0-5 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 6-12 inches 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.

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, hope to see you on the lake,