The Overall Picture:

As of Monday, 21 Dec, the lake level is approx 2.4 feet above normal conservation pool and falling. There is another decrease in current of Little River with the gates discharge level around 25,669 CFS as of Monday. Water temps stable over the past week. Navigation still considered hazardous, this week with the heavy 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, 21 Dec are ranging 40ºF early to 50ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day. Not many fishermen out over the past few days due to hazardous navigation and current conditions.

Lake level as of Monday, is currently is 261.58 mfsl, and falling with increased river current. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. As of Monday the tailwater level was 251.30 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 been on and off again over the past week with increased current, muddy water, thunderstorms, and rapid moving water in Little River from recent storms. Navigation is seriously hazardous. Large floating trees and logs and wide debris fields can be observed floating down river in rapid current draw. Not as many fishermen out over the past couple weeks, as before.

Best action over the past couple weeks, has been as far from rapid moving current and muddy water, in back of the oxbows where clarity is beginning to improve. Bite was hot a few days over the past week on Crankbaits, and Rat-L-Trap Echo 1.75 Squarebills. Best colors were Firetiger, Ghost, and Red Craw. Large, 3/4 oz Rat-L-Traps are working in Millwood Magic, Red Shad, and Toledo Gold. Moving the Squarebills much slower and deflecting off timber and stumps seem to draw best reactions on drop offs from flats that warm during the day into deeper creek channel swings or into the deeper sections of the oxbows from the flats.

Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs are taking some keeper bass in the 2-4lb class with the VooDoo, black/blue/purple, or Texas Craw colors.

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, in back of the oxbows at creek junctions and in standing timber. 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.

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.

10" Berkley power worms in Blue Fleck, Black Grape, and Red Shad have been catching 2-5 pound Largemouth Bass in 8-12 foot depth areas near cypress tree bases and cypress knees, close to vegetation. Yum 10" worms in Peanut Butter/Jelly are also working in same areas.

White Bass: Schools of Whites were very aggressive on the crankbaits, chatterbaits, and squarebills from 5-9 feet deep couple weeks ago, 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, 21 Dec are ranging 40ºF early to 50ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day. Use extreme caution during navigation, as recent increase of draw at the dam was just increased over the past few days, and wide debris fields, floating trees, logs and timber can be observed in heavy current.

Lake level as of Monday is currently is 261.58 mfsl, and with swift river current, which is approx 2.4 feet above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Monday's discharge rate was around 25,669 CFS. The tailwater level as of Monday was at 251.30 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,