The Overall Picture:

As of Monday, 21 Nov, the lake level is 2" above normal conservation pool; and steady. There is decreased current this week of Little River, with the gates releasing around 172 CFS as of Monday. Water temps dropped slightly over the past week. Navigation is cautioned for Little River as of Monday due to many missing river buoys throughout the channel on main lake structure. Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging approx 55ºF early, to 65ºF late, depending on location. Appears the Corps of Engineers continue working to replace some river buoys in the channel over the past week, however several are either out of place or missing in the main lake body. Use caution in navigation on the Little River throughout the main lake body.

Bass remain good from 2-3 pounds on Bass Assassin Shads, spinnerbaits, Rat-L-Traps and crankbaits. Lake level as of Monday, is currently is 259.38 ft-msl, with consistent current from last week. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was approx 172 CFS. Tailwater level as of Monday at 224.00 ft-msl. Clarity and visibility is consistent over last couple weeks.

As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 8-12 inches. Cottonshed, Saline River, Okay Point, and northeast quadrant remain stained. Little River's visibility ranges 10-12 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 15-25 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River clarity above McGuire oxbow is stained but improved from last week at 12-18", some areas have better clarity. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds, rain, or thunderstorms.


The Details:

Largemouth Bass: Bass feeding moods continue to improve with the cooler daytime temperatures and dropping surface temps over the past week. Most bass are in good feeding moods over the past few weeks, best from 2 to 3 pounds on crankbaits, along points, creek junctions, and creek mouths dumping into Little River. Most bass continue their seasonal nomadic roaming over the past few weeks, following huge shad schools in and out of creek channels and up and down Little River. Points, creek channels away from river current, flats, and oxbows are good starting locations. Shad continue relating to creek channels over the past couple weeks, moving in and out of the main creek channel to the points and back again, depending on surface temperatures. Huge schools of shad are roaming in and out of creeks and points junction with Little River over the past several weeks, and the Largemouths are following them on a daily basis. One day they maybe in the mouth of the creek dumping into Little River, the next day, gone, or moved to backs of creeks, depending on surface temps overnight. Lots of migration and nomadic activity this time of year on Millwood.

Chrome/black Cordell Crazy Shads, Bass Assassin Shads, and Sexy Ghost or Ghost colored Stuttersteps are working. Bass Assassin Shads, continue to be a good top water choice, early. Working top waters around grass beds, and vegetation, along points extending from creek channels into Little River, will draw good reactions at dawn. Bulky 10" Berkley Power worms continue working around vegetation and drop-offs in creek channels and mouths of creeks. Rat-L-Traps worked along points and in creek channels have been working well for several weeks. Bass Assassin Shads continue working well in the thick stuff, mid day. Best colors of Bass Assassin Shads over the past couple weeks have been Bad To The Bone, pumpkinseed, or Grey Ghost and Salt & Pepper colors in the current water clarity and conditions. Best color of Stuttersteps over the past couple weeks have been the Ghost and the Sexy Ghost colors.

Rat-L-Traps continue catching 2-3 pound Largemouths in creeks, with the Chrome/blue tail spinners, Millwood Magic, and Tennessee Shad colors. The 1.75 Echo Squarebill crankbaits in Ghost or Millwood Magic colors continue working on points and in creek channels, dumping into Little River. Deeper diving Bomber cranks in Citruse, Citrus Shad, & Tennessee Special colors continue to be best choices in the oxbows and in the deeper creek channels over the past several weeks by Largemouths and White Bass alike. These same cranks and squarebills are also working in creek mouths and points extending into Little River at various times during the day. Berkley 10" worms continue working for Largemouths randomly in Black, Plum, Black Grape, or Red Bug. Best target areas are working along grass beds in Little River starting in the grass in 1-2 feet and working outward into 8-12 feet of depth, and also around creek mouths dumping into Little River.

White Bass: Whites & hybrids continue roaming Little River, mouths of creek channels, and the oxbows, and are hitting the Citrus, Chartreuse Shad or Tennessee Shad colored crankbaits. Over the past few weeks, the White Bass, Kentucky Bass, and Largemouths all, were surface breaking on shad in back of Horseshoe and McGuire up Little river. Those fish were hitting small, topwater Crazy Shads, tail spinner Rat-L-Traps, Little Georges, Rocket Shads, jigging spoons, and Rooster Tails in red/white or chartreuse/white, and small, Pop-R's early in the mornings.

Crappie: Continue to bite well, over the past few weeks on Blakemore Roadrunners, and vertical jigging jigs in planted brush piles from 8-12 feet of depth. Be sure to get out of any remaining current of Little River and find the planted brush.

Cats: No report on the Blues and channel cats after the reduction in current of Little River over the past week.


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


Surface temps as of Monday dropped again over the past week, and are ranging 55ºF early to 65ºF range, depending on location. USACE working to replace river marker buoys along main lake channel. Use caution until river buoy markers can be fully realigned or replaced as many are missing or drifted out of center in main lake structure. Millwood Lake level as of Monday is near normal pool at 259.2 ft-msl, and steady with consistent river current. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate was around 169 CFS on Monday. The tailwater level as of Monday, is 223.7 ft-msl. Navigation caution is recommended for Millwood at current conditions due to missing or moved, channel buoys in the main lake body. Clarity and visibility is consistent over last couple weeks, most areas on main lake and Little River. Use caution running the Little River throughout the main lake body, there are many river buoys missing or moved out of center, in the channel along main lake.

As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 8-12 inches. Cottonshed and northeast section of the lake remains stained. Little River's visibility ranges 10-12 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 15-25 inches depth of visibility depending on location as of Monday. Little River above McGuire oxbow is clear in areas with stain in others. 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. Call the Millwood State Park at 870-898-2800. Call the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for an officer, biologist, or to report AGFC regulation violation at 800-482-9262. 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, wear your life jacket & we'll see you on the lake........