The Overall Picture:

As of Monday, 20 Feb, the lake level is approximately normal conservation pool and falling. There is increased current of Little River with the gates releasing around 5200 CFS as of Monday. Water temps rose over the past week. There were good numbers of fishermen on the lake over the past week. Lake level has dropped slightly over the past few days, water temps continue a slow rise. Largemouth Bass staging for prespawn. White Bass running up Little River. Crappie playing hard to get.

Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging 55ºF early to 60ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Monday, is currently is 259.3 mfsl, and falling with current, which is approx near normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was near 5200 CFS. As of Monday the tailwater level was 231.9 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility stained and muddy this week, in most areas on main lake. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 2-3 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 3-5 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity is ranging approx 10-15 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: Over the past week, we continue seeing increase in water temperatures, conditioning the Bass to continue staging. We have been watching/seeing males running in and out of bedding areas preparing to build beds over the past few weeks. Big, bulky lizards and 10" worms, Rat-L-Traps, and slow moving crankbaits have been taking staging bass on points, ditches, and in creek channels. Key continues to be finding water temps that are 5-8º warmer than surrounding areas, and clearer water with the current conditions. The pre-spawn females are staging just a few feet deeper in the creeks, from the flats, and several in the 5-9 pound range full of eggs have been caught and released over the past couple weeks.

The clearest water you can find away from river flow has been the best method over the past few weeks. Bass are beginning to roam onto flats and spawning grounds, out of the creek channels, yet still holding tight to cover. Bulky worms, magnum Lizards and Rat-L-Traps, Salty Rat Tails, Yum Dingers, and tubes continue working well over the past couple weeks for roaming males and female bass. The further from Little River current and heavy stain water; and in deeper sections of creeks over the past couple weeks, will produce best Largemouths. Hard jerk baits like the Rouges are taking a few good size Bass in south Hickory pockets of the area of main lake by the golf course and the Millwood State Park.

Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs in Texas craw, VooDoo, or Bruiser colors with a Black Bug trailer continue taking a few prespawn bass in the 4-6 lb class. War Eagle Spinnerbaits in Spot Remover and White/Chart are taking 2-4 pound Largemouths in McGuire Oxbow up river.

Large size Rat-L-Traps worked much slower and deflecting off stumps and timber, deeper in the creek channels, over the past few week are still catching Largemouths. Best colors over the past few weeks are Toledo Gold, Red Shad Zombie, or Red Chrome on sunny days, around 5-10 feet depth ditches and flats near creek channel swings, deflecting off stumps in the clearest water you can locate away from muddy water or Little River current. Chatterbaits in Bull Bream, Spring Bream, black/blue, and shad colors continue working around dead lily pad stems and hydrilla.

Locating water temps 2-5 degrees warmer on sunny days, seems to be key in locating bass in a feeding mood over the past few weeks. Large flats near deeper creek channels with stumps and timber will hold a few Largemouths on bright sunny days where the water will warm substantially over the mid-day hours as much as 8 degrees. Prespawn female Largemouths continue staging in creek mouths, ditches, and deeper bends of creek turns will randomly react and smack a chartreuse/black Bomber Flat A slow moving crank bait, a slow wobbling Rat-L-Trap in Toledo Gold, or a plastic lizard in black, purple, and blue. Key is finding these warmer water areas on sunny days for the most aggressive bite this time of year.

White Bass: Continue staging between McGuire Lake and Patterson Shoals in a prespawn condition. Points all along Little River are holding wads of these nomads. Cossatot inflow ditch and creek channels protruding into Little River were giving up a great number of Whites and hybrids over the weekend on shad colored Bomber and XCalibur crankbaits, chrome/blue or Smokey Joe Rat-L-Traps. Annual migration to spawning grounds for the Whites are continuing to move that direction. Little Georges, Rocket Shads, Little Cleos, Spin Traps, Blakemore Roadrunners were all catching these whites over the past week, but the Little River got really muddy over the past week with all the rain and fresh water coming into the lake.

Crappie: All the Crappie we were following over a week ago disappeared with all the muddy current in Little River, but they were beginning to stage around cypress trees and buck brush in 8-9 feet of water prior to the influx of muddy water.

Cats: Blues and Channel cats continue biting well, with the current in Little River and were biting on trotlines set around points and creek mouths from 8-12 feet deep on night crawlers, cut shad, and ivory soap.

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

Surface temps as of Monday, 20 Feb are ranging 55ºF early to 60ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

Lake level as of Monday is currently is 259.3 mfsl, and falling with river current, which is near normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate was around 5200 CFS on Monday. The tailwater level as of Monday was at 231.9 mfsl.

Clarity and visibility as of Monday fair to stained. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 2-3 inches. Cottonshed and Saline in the northeast section of the lake is muddy. Little River's visibility ranges 3-5 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity also began clearing over the weekend ranging approx 10-15 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. 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.......



'Til next week, hope to see you on the lake,

Mike Siefert
Owner/Operator
www.MillwoodGuideService.com
P.O.Box 4957
Texarkana, AR/TX/USA 75505-4957
Shop: 870-772-6840

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"Some Photos courtesy, Jason Sealock"
Thanks for your interest in
Millwood Lake Guide Service ~ Arkansas' Best Bass Fishing!

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