• Millwood Lake Fishing Report - AR

    Millwood Lake Guide Service
    (870) 772-6840 http://www.millwoodguideservice.com/index.html MillwoodLakeGSvc@aol.com
  • Millwood Lake Guide Service has been featured numerous times on the popular TV show Fishing Country with Charlie Pack. We guide for Largemouth bass, White bass, Kentucky bass, and Crappie. Since 1990, Millwood Lake Guide Service has supported and worked with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and The US Army Corps of Engineers regularly, Catch and Release Foundation, Black Bass Federation and Restoration Projects

  • Millwood Lake Fishing Report - AR

    The Overall Picture:

    As of Monday, 27 Feb, the lake level is approximately 8 inches above normal conservation pool and rising. There is current in Little River with the gates releasing around 3200 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 risen slightly over the past few days, water temps continue a slow rise. Largemouth Bass staging for prespawn. White Bass running up Little River. Crappie staging.

    Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging 58ºF early to 65ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

    Lake level as of Monday, is currently is 259.9 mfsl, and rising with current, above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was near 3200 CFS. As of Monday the tailwater level was 231.3 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 couple weeks, as water temperatures are slowly continuing to rise, it is staging the Bass to move out of their deeper winter holes to the spawning areas. We have been watching/seeing/catching males running in and out of bedding areas preparing to build beds over the past few weeks, and females are staging just slightly deeper. 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 continue to be caught and released over the past week.

    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, Bang Fat Jobs, 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. Smithwick Rouges continue 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. Chatterbaits in black/blue/purple and spring bream colors are taking nice 4-6 pound Largemouth females full of eggs along creeks and ditches.

    Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs continue catching nice female bass staging. Best colors over the past week with the stained water clarity are Bruiser, Habanero, and grasshopper colors with a Black Bug trailer. Prespawn female bass in the 5-7 lb range are eating in preparation for bedding activities. War Eagle Spinnerbaits in Spot Remover and White/Chart continue 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 continue to be the 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. Bass Assassin Shads in Houdini, Mississippi Hippie, and Gold Pepper Shiner colors are catching good Largemouths along old vegetation lines, dead lily pad stems, and buckbrush. Jingle Bugs are working in these same areas, and best colors over the past week or two have been the Okeechobee Craw, Black/Red Glitter, and Red Shad/Green Glitter.

    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 continues to be heavy stain to muddy over the past week with all the rain and fresh water coming into the lake.

    Crappie: The Crappie are moving in right with the Largemouths. Good locations over the past week were around cypress trees in 5-8 feet of depth with a white/blue or white/chartreuse jig, and a flat tail grub in smoke w/ chartreuse tip.

    Cats: Blues and Channel cats continue biting well, with the current in Little River and continue biting on cut shad, Berkley Gulp chunks, hot dogs, and Punch baits.

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

    Surface temps as of Monday, 27 Feb are ranging 58ºF early to 65ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

    Lake level as of Monday is currently is 259.9 mfsl, and rising with river current, which is 8 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate was around 3200 CFS on Monday. The tailwater level as of Monday was at 231.3 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,The Overall Picture:

    As of Monday, 27 Feb, the lake level is approximately 8 inches above normal conservation pool and rising. There is current in Little River with the gates releasing around 3200 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 risen slightly over the past few days, water temps continue a slow rise. Largemouth Bass staging for prespawn. White Bass running up Little River. Crappie staging.

    Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging 58ºF early to 65ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

    Lake level as of Monday, is currently is 259.9 mfsl, and rising with current, above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was near 3200 CFS. As of Monday the tailwater level was 231.3 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 couple weeks, as water temperatures are slowly continuing to rise, it is staging the Bass to move out of their deeper winter holes to the spawning areas. We have been watching/seeing/catching males running in and out of bedding areas preparing to build beds over the past few weeks, and females are staging just slightly deeper. 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 continue to be caught and released over the past week.

    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, Bang Fat Jobs, 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. Smithwick Rouges continue 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. Chatterbaits in black/blue/purple and spring bream colors are taking nice 4-6 pound Largemouth females full of eggs along creeks and ditches.

    Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs continue catching nice female bass staging. Best colors over the past week with the stained water clarity are Bruiser, Habanero, and grasshopper colors with a Black Bug trailer. Prespawn female bass in the 5-7 lb range are eating in preparation for bedding activities. War Eagle Spinnerbaits in Spot Remover and White/Chart continue 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 continue to be the 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. Bass Assassin Shads in Houdini, Mississippi Hippie, and Gold Pepper Shiner colors are catching good Largemouths along old vegetation lines, dead lily pad stems, and buckbrush. Jingle Bugs are working in these same areas, and best colors over the past week or two have been the Okeechobee Craw, Black/Red Glitter, and Red Shad/Green Glitter.

    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 continues to be heavy stain to muddy over the past week with all the rain and fresh water coming into the lake.

    Crappie: The Crappie are moving in right with the Largemouths. Good locations over the past week were around cypress trees in 5-8 feet of depth with a white/blue or white/chartreuse jig, and a flat tail grub in smoke w/ chartreuse tip.

    Cats: Blues and Channel cats continue biting well, with the current in Little River and continue biting on cut shad, Berkley Gulp chunks, hot dogs, and Punch baits.

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

    Surface temps as of Monday, 27 Feb are ranging 58ºF early to 65ºF range, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location, and time of day.

    Lake level as of Monday is currently is 259.9 mfsl, and rising with river current, which is 8 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate was around 3200 CFS on Monday. The tailwater level as of Monday was at 231.3 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,
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