The Overall Picture:

As of Monday, 27 November, the lake level remains approx 12 inches below conservation pool and slowly rising at 258.2 ft-msl; drawdown has ended and lake pool is slowly coming back to normal conservation pool, just need more rain to continue to raise lake back to normal conservation pool. There is current of 176 CFS in Little River according to the USACE. The tailwater as of Monday is approx 224.7 ft-msl. Water temps dropped over the past week. Check lake level of Millwood Lake on our website helpful links page, or at the US Army Corps of Engineers website for updated gate release changes and inflow rates with rising and falling lake levels during ongoing drawdown conditions. USACE ended the lake drawdown, the elevation is starting to slowly rise back up to 259.2, but due to lack of rain, remains 12" below normal since USACE ended the drawdown, began raising back to normal conservation pool.

Use extreme caution in navigation on Millwood Lake during drawdown conditions as this will bring stumps and broken timber close to surface pool in many areas, and the boat lanes will be much shallower than routine conditions, exposing submerged objects at or near surface pool. New NO-WAKE ZONES are in effect at both, northern and southern, ends of White Cliffs Campground on the river, and marked with river buoys. Be advised, no tolerance of boat wakes within the marked area, is being enforced by AGFC along the river.

Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging near 50ºF early to 58ºF range later under full sun, depending on location. Continue to use extreme caution in navigation on Little River and Millwood, this week during drawdown conditions.

Clarity and visibility continues improving, depending on location for main lake and Little River. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility is moderate stain, ranging approx 8-10 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 8-12 inches with moderate stain, depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 12-18 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. 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. Also reach the US Corps of Engineers at 870-898-3343 for more information.


The Details:

Largemouth Bass: Largemouth Bass schooling activities have slightly diminished over the past week or so, but at random times of day, still surface breaking on schools of shad. This heated activity remains best during early afternoon. Catches continue of 20-25 bass/day of Largemouths and Kentuckies (Spotted Bass) remain quite common over the past few weeks. The schooling Bass are radomly schooling on flats in the Lily Pads, in creek channels adjacent to these same flats, and in Little River, surface breaking on the schools of shad. These Bass remain very good from 2-3 pounds, on topwaters, Rat-L-Traps, Bass Assassin Shads, Stuttersteps, and squarebill cranks. Best color of Rat-L-Traps and Squarebill crankbaits are almost any shad pattern like the Millwood Magic, Chrome/blue, or ghost shad, in the creek channels or where they dump in to the river. Bass Assassin Shads continue working well and best reaction we have had remain on the Grey Ghost, and Salt and Pepper Silver Phantom colors. After the top water excitement slows, a shallow squarebill and Rat-L-Trap will still get bit in cuts, ditches, and around the schooling fish in creek channels and lily pad stands. Best colors for squarebills and Rat-L-Traps over the past couple weeks are the shad imitations like Millwood Magic, Ghost Shad, Pro Gold (cloudy days) and Ghost Minnow (clear water/sunny days).

The deep and medium diving crankbaits like the Bomber Fat Free Shads, Fat Free Fry, or Fat Free Guppys are still working from 5-10 feet deep in creek channels and across primary points along Little River with the best colors over the past couple weeks drawing best reactions are the Citrus Shad, White Pearl, Threadfin Shad and Citruse. The Rat-L-Trap 1.75 Echo squarebill crankbaits continue working in creek channel swings (outer bends and deflecting off stumps) and where creek mouths and sloughs feed and dump into the oxbows, and the the best colors over the past few days have been the Ghost Minnow or Millwood Magic in the better water clarity away from remaining current. War Eagle Spinnerbaits continue working in and around vegetation and cypress trees, best on windy mornings and colors drawing best reactions over the past week being Mouse or Hot Mouse, Spot Remover, or Chartreuse and Firecracker/chartreuse.

Big, bulky 10-12" Berkley Power worms are also beginning to produce a good bite in the 8-10 foot deep areas of these creek channels and ditches along, and that dump into Little River. Best colors we have been seeing a good reaction to are the Blue Fleck, Black Grape, and Plum or Purple.

White Bass: Whites/hybrids are continuing their schooling activities with the Largemouth and Kentucky Bass as well. Stuttersteps, Little Georges, Rocket Shads, Rooster Tails, and Rat-L-Traps in Black-Chrome or Millwood Magic are still working.

Crappie: beginning to stack up very good on planted brush piles, and continue improving. Big slabs are best near standing timber back in oxbows along Little River and planted brush piles in Little River. Best response is from 8-12 feet deep on vertical jigging minnows and jigs.

Cats: no report.

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

Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging in the 50ºF early to 58ºF range, depending on location. Lake Drawdown has ended, slow rise to normal pool elevation is in progress.

Lake level as of Monday is approx 12 inches below normal pool, at 258.2 ft-msl and slowly rising, since lake drawdown ended, with discharge near 176 CFS. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. The tailwater level as of Monday, approx 224.7 ft-msl. Wear your life jacket and kill switch and watch for obstructions. Navigation is cautioned during Millwood Lake drawdown until slow rise brings surface to normal conservation pool.

Use extreme caution during navigation on Millwood Lake during drawdown since stumps and submerged objects will be at or near surface pool. New NO-WAKE ZONES are in effect at both, northern and southern, ends of White Cliffs Campground on the river, and marked with river buoys. Be advised, no tolerance of boat wakes within the marked area, is being enforced by AGFC along the river.

Clarity and visibility is moderate stain. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 8-10 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 8-12 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 12-18 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River above McGuire oxbow is stained with current. 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....

Use extreme caution in navigation, wear your life jacket and let us know how we can help you GET OUT THERE!!