• 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

    As of Monday, 22 April, Millwood Lake pool is still rising from thunderstorms over last weekend. Currently, lake elevation is now approx 24" above normal pool and rising. USACE made gate changes at the dam on Monday and are releasing around 20,000 CFS, which could change by mid-week. Millwood lake level above normal conservation pool on Monday at 261.2 ft-msl. The tailwater below the dam is also rising, and as of Monday, with USACE gates release at the dam, and is around 240 ft-msl. Water temps rose over the past week. Be sure and check the most recent 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 and conditions. Watch for sudden gate changes and debris, which will increase with current in Little River. Navigation is normal this week, and little bits of debris are still visible this week.


    For more information on Millwood Lake levels, contract work, and maintenance, contact the Millwood Project Office at 870-898-3343.


    ***Be Advised, there are at least 3-5 BROKEN, MISSING, or DAMAGED BOAT LANE MARKERS ON THE NORTH END OF "LITTLE GAS LINE TO HIGHLINE BOAT LANE" FROM RECENT FLOOD DAMAGE. USE EXTREME CAUTION IN THE UPPER END OF THE BOAT LANE FROM THE HIGH LINE TO THE LITTLE GAS LINE CUTOFF AND WATCH FOR MISSING OR DAMAGED TELEPHONE POLE LANE MARKERS and THERE ARE MANY MISSING RIVER BUOYS ALONG LITTLE RIVER FROM YARBOROUGH POINT TO PARALOMA TRAIL!!*** USE EXTREME CAUTION IN NAVIGATION ALONG LITTLE RIVER UNTIL USACE HAS HAD TIME TO REPLACE THE MISSING BUOYS AND POLE MARKERS!!

    NO-WAKE ZONES are in effect at White Cliffs Campground on Little River, and marked with No-Wake buoys. USACE are working with contractors to replace missing river buoys as soon as possible.


    Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging near 67ºF early to 72ºF range later under full sun, depending on location. Continue to use caution in navigation on Little River and Millwood this week, watching for random, broken, or floating timber with the current conditions of river flow in Little River. Navigation conditions are cautioned, with the current & discharge.


    Clarity and visibility conditions, have stained up again from recent thunderstorms and high wind. Navigation is considered cautious along Little River with the discharge around 20,000CFS. Debris remains present in Little River current, use caution. Further up river finds highest turbidity rates. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility is moderate stain, ranging approx 4-8 inches. Little River is improving and visibility ranges 3-5 inches, slight stained conditions, depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity slightly improved with most recent lake level stabilizing, but stain is obvious in the mouths of the oxbows. Currently, oxbow clarity ranges approx 20-25 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: The bite for bass has been excellent for Largemouth Bass over the last few weeks. We are beginning to see good activity shift to earlier in the mid-mornings in the oxbows and pockets, away from river current. Numerous Largemouths are wrapping up their annual spawns and many are now post-spawn. There are a few areas around the lake where Largemouth Bass remain in the spawning mode. Excellent reactions continue with Bass Assassin Shads, Bang XX FAT JOBS, trick worms, soft plastic frogs, and chatterbaits. The bite frequency and patterns improved again with increased surface temps this week. The best locations over the past few weeks have been in the back of the oxbows and pockets along main lake, where water conditions and clarity are best. Best bite is shifting to mid-mornings and during the afternoon, in creeks and deeper creek swings. The further away from Little River muddy current, seems to find the best Largemouth activity. Anywhere you can see stumps, fresh lily pad shoots, or new grass are blooming, being prime locations. We continue to see very good Bass reactions with Bass Assassin Shads, and frogs in pads on the flats, and in the creeks between 5-7 feet of depth this week also.


    Bulky, fat tube jigs like magnum, fat 4" Gizzits, Brush Hogs, and Real Deal Custom Tackle Jigs are still working and taking a few chunky, Largemouths on trees from 3-8 feet deep, and on stumps, from 6-8 feet deep. Cotton Candy, Pumpkinseed & chartreuse, chartreuse pumpkin, and Blackberry colors continue to be good colors for soft plastic brush hogs or lizards from solitary Bass. Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs in Texas Craw, Black/blue, or black/blue/purple, with black craw trailer continue getting a few good reaction bites near stumps, from 4-6 feet of depth in outer bends of creeks and ditches with cypress trees. Bass Assassin Shads and Bang XX Fat Jobs continue to draw great reactions in the oxbows in 2-5' depth of water in fresh hydrilla, coontail grass, deertounge grass, and new lily pad growth.


    War Eagle Spinnerbaits, or Brazalo Custom Chatterbaits, in Spot Remover, Hot Mouse, or Dirty Hot Pumpkin Shad colors are still working from last week, and getting good reactions in the oxbows fished slow from 6-8 feet of depth. If the water clarity is stained and dirty, we are switching over to a Fire Tiger color in the dirtier water. Brazalo Chatterbaits in Firetiger, Chartreuse/orange Bream, and Hot Dirty Shad colors with a beaver or Bang Boss Shiner swim bait trailer are catching solid, random, Bass from 4-5 pounds.


    White Bass: More White Bass continue being caught upriver, on Rocket Shads, Bomber Crankbaits, and Rat-L-Traps between State Highway 71 and Patterson Shoals over the past week. The White Bass continue in their annual spawning runs up the Little River to Patterson Shoals headwaters above highway 71 bridge. Catches of 30-50 White Bass in a few hours, are typical.


    Crappie: continue biting well in the oxbows, finding the clearest water from 2-3 feet clarity you can, near cypress trees and knees, being the highest activity areas, and are hitting minnows and jigs from 2-4 feet of depth around cypress trees. Best colors of jigs over the past couple weeks or so have been black/chartreuse, red/white, or blue/chartreuse.

    Cats: Blues and Channels were hitting Kings punch bait, chicken hearts, and hot dogs on noodles, trot lines, and yo-yos along Little River, all are working well.


    Lake Level & River Conditions Report


    Millwood Lake and Little River conditions worsened from recent storms, and now the lake is back on the rise above normal, at approx 24 inches above normal pool. Little River Navigation Conditions are cautious over the past week with the increase in pool and river current/discharge. USE CAUTION: There are numerous missing river marker buoys from Yarborough point to Paraloma Trail. Several more missing along Little River from Paraloma to the clear cut on main lake. Clarity along the river is worse over last week, with river debris present. Currently the lake elevation is approx 24 inches above normal pool. Lake Elevation continues to rise, with increased current of Little River is around 20,000 CFS as of Monday. Exercise caution during navigation on Millwood Lake along Little River with the changing release rates and river flow conditions, as some debris is present in current flow and discharge rates. Always use caution during navigation along Little River with current, or high flow conditions. Expect to see normal pool possibly by next week with no additional rainfall.

    **** Be Advised, there are at least 3-5 BROKEN, MISSING, or DAMAGED BOAT LANE MARKERS ON THE "LITTLE GAS LINE TO HIGHLINE BOAT LANE" FROM RECENT FLOOD DAMAGE. USE EXTREME CAUTION IN THE UPPER END OF THE BOAT LANE FROM THE HIGH LINE TO THE LITTLE GAS LINE CUTOFF AND WATCH FOR MISSING OR DAMAGED TELEPHONE POLE LANE MARKERS! THERE ARE NUMEROUS MISSING RIVER BUOYS FROM YARBOROUGH TO PARALOMA TRAIL ALONG LITTLE RIVER! USE EXTREME CAUTION IN NAVIGATION WITH DEBRIS SCATTERED ALONG LITTLE RIVER AND MISSING RIVER BUOY MARKERS!!! USE EXTREME CAUTION IN NAVIGATION ALONG LITTLE RIVER UNTIL THE USACE HAS HAD SUFFICIENT TIME TO REPLACE MISSING RIVER BUOYS AND POLE MARKERS!!


    Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging in the 67ºF early to 72ºF range, depending on location and time of day. Navigation is cautious with some debris fields present in current flow. USACE are working to replace missing buoys as soon as possible.

    Normal consv. pool is 259.2 ft-msl. Monday's pool elevation is 261.2 ft-msl and slowly rising. The tailwater level is rising with gate release at the dam around 20,000CFS, near 241 ft-msl. Wear your life jacket and kill switch and watch for obstructions, floaters, broken limbs, logs, and debris along Little River during navigation. New NO-WAKE ZONE in effect at 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. Watch for increased current and debris in Little River.

    Clarity and visibility slightly worsened over the past couple days with recent high winds and thunderstorms. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 4-8 inches. Little River's visibility is stained up river, the river clarity ranges 3-5 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 20 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....


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





    'Get The Net.............


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


    "Your fun we take seriously, so you don't have to!"







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




    Come see what all the excitement's about! Southwest Arkansas' best bassin' getaway! Watch our videos on Youtube and FaceBook by searching keywords: Millwood Lake Guide Service!!


    29+ years in the professional guide business on Millwood Lake since 1990, and over 5 million Florida Bass stocked by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission! Let us help YOU, GET OUT THERE!
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