• 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 Tuesday, 4 June, Millwood Lake pool continues falling from thunderstorms over several weeks. Lake elevation is approx 7" above normal pool and falling. USACE made gate changes at the dam on Monday and are releasing around 15,000 CFS, which could change again by mid-week. Millwood lake's pool level is above normal conservation pool at 259.8 ft-msl. The tailwater below the dam is also beginning to fall from the Red River backing up, and with USACE gates release at the dam, and is around 246 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 cautioned again this week, and numerous trees/logs and river 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 77ºF early to 85ºF 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, continue improving away from Little River current. Navigation is considered cautious along Little River with high discharge rates. 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 3-5 inches. Little River is muddy current and visibility ranges 0-5 inches, stained conditions, depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity slightly stained up with most recent lake level rising, and stain is obvious in the mouths of the oxbows. Currently, oxbow clarity ranges 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: Dawn and early morning activity in the oxbows, away from river current are getting good reactions on topwaters. Lily Pads and grass convergences over primary or secondary underwater points and humps are primary ambush points for Bass over the past week, hitting and slapping buzzbaits, plastic frogs, Bass Assassin Shads, Spittin' Images, and Bone-colored Magnum Pop-R's. 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. The further away from Little River muddy current, seems to find the best Largemouth activity. Anywhere you find fresh lily pads, new grass, and stumps being prime locations. We continue to see very good 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.


    Bass Assassin Shad Assassins, Skunk Apes, & Johnson Chrome Spoons in the pads all continue to get good reactions. Chrome spoons with a white 3" curly tail grub trailer are catching 2-4 pound Largemouths in the pads as long as you have 20-50lb braid line. Heddon Moss Boss in white scale or leopard frog colors are getting hits. 10" worms in peanut butter 'n jelly, Real Deal Custom Tackle Jigs in Texas Craw or Black/purple, are working on trees from 5-9 feet deep, and on stumps, from 6-8 feet deep. Peanut butter/jelly, Blackberry, Grey Ghost, Pumpkinseed/chartreuse, and Salt'N Pepper Silver Phantom colors continue to be good colors for soft plastics. Wacky rigged, 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. Best color for Buzzbaits we are using in the past week or so have been Avocado, Spot Remover, or Hot Spot Remover, and Bleeding Firecracker.


    War Eagle Spinnerbaits, or Brazalo Custom Chatterbaits, in Spot Remover, Hot Bream, or Hot Dirty Shad colors are still working from last week, and getting good reactions in the oxbows. 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 using a Bang Boss Shiner swim bait trailer are catching solid, random, Bass from 2-4 pounds. Fast moving Rat-L-Traps have slowed in last few weeks with the Bass preferring a slower moving, fat meal. However by switching to a Floating Rat-L-Trap that you can stop and go without hanging up in the hydrilla you can get a good reaction when they follow the bait only a few feet and it stops and sits in their face. Tennessee Shad, Red Shad, and Stumpknocker colors being the most effective on the pause, with a stop and go/stop and float presentation.


    White Bass: No Report this week, still on the lam.


    Crappie: are beginning to recover, and reposition themselves after the recent 2-4' muddy rise and high current over 20,000CFS. Brush piles and standing timber are starting to attract the Crappie again, as long as they are located out of Little River current and flow. Persistence is the best factor right now, and vertical jigging minnows can get you bit if you are patient, from 9-15' of depth away from current.

    Cats: Blue and Channel Cats continue biting well in Little River current on trot lines. Several guys we spoke to were having a great morning a few days ago using King's Punch bait and homemade bait with spoiled chicken livers and gizzards.



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


    Millwood Lake and Little River conditions are recovering from recent storms, and now the lake is nearing normal again. As of Tuesday pool is still approx 7 inches above normal pool. Little River Navigation Conditions are cautious. Clarity along the river is improved from last week, with river debris present. Lake Elevation continues to fall, with increased current of Little River is around 15,000 CFS. Exercise caution during navigation on Millwood Lake along Little River with the changing release rates and river flow conditions, as 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 increased, high discharge rates this week to return lake elevation to normal pool.

    **** 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 77ºF early to 85ºF 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 259.8 ft-msl and slowly rising. The tailwater level has begun falling with Red River cresting this week, and USACE gate release at the dam around 15,000CFS, near 246 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 2-3 inches. Little River's visibility is stained to muddy with existing high discharge rates and the river clarity ranges 0-2 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently 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.


    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.............
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