• 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, 17 June, Millwood Lake pool continues falling. Lake elevation is approx 4" above normal pool and falling. USACE made gate changes at the dam on Monday and are releasing around 13,400 CFS, which could change again by mid-week. Millwood lake's pool level is above normal conservation pool at 259.6 ft-msl. The tailwater below the dam is also beginning to fall and with USACE gates release at the dam, and is around 243 ft-msl. Water temps were stable 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 76ºF early to 83ºF 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:


    We have been seeing nice numbers of Bass busting Heddon Moss Bosses and the Yum Tip Toads here in lily pads near bases of Cypress trees for several weeks. The Bass are once again feeding great early in the mornings from just before dawn til around 10am. The best reactions we have seen lately up in the thick of it, where lily pads and hydrilla or coontail grass converge over primary or secondary points and humps, are things heart attacks are made of. I am typically starting the dawn hours with a Snot Rocket or Bullfrog color Tip Toad, skipping it to the back of cypress trees where ridges extend out onto points. I am letting the frog and the water ripples settle to still, and kill it either side of the base of the Cypress tree back under low branches. Many mornings, we have had Largemouth Bass hammer this presentation knocking the Tip Toad 1-2 feet in the air and crushing it. Some days of course are different, and after I kill the Tip Toad on the base of the Cypress tree, i just notice my line swimming off in one direction or the other. Be sure to retie frequently and check line abrasion all day because of this jungle we fish in on Millwood Lake. If the water has heavy stain, i am dipping the feet of the Tip Toad in chartreuse JJ's Magic Dye.


    The Heddon Moss Boss we are throwing is the Black Shad or the White Scaled colors. If its a relatively dark morning, heavy cloud cover, or showers I typically start with the Black Shad. If the morning is cloud free, clear and bright, I am throwing the White Scaled version as far back into pads as I can reach, move it fast for 3-5 feet of distance, and kill it on top of a lily pad, and let it sit. If that doesn't initiate a reaction, i will "quiver" my rod tip and make the Moss Boss shimmy, shake, and vibrate on top of the lily pad. Some of these silly acrobatic Largemouths, are coming up underneath a lily pad that the Moss Boss is resting or sitting on, and bust the bottom of the pad knocking the Moss Boss 2-3 feet in the air. It's crazy insane to watch, even when we miss a few Bass when they knock it 2-3 feet away another direction. Many times you will see the wake of the Bass running to where the Moss Boss landed, and they will come completely our of the water next to a pad, and crash down on top of the Moss Boss. Yes, Moss Bosses work well in grass and moss too, but to see the Moss Boss in action in the pads is heart stopping stuff!


    If we are fishing in a calm/no wind day, we are still throwing Arbogast Jitterbugs or Arborgast Jointed Jitterbugs to create a subtle crawl wake, at dawn for a good reaction. Best retrieve on tabletop calm water I have had is to cast the Jitterbug parallel to the lily pad line, over deeper water from 7-12 feet where points extend, and hydrilla or coontail moss is growing near stumps or laydowns. I slowly wake the Jitterbug, much much slower than a buzzbait, almost just a crawl, to put off a tail-walking, wake behind it. I am constantly scanning 5-10 feet of surrounding water for any movement. If I see any type of subsurface activity or motion wakes, I kill the Jitterbug and just let it sit, sometimes 1-3 minutes without any motion or lateral movement at all. If after sitting a couple minutes no reaction, I will slowly twitch the Jitterbug like a struggling bird, or injured Bream, just for 2-4 feet and kill it again. Many times, this will initiate an immediate response from nice 3-5 pound Largemouths. If they are finicky, or picky eaters, I just wake the Jitterbug back to the boat changing rhythm until I get a reaction, and then repeat the action, in similar areas. I like to let the Bass tell me how they want it, and I keep changing up the cadence and the retrieve until I make one react on it. For the past several weeks, the best colors we are using to get best reaction with on stained Millwood Lake are the Coach Dog, Firetiger, or Perch.


    Yum Dingers are still working, wacky rigged here also. Millwood Lake has so much vegetation, one has to be semi-selective about where you throw the wacky rigs or you will be dragging salad on every cast. I like throwing the Yum Dingers wacky rigged in the same locations, on lily pad edges over grass, as the Jitterbugs, just not letting it sink all the way into the grass 6-9 feet below, but along edges of the lily pads. Best retrieve on the wacky rigs is simply cast parallel to the edges of the pad lines, and short, hard, jerking twitches following the pad edges. Many times, Bass will run out from underneath the pads, snatch the Yum Dinger and immediately turn 180º and run back under the lily pad edges. I have found its better to pause on the hook set a few seconds, until the Bass has swam 2-4 feet with the Dinger before setting the hook. Yes, sometimes that means that they have swam back into the pads, but setting to fast before he has entire Dinger and hook in his mouth, will result in a swing and a miss by not allowing him enough time after he grabs the Dinger and swim off. I typically try to pause long enough, that the Bass has taken all the slack out of my line, and I begin to feel him pulling my rod. That's typically when I hit him hard and even if he's back inside the pad line, I have enough good hookset, that I can horse him out, or hold him long enough to go into the pads 3-5 feet and lip the Bass out of the salad. Lots of folks miss lots of Bass with this presentation by setting hooks far to early and quick.


    Lastly, we continue to have a Yum 10" Ribbon Tail on deck. We are rigging up a Yum 10" worm with the 3/16oz slip sinker ahead of a glass clacker bead, not pegged for the clicking and ticking sound of the bullet weight on the glass bead. Less resistance comes through all this vegetation so much better. Best colors we have been using on Millwood Lake for the last 3-4 weeks in the Yum 10" Ribbon Tail Worm have been the Blue Fleck, Black/Blue Flake, Red Shad, and Plum. We are throwing the Yum 10" Ribbon Tail in nearly the same water as the Yum Dingers, and swimming it just off the bottom over the tops of the hydrilla and coontail grass. This will tease the Bass into some of the most violent worm strikes we have ever experienced. If you are not ready on point, the ferocity with which some of these 3-5 pound Largemouth Bass strike a swimming 10" Yum Dinger is something to behold. They will literally almost rip the rod out of your hands with this methodology. Another good thing about having a Yum 10" Ribbon Tail on deck is, that if one of the Bass hits or slaps at the Jitterbug or Moss Boss and miss the bait, I will immediately lay down my top water rod leaving the bait where the Bass missed it, and pitch the Yum 10" Ribbon Tail worm to the swirl of the missed strike. I cannot tell you how many times, the Bass has grabbed the Yum 10" Ribbontail worm on the fall, not even 2-5 seconds after the miss, before the Ribbon Tail has dropped more than 1-2 feet of depth. It works, and I always have a Yum 10" worm rigged, ready, and on deck year-round!


    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. 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 couple weeks have been Hot Spot Remover, and Firecracker.


    War Eagle Spinnerbaits, and 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 near where Little River still has swift current, behind primary points. 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. Floating Rat-L-Traps, that you can stop and go without hanging up in the hydrilla, will get a good reaction when the Bass follow the bait only a few feet and it stops and pauses 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 using the Floating Rat-L-Traps.


    White Bass: No Report.


    Crappie: are beginning to recover and best near standing timber and planted brush piles, 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. King's Punch bait and homemade bait with spoiled chicken livers and gizzards have been working on trot lines set from 8-15 feet in river current have been working for last several weeks.



    }><(((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 Monday pool is still approx 4 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 13,000 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 76ºF early to 83ºF 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 259.6 ft-msl and slowly falling. The tailwater level has begun falling this week, and USACE gate release at the dam around 13,000CFS, near 243 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!
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