The Overall Picture:


As of Monday, 24 June, the lake level on Millwood continues falling over the past few day's rain events, currently at approx 6 inches above normal conservation pool and falling (as of Monday) at 260.0 ft-msl; and the discharge was near 16,000 CFS in Little River according to the USACE. The tailwater below the dam and gates, as of Monday remains rising, approx 246 ft-msl. Water temps continued improving 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.


***Be Advised, there are at least 2 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 NUMEROUS RIVER BUOYS are MISSING along Little River from Yarborough to main lake clearcut!***

NO-WAKE ZONES are in effect at White Cliffs Campground on Little River, and marked with No-Wake buoys.


Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging near 81ºF early to 89ºF range later under full sun, depending on location. Continue to use caution in navigation on Little River and Millwood watching for random, broken, or floating timber.


Clarity and visibility continue improving over the past week, but remain stained in places, especially up river. The main lake and lower sections of Little River continue to improve, are not quite as stained or muddy as the upper regions of Little River and Saline River. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility is moderate stain, ranging approx 10-15 inches. Little River's visibility ranges 2-4 inches with heavy to moderate stain, depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 15-18 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 over the past week have been best activity levels early and late, from dawn to around 10am. Largemouth Bass have been fair; cloud cover mornings being best activity, over the past few weeks early at dawn and dusk, and activity levels have slowed with the increase of surface temperatures in the mid to upper 80's range over the past week during the heat of the day. Best baits drawing reactions, over the past week or so have been plastic Frogs, and Bass Assassin Shads on a light wire hook working in new Lily Pad growth. Best color of frogs have been Snot Rocket, Black, and June Bug in new lily pads. War Eagle spinnerbaits in white/chartreuse, Spot Remover, Firecracker, or fire tiger colors, continue working randomly, around flooded brush and new emerging vegetation for 2-3 pound Bass. Slow-rolling the spinnerbaits off points, ditches, and creekmouths dumping into Little River from 8-12 feet, will yield a few random bass. Males can still be caught relatively shallow around new vegetation and lily pads. StutterSteps, Spit'n Images, Ken Pops, Pop R's and Buzz baits continue to draw random reactions from Largemouths, around vegetation and new pads. Topwater activity levels have slowed later in the day with the increased heat over the past few days. Top water is very good at dawn using Moss Bosses and Tip Toads as well in the pads.


Shallow running squarebill, 2.0 & 3.0 S-cranks, and Echo 1.75's deflecting and banging/deflecting them off stumps, from 7-12 feet deep, will take a few random, bass around 14-15" in length. Spinnerbaits in Firecracker have been drawing a few reactions near cypress trees and vegetation, all from 9-12 feet deep. In the clearer water of the oxbows, better spinnerbait or chatterbait colors are Firecracker, Spot Remover, or Hot Mouse colors for the last couple weeks. In the more stained areas, the White/Chartreuse and FireTiger were drawing best reactions. Best color of cranks in the oxbows, like the 2.0 S-cranks, and Echo 1.75 squarebills, for the past week or so have been the Bold Bluegill, Millwood Magic, and Ghosts. Rat-L-Traps in Millwood Magic and White Smoke will get a slow, random reaction from 15-18" Bass over the past couple weeks in creek channels leading in and out of spawning flats worked slower and deeper in the creeks. Squarebill S-cranks and shallow running crankbaits in shad or bluegill and bream patterns are working near creek mouths and points extending into the oxbows for the past week or so, as Largemouths have pulled out to deeper sections of creek channels and points dumping into the oxbows. Working the cranks in a stop and go, slow retrieve will draw a better reaction than fast retrieves.

Hog Craws in black and blue flake, Brush Hogs, Beaver Bugs, and Magnum 4" Gitzit tubes continue working for the last couple weeks deeper into the creek channels. Best colors for the past couple weeks working best have been South African Special, PB&J, Watermelon Candy, black/blue, and black neon.

Heavy, big, bulky 10"-12" worms are picking up a few random reactions from Largemouth Bass in creek channels, creek mouths dumping into oxbows, and points. Power worms, and Ole Monster 10"-12" worms in June-Bug/Red, Black, Plum, Red Shad, or Blue Fleck colors have been drawing random reactions from lethargic, Largemouths along steeper ledges, and near stumps and cypress trees in creek channels and near creek mouth junctions, points, and intersecting feeder creeks dumping into the oxbows.


White Bass: Whites have not been seen in the last couple weeks. Last known location was the points extending into Little River either side of the Cossatot River inflow ditch, either side of Highway 71 bridge.


Crappie: were biting jigs and minnows near cypress trees 4-8' deep and planted brush piles out of River current from 8-12 feet deep. Crappie over the past couple weeks seem to be transitioning to deeper drops, near standing timber or planted brush piles but can still be caught early on base of cypress trees. They have been best vertical jigging minnows, Arkie Jigs, and minnows.

Cats: Channel Cats and Blues were fair up to 6lbs, on trot lines set 10-12 feet deep in Little River using chicken livers, gizzards, and hearts using chum blood baits near set trot lines. Last week, a couple guys told us they were doing ok on YoYos hung from Cypress trees using cut shad and buffalo, in Mud Lake near the back, in 8-9 feet under the cypress tree limbs also




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


**** Be Advised, there are at least 2 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 and NUMBERS of MISSING RIVER BUOYS ARE STILL ABSENT FROM YARBOROUGH TO PARALOMA TRAIL.


Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging in the 81ºF early to 89ºF range, depending on location.


Lake level as of Monday remains approx 6" inches above normal conservation pool, at 260.1 ft-msl and falling (as of Monday) with current and discharge near 16,000 CFS as of Monday. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. The tailwater level as of Monday, approx 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 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 improving, moderate stain, but muddy further up river. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 5-6 inches. Little River's visibility is muddy up river, but improving further down to the main lake, the river clarity ranges 2-4 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 10-20 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River above McGuire oxbow is rolling muddy with current. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds, rain, or thunderstorms.

Be sure to note, new NO WAKE buoys in Little River along White Cliffs Campground, and NO TOLERANCE is being enforced by AGFC.


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!!