Navigation conditions in Little River are cautioned with broken debris.

Navigation conditions in Little River are cautioned with broken debris.

As of Monday 5 May, Largemouth Bass improved again. Increased current in Little River from last week with increase of discharge of pool from Tri Lakes (Gillam, Dierks, De Queen Lakes) has Millwood slightly rising this week. A good population of the bass are still pre spawn. Many upriver Largemouth Bass have already spawned over last 3-4 weeks. Water temps consistent from last week. Jigs, 10-12" worms, magnum lizards, large Rat-L-Traps, & magnum tubes contine working well on Bass.

Keepers from 4 pounds, up to 10 pounds have been caught and released, over the past 2- 3 weeks. The water clarity along the river is muddy from recent influx of discharge from Tri Lakes. Main lake clarity is improving away from current. Be very diligent of floating debris, still coming down Little River. Limbs, and high density broken vegetation in heavy current of Little River, due to increased discharge at the dam is still present.

As of Monday, 5 May, the main lake and Little River's water surface temp ranging approx 63º to 75º, depending of course, on location and time of day. Lake level on Millwood as of Tuesday 6 May, is still approx 1.3 feet above normal, and slowly rising, at 260.39 feet. Normal pool is 259.2 feet. Little River's clarity as of Monday, is approx 2-4" visibility. Main lake clarity and visibility 5-6". Current in Little River and discharge at the dam is 18,048 CFS as of Tuesday, to normalize lake level. Much debris, grass mats, tree limbs, etc is coming down Little River. Use caution during navigations on Millwood until normal pool can be returned. Some river buoys are clogged with broken loose grass and vegetation mats, missing, or forced out of the channel due to heavy debris in current. USACE is working diligently to replace river buoys that were pushed to the bank during the 6-8' rise.

All USACE boat ramps and campgrounds are now open again, as of Monday 5 May 08.

Upriver oxbow's clarity approx 8-10". The tailwater elevation was unavailable below the spillway on Tuesday, 06 April. Discharge/ Release Rate at the spillway of 18,048 CFS is with all 13 tainer gates open at at 3.6 feet each. The recent high wind on the lake has moved many of the Little River buoys out of the channel center. Use caution in navigation with increase in debris content w/ increase of very high current in Little River.

The Details:

Largemouth Bass: The past week, has been good, again, for Millwood Lake. The water temps continue to rise, and the lake level is slightly rising from recent discharge from the Tri Lakes which are ranging from 15-25 feet still above normal. Some Largemouths we are finding have already spawned out, as beds have been seen up river at various locations. Some remain staging and full of roe. Numerous males and fat females have been seen & caught up to 8 & 9 pounds each, in bedding area flats adjacent to deep water drops and creek channels. Bass from 4-7 pounds are consistent over the past week and have improved again from last week on jigs and bulky worms and lizards.

Overall the bass bite continues improving. Fish are slowly recovering with lake level reaching closer to normal pool. The most aggressive bite remains on jigs in black/blue, black/blue/purple, Bass Assassin Shads in baby bass or bubble gum pink, Trick Worms and Senkos in watermelon-red, Topwater Toads, and big bulky Rat-L-Traps. Southern Pro Fattbutt Tubes (with rattles) in black-red flake are still working in off-colored water, and purple smoke in the clearer water. 10" worms or lizards in black/blue, june bug-red, red shad or pumpkinseed/chart; Hog Assassins in black emerald, and green pumpkin are working well.

Siefert's Buzz Baits, in bubble-gum/black, or black & red near newly emerging lily pads, in the clearest water you can find, are drawing good reactions from big fish, as long as you use a trailer hook!

Spot remover-orange & hot mouse, War Eagle spinnerbaits, slow-rolling, are taking some decent 15" to 19" sized Largemouths around flooded vegetation and cypress trees, away from current of the river, close to deep water. Rat-L-Traps in red shad, Sexy Shad West, or Toledo Gold Craw colors seem to be the best lipless crank bait bites over the past week.

White Bass: Some nice White Bass were caught adjacent to creek mouths dumping into Little River, just inside the current breaks, above White Cliffs this week between 2.5 to 3.5 pounds each.

Crappie: Crappie bite, took another major improvement this past week. The big Crappie have been caught under cypress trees on live shiners, red/white or white/chartruese jigs, over the past couple weeks.

Channel Cats: The good news continues for Blues, and remains consistent and steady w/ the current in Little River over the past couple weeks. Channel Cats, from 3-8 pounds each for the past several weeks, are good, using dog food, cut shad or Charlie, on trot lines and yo-yo's along the river and in oxbows hung from cypress trees in approx 9-11 feet water depth, near river current.

Bream: Beginning to bite good again along the banks on crickets and red worms around docks and cypress trees. White/chartreuse or white/yellow popping bugs on fly rods, remain catching nice Red Ear and Mason Bream.

Longnose Gar: Still remain relatively shallow and cruising, are actively seen in huge numbers in shallow water spawning areas are making excellent opportunities for bow fishermen. Clusters of 2-4 fish swimming together, and large females, in 1-3 feet of water depth, are being seen in backwater sloughs and oxbows.

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

Navigation conditions in Little River are cautioned, with increased current & debris.

As of Monday, 5 May, the main lake and Little River's water surface temp ranging approx 63º to 75º, depending of course, on location and time of day. Lake level on Millwood as of Tuesday 6 May, is still approx 1.3 feet above normal, and slowly rising, at 260.39 feet. Normal pool is 259.2 feet. Little River's clarity as of Monday, is approx 2-4" visibility. Main lake clarity and visibility 5-6". Current in Little River and discharge at the dam is 18,048 CFS as of Tuesday, to normalize lake level. Much debris, grass mats, tree limbs, etc is coming down Little River. Use caution during navigations on Millwood until normal pool can be returned. Some river buoys are clogged with broken loose grass and vegetation mats, missing, or forced out of the channel due to heavy debris in current. USACE is working diligently to replace river buoys that were pushed to the bank during the 6-8' rise.

All USACE boat ramps and campgrounds are now open again, as of Monday 5 May 08.

Upriver oxbow's clarity approx 8-10". The tailwater elevation was unavailable below the spillway on Tuesday, 06 April. Discharge/ Release Rate at the spillway of 18,048 CFS is with all 13 tainer gates open at at 3.6 feet each. The recent high wind on the lake has moved many of the Little River buoys out of the channel center. Use caution in navigation with increase in debris content w/ increase of very high current in Little River.

Wear your Life Jacket!! 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!!

Don't forget, be courteous, and respect the other guy's right to use the lake too. Release those big bass to spawn and fight again, and take home those little 16"ers to fry up! Use caution in low light conditions, and wear your flotation device! If you are suddenly thrown from your boat, or knocked unconscious, your life preserver can potentially be your only hope to survive.