The Overall Picture:
As of Monday, 9 June, the lake level is approx 8 inches above normal conservation pool and rising. There is increased current of Little River with the gates releasing around 2354 CFS as of Monday. Water temps were stable over the past week. Lake level has risen again dramatically with all the thunderstorms over the past week. Navigation is near normal for Little River, as of Monday
Surface temps as of Monday, 9 June are ranging approx 70ºF early to 80ºF range, depending on location.
Lake level as of Monday, is currently is 259.83 mfsl, with increased river current, which is approx 8 inches above normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was 2354 CFS. Continue to use caution during navigation on Little River and Millwood, watching for floating debris, floaters, and limbs from all the recent high wind and thunderstorms.
Clarity and visibility is reduced compared to last week, most areas on main lake and Little River. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 3-5 inches. Cottonshed and northeast section of the lake remains heavy stained to muddy. Little River's visibility ranges 5-6 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 10-12 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River above McGuire oxbow is muddy with lots of current. 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.
The Details:
Largemouth Bass: Over the past week, the Largemouth Bass are good between to 2 and 5 pounds on topwaters early and late. Most bass are agressive at dawn in pads and vegetation shallow.
Ken Pops, Cordell Crazy Shads, Baby Torpedoes, various frogs, and Buzz Baits are best bets, early and late. Buzz baits in Avocado Orange, Bleeding Bream, or Casper Ghost around pads and vegetation adjacent to deeper sections of the creek channels are working. Finding clearer water areas away from current in Little River are producing best reaction bites. Best colors of Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs over the past week or two have been the Texas Craw, Cinnamon Raisin, or black / blue / purple. Good bites were found on the plastic frogs this week around pads in any clear water you can find.
The further from Little River current will produce best activity and agressive reactions. Bass Assassin Shads also continue working around vegetation, and crankbaits are better around deeper drops into the creek channels. Magnum sized, 4" salty tubes in pumpkinseed, black/blue tail, or bleeding shad colors were working last week.
Bass Assassin Shads and plastic frogs continue catching nice bass in the oxbows over the past couple weeks in and around heavy vegetation lines and new lily pads beginning to bloom. Lots of 2-3 pound bass are continue reacting to the Soft plastic Shads and frogs. Lots of top water action are hitting Zara Spooks, Jitterbugs, and Moss Bosses around pads and vegetation, early at dawn.
Best colors Rat-L-Traps and crankbaits working over the past week were Millwood Magic, Sunrise Perch, or Chrome Black Zombie away from any remaining current. Back in the oxbows as far from river current and in the clearing water, around 4-8 feet depth flats near creek channel swings, deflecting off stumps in the clearest water you can locate seem to produce best over the past couple weeks.
White Bass: Whites/hybrids were found and caught on jigging spoons behind primary points in the river, just out of the current.
Crappie: No report of a consistent pattern/bite.
Cats: Blues and channel cats continue biting good in the current in Little River over the past week on trot lines set approx 10-12 feet deep in creek mouths and outer bends of the river. Best trotline baits cut shad, chicken livers, and stink balls on trot lines. YoYos were taking some 2-4 pound blues in Mud Lake oxbow up Little River using live shiners last week under cypress trees in 8-12 feet depths.
}><(((º> Lake Level & River Conditions Report <º)))><{
Surface temps as of Monday, 9 June are ranging 70ºF early to 80ºF range, depending on location.
Lake level as of Monday is currently 8 inches above normal pool at 259.83 mfsl, and rising with increased river current. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate was around 2354 CFS on Monday. The tailwater level as of Monday, with the recent rains is 233.25 mfsl. Continue to use caution during navigation on Little River and Millwood, watching for floating debris, floaters, and limbs from all the recent high wind and thunderstorms.
Clarity and visibility is reduced compared to last week, most areas on main lake and Little River. As of Monday on main lake structure away from current, clarity & visibility ranges approx 3-5 inches. Cottonshed and northeast section of the lake remains heavy stained to muddy. Little River's visibility ranges 5-6 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 10-12 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River above McGuire oxbow is muddy with lots of current. 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....
'Til next week, see you on the lake........ and BE CAREFUL out there!


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