The Overall Picture:

As of Monday, 04 July, the lake level is approx 1.5 feet below normal conservation pool and falling. There is current in Little River; tailwater & gate discharge is unavailable as of Tuesday. Water temps were stable over the past week. Lake level has dropped sharply, over the past week. Use extreme caution during navigation due to stumps and submerged lodged timber are at or near surface!

Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging approx 79ºF early to 90ºF range, depending on location. Lake level as of Monday, is currently is 257.70 ft-msl, with current, which is approx 1.5 feet below normal conservation pool. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Tuesday was unavailable. Navigation considered extreme caution on Little River and Millwood, watching for stumps and timber at surface with low level this week. Tail water unavailable.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission released approximately 150,000 purebred Florida Bass bull fingerlings over the past 2 weeks into Millwood to boost the population of Florida Bass. AGFC additionally released approximately 44,100 purebred Florida Bass bull fingerlings into Bois' de Arc Lake between Hope and Lewisville, Arkansas over the past few weeks as well.

Clarity and visibility is improved 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 10-15 inches. Cottonshed and northeast section of the lake remains heavy stained. Little River's visibility ranges 12-15 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 20 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.

The Details:

Largemouth Bass: Bass are fair between 2 and 4 pounds on topwaters early and late. Most bass are the most aggressive at dawn around lily pad stands, stumps, cypress trees, and vegetation shallow. Soft platic Frogs, Buzz baits, Arborghast Jitterbugs in frog colors, Zara spooks in shad patterns, and Crazy Shads are still drawing reactions at the surface at daybreak. Soft plastic Bass Assassin Shads are still drawing good responses, early and later in the day by deadsticking. Buzz baits are working in Bleeding Bream, black, or bleeding shad (white/pink) colors around pads and vegetation adjacent to deeper sections of the creek channels. Best colors of Crazy Shad are chrome/black back and Bass Assassin Shads best in Salt and Pepper Silver Phantom. Good bites continue on black, white, and june bug colored soft plastic frogs this week around pads in clearest water you can find.

The bite has improved on jigs in Little River now that the current has slowed some, and fish are relating to the river especially with the 1.5 foot lower level this week. Big magnum tubes, bulky 10" worms, and squarebill crankbaits are working long old river channel swings where creeks and sloughs feed Little River. The Bass Assassin Shads in salt & pepper or crystal shad colors continue working around vegetation, and Rat-L-Trap/Echo 1.75 squarebills are working around deeper drops in Little River, and in the mouths of creek channels dumping into the river. Best color of magnum sized, 4" salty tubes are black/blue tail, bluegill, or Irish Whiskey colors have been working over the past several weeks.

Lots of top water action continues this week away from current of Little River, and topwater Zara Spooks, Pop-Rs and Jitterbugs, work best right at daylight.

10" bulky worms, jigs, tubes, and squarebill Echo 1.75 and deeper crankbaits are working after the topwater bite subsides. Best colors have been black, blue fleck, and plum on the big worms. Best Echo 1.75 crankbaits are the Millwood Magic, and ghost colors. Deeper diving cranks like the Fat Free Shad are working from 6-9 feet deep in Citruse and Tennessee Shad colors. War Eagle spinnerbaits continue working in Cole Slaw, Aurora, and Spot Remover colors around stumps and in vegetation over this past week.

Real Deal Custom Tackle jigs are taking nice bass in the 3-4lb class using Texas Craw, Watermelon Candy, or june bug colors with a green pumpkin or black craw trailer. Black and and blue chatterbaits, are still working around pads and stumps from 5-8 feet of depth in shady areas of the oxbows, and under overhanging willow trees along steep banks of Little River.

White Bass: Whites/hybrids continue roaming Little River and the oxbows, and have been caught on Fat Free Shad crankbaits, Little Georges, Beetle Spins, Rooster Tails, and Rocket Shads from approx 9-15 feet deep.

Crappie: the Crappie bite continued improving over the past week, and were biting over planted brush piles vertical jigging tubes and jigs from 12-16 feet of depth. Best colors were white, chartreuse, and blue combinations.

Cats: Blues and channel cats continue biting good in the current in Little River over the past week on trot lines, approx 8-10 feet, in creek mouths and outer bends of the river. Best bites continue to be on cut buffalo, cut shad, and chicken livers.

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

Surface temps as of Monday, are ranging 79ºF early to 90ºF range, depending on location.

Lake level as of Monday is currently 1.5 feet below normal pool, and falling with river current. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate was unavailable on Tuesday. The tailwater level as of Monday, also has dropped but level was unavailable. Continue to use extreme caution during navigation on Little River and Millwood, due to lake level has dropped sharply over the past week, being approx 1.5 feet below normal pool as of Monday. Stumps, timber, and lodged debris are at or near surface presenting obstruction hazards for navigation. Wear your life jacket and kill switch and watch for obstructions.

Clarity and visibility is improved 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 10-15 inches. Cottonshed and northeast section of the lake remains heavy stained. Little River's visibility ranges 12-15 inches depending on location and current. The oxbow's clarity currently ranging approx 20 inches depth of visibility depending on location. Little River above McGuire oxbow is stained with 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....

Use extreme caution in navigation, wear your life jacket and let us know how we can help you

GET OUT THERE!!!