* Ed Note: New regulations for Largemouth Bass have gone into effect as of January 1, 2012. See AGFC Website or recent regulation handbook for details (creel increased to six/person/day, no length restrictions).


Millwood Lake Fishing and Conditions Report
16 January 2012
Submitted each Monday/Tuesday for AGFC by
www.MillwoodGuideService.com

"""<º)))><{""" Fishing & Species Report """}><(((º>"""

The Overall Picture:


As of Monday 16 Jan, the lake level began dropping slowly back to normal conservation pool and is expected to continue through the week. Current and muddy water had the Largemouth Bass scattered over the past couple weeks, but bites can be had throughout the afternoon. The Bass for the past several weeks, have shifted to breaks behind points downstream of increased muddy incoming water and current. White bass, Kentucky bass, have scattered on Little River and her oxbows over the past week. Stable temperatures continue to bunch the Crappie tighter and closer in brush piles, but have moved to clearer water locations, out of current and muddy water.

Surface temps rose slightly over the past week, & as of Monday 16 Jan are currently ranging 52ºF early to 55ºF later in the afternoon hours, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location and time of day. Call the USACE for lake level daily updates, Little River current, discharge release, and tail water levels.

Lake level as of Monday 16 Jan, is currently is 260.51 mfsl, and falling, which is now 15.7 inches above normal. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Friday was increased with 13 gates open at 1 foot, for a increase in total discharge to 8,818 CFS. The tailwater level as of Monday, has increased to 236.63 mfsl and is rising w/increased discharge at the dam.

Use extreme caution during navigation. There is a considerable amount of current with debris in Little River due to the incoming muddy water and release rate at the dam. Clarity and visibility as of Monday on main lake is improving; visibility was reduced from increased current, incoming rain, thunderstorms and wind over the past few weeks, currently ranging approx 5-8 inches in the River depending on location. The oxbow's clarity are better, with heavy stain, ranging approx 18-20 inches visibility depending on location. Water temps are dropping lake-wide, due to recent back to back cold fronts. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds or thunderstorms.

Currently, as of Monday 16 Jan, four-foot drawdown ended. The lake has been held 2 feet above normal conservation pool for approximately 30 days. The USACE began releasing to normal conservation pool of 259.2 mfsl late last week. River Run East facilities are still undergoing maintenance and upgrades, and as such, still closed until mid-July 2012. Paraloma Park is closed for the winter. All other ramps and USACE parks are open. USACE recently completed updates at White Cliffs Camp ground with addition of 6-8 more campsites, and other facility improvements.

To volunteer for one of the cleanup dates or ramp and USACE park information, contact Brooke Kervin at the Millwood Tri-Lakes Project Office. To receive updates or volunteer, call the US Army Corps of Engrs toll-free information line at 888-697-9830.

New regulations for Largemouth Bass have gone into effect as of January 1, 2012. See AGFC Website or recent regulation handbook for details (creel increased to six/person/day, no length restrictions).

The Details:

Largemouth Bass: The best bass bite over the past week, has been pitching soft plastics to stumps, grass, lily pads, and wood laydowns behind points and cuts of the river, in the swirling eddies where current break lines are being used by the Bass with all the incoming rising muddy water and current. The lake level has began dropping back to normal conservation pool, and we are finding the bass in transition pulling back out to major creek tributaries and junctions with Little River.

The 2-5 pound sized Largemouths over the past week have been good with the warmer day time highs. The best bet over the past week continues to be on Gene Larew Hog Craws in black, or black & blue, and June Bug colors. Yum Wooly Bugs, or creature baits like Zoom Brush Hogs Texas rigged, in Watermelon-Red, Black-Blue, and Killer Craw, were also catching some 14-17" Bass on cypress trees and knees in 8-12 foot depths. Magnum Tubes are also working around stumps and cypress trees and knees. Best colors of tubes in clearest water are smoke/black/red flake or purple smoke. Best color tube in stained to muddy water conditions are the black/red flake (black neon), black/blue tail, or pumpkinseed/chartreuse tail. War Eagle Spinner baits in Aurora, Hot Mouse, or Cole Slaw colors in the clearest water you can find are working well, while slow rolling around any remaining vegetation and lily pad stems.

Pumpkinseed/chartreuse or Diablo colored StrikeWorks Jigs worked around stumps, laydowns, and in lily pad stems were taking 17-19" size Bass. Salty Rat Tails, Yum Dingers, and Senko-style worms in purple smoke fleck, watermelon/red, or green pumpkin, are taking some nice 14-18" Largemouth Bass and Kentucky Bass.


Rat-L-Traps in Toledo Gold, Citrus Zombie, or Sexy Zombie were taking some Largemouth Bass in the 12-16" length range. The key to the Rat-L-Trap bite is slowing down the retrieve to a crawl and deflecting off stumps in flats of 6-8' water depth, close to 10-12' depths.


White Bass and Kentuckys: The White Bass have gone deep in the river channel, and all but disappeared with the recent influx of muddy water and increased current. Hurricane Creek, Horseshoe oxbow lake, and White Cliffs areas, for the past several weeks have been very good locations for finding these loosely packed schools of White Bass and have produced very large numbers of schooling Whites and Kentucky Bass. These schooling fish were hitting Rat-L-Traps and Bomber crankbaits up Little River, running shad & occasionally surface breaking during the day.

Snake Creek tributary off Little River, still has a few Kentucky Bass bunched up out of the muddy current and were hitting lizards and Baby Brush Hogs in blackberry, chartreuse pumpkin, or cherryseed colors.


Crappie: No Report. Still very scattered, and warmer water temps over the past week have spread out the Crappies horizontally.


Cats: remain very good to excellent this week also, on trot lines, yo-yos, tight lines, along current and break lines in the outer bends of Little River with the increase in current. Blues and Channel Cats were biting on cut shad, blood bait, hot dogs, & chicken livers, in 14-18 feet of Little River on the outer break lines in current or on minnows and cut shad on the yo-yos tied along the Little River, in 9-12 feet depths.

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

Surface temps constant over the past week, as of Monday 16 Jan are currently ranging 52ºF early to 55ºF later in the afternoon hours, depending on rain, wind, incoming fresh water, location and time of day. Call the USACE for lake level daily updates, Little River current, discharge release, and tail water levels.

Lake level as of Monday 16 Jan, is currently is 260.51 mfsl and falling, now 15.7" above normal. Normal consv. pool is 259.20 feet. Discharge rate as of Monday was 13 gates open at 1 foot, for an increase in total discharge to 8,818 CFS. The tailwater level as of Monday was at 236.63 mfsl.

Use extreme caution during navigation. There is still a considerable amount of debris in Little River. Clarity and visibility as of Monday on main lake is improved; currently ranging approx 5-8 inches in the River depending on location. The oxbow's clarity are better, with heavy stain, ranging approx 18-20 inches visibility depending on location. Water temps are dropping lake-wide, due to recent back to back cold fronts. Clarity and visibility can change dramatically on Millwood in just a few hours with high winds or thunderstorms.

To volunteer for one of the cleanup dates or ramp and USACE park information, contact Brooke Kervin at the Millwood Tri-Lakes Project Office. To receive updates or volunteer, call the US Army Corps of Engrs toll-free information line at 888-697-9830.
As of Monday 16 Jan, the drawdown has ended. Extreme caution during navigation is critical while the high discharge rates are in effect!! USACE has held the lake level 2 feet above normal pool (261.2 vs normal elevation of 259.2) for approximately 30 days, and the USACE began releasing back to normal conservation pool late last week. River Run East is still undergoing maintenance, repairs, and upgrades; and as such, still closed for use until mid July 2012. Paraloma Park is closed for winter. All other USACE ramps and parks are open. USACE recently completed upgrades and improvements to White Cliffs camping area, with the addition of another 6-8 campsites and other facility improvements.

As of Jan 01, 2012 AGFC regulations for Largemouth Bass have changed. See AGFC website, or official regulation handbook for details (creel increased to six/person/day, no length restrictions).


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!!

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 12 inchers 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.

Visit us on the web for the most current Millwood Lake fishing 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, and Arkansas.com.

Come see what all the excitement's about!



Thanks for your interest in
Millwood Lake Guide Service ~ Arkansas' Best Bass Fishing!


Mike Siefert
Owner/Operator
www.MillwoodGuideService.com
P.O.Box 4957
Texarkana, AR/TX/USA 75505-4957

""""""""GOFISH""""<º)))><{{"""""""""""

21+ years in the professional guide business on Millwood Lake, since 1990!



"Some Photos courtesy, Jason Sealock"


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