Big bass being bagged on Millwood

The spring fishing is heating up across the Natural State

By Jim Harris

Arkansas Wildlife Editor

The angle used in the photo (right) of a Little Rock-area angler named Darrin, who was fishing with guide Mike Siefert, tends to make one think he might have a doubledigit- pound bass in his hands.

Alas, it was “only” 4 1/2 to 5 pounds of largemouth. Oh well. (Just kidding, of course). But Siefert tells us that anglers are catching upwards of 10-11 pounders in Millwood these days as the water warms up and the bass do, too. Brad and Dad Chronister from central Arkansas hauled in a largemouth that was 5 to 5 1/2 pounds, according to Siefert (see page 9).

We're hearing good reports of walleye, white bass and stripers in northern Arkansas and crappie are at or near the spawning time in many locales, including Greers Ferry Lake.

Later this week, we’ll hear from one of our favorite spots, as Cane Creek Lake State Park lets us in on the scoop down there near Star City: Crappie fishing is starting to pick up. Reports are coming in that they can be found at a depth of aroun 3-4 feet and are being caught on minnows.

Bass are falling into a spring pattern and can be found fishing around structure. Catfish are also always a fun target there.

Our reporters from the Little Rock pool of the Arkansas River also note the hot crappie bite in some areas, just watch the flow conditions (they're down significantly from last week, which is good).

Lake Hamilton is a hot spot right now; read up on that in Greeson Marine's report.

And for you folks who like a nice paddling adventure with some fishing thrown in, Loy Lewis has begun filing new reports from War 3Eagle Outfitters in northwest Arkansas.

There's plenty going on, and we can always hope that this week was the last bit of winter we'll see for a while. Check out a few of this week's reports below.

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— Mike Siefert at Millwood Lake Guide Service said that as of Tuesday, Millwood Lake clarity has worsened from recent thunderstorms, and is about 8 inches above normal conservation pool and falling; oxbows' water clarity is stained, Little River has increased stain from current.

Millwood Lake pool elevation on Tuesday was 259.9 feet msl with gate discharge at the dam around 16,200 cfs in Little River, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.

The tailwater below the dam and gates is around 244 feet msl and falling with discharge. Check the most recent lake level of Millwood Lake on the guide service’s website linked above, or at the US Army Corps of Engineers website, for updated gate release changes and inflow rates with rising and falling lake levels.

Surface temps remained stable this week, ranging 59-67 degrees depending on location. Continue to use caution in navigation on Little River and Millwood, watching for random broken or floating timber in Little River. Lots of Little River buoy markers have been replaced along the main lake channel. Use extreme caution in navigation on the main lake. Current along Little River increased this week with discharge release at the dam, and river clarity ranges 3-5 inches visibility depending on location.

Clarity and visibility of oxbows is 10-18 inches depending on location. Further up Little River has heavier stain conditions.

As for fishing details: Largemouth bass: Bass have been in a full-blown spawning mode for the past two-to-three weeks on Millwood. Numerous bass beds continue being seen with pre-spawn females staging and spawning. Largemouth bass were improved a little more this week with warmer daytime highs and warm southern winds. Brazalo Spinnerbaits in white/chartreuse, Millwood Mayhem Bream and Spot Remover caught decent bass this week, and Chatterbaits picked up some healthy 3- to 5-pound largemouths this week. “Most bass we are finding continue randomly roaming shallow on full sun and bright skies in the 3- to 6-foot depths of flats adjacent to deeper drops into 710 feet depth ranges,” Siefert says. “The best period this week are during the late morning. Anywhere a creek channel runs near spawning flats with vertical structure nearby, where stumps and creek mouths drop, have held some decent-sized bass over the past few weeks. Several largemouth bass over 10 pounds each have been weighed in over the past two

See MILLWOOD, page A10 MILLWOOD

From page A8

weeks.”

Bass Assassin Shads continue to draw good reactions this week, with Salt and Pepper Silver Phantom, Pumpkinseed and Grey Ghost being the best colors.

Best colors of Bugs and Beavers for the past couple of weeks have been Black Neon, Grasshopper, Blackberry and Pearl Bream. Custom-poured Senkos are working on stumps and cypress trees in 3-8 feet depth of water. Heavy thumper tail swimbaits and Beavers on a Jackhammer Chatterbait in Spot Remover or Blue Glimmer are working, and Zoom Trick Worms in black/blue, Blue Ice and Purple Smoke are catching bass. Bulky lizards in Blackberry, Blue Bayou, black/blue tail and Watermelon Candy continue taking a few good bass on flooded cypress trees and stumps, and along vegetation lines in ditches, creeks and flats from 3-8 feet deep. Those bass were exploring new bed making locations near flooded timber.

White bass: Continue moving a little further upriver between Cemetery Slough and U.S. Highway 71 at Wilton Landing along Little River this week. Numerous anglers are connecting with white bass in the 3-pound class along the river on Rocket Shads, Little Georges, Chuck'n Spins, Rooster Tails, spoons and crankbaits. The white bass have begun their annual spawning run up Little River over the past week and are staging and moving up Little River to headwaters for the spawn.

Crappie: Have been much improved this week on minnows and jigs in Mud and McGuire oxbow lakes up Little River.

Crappie are holding in 8-9 feet depth this week and have not yet pulled up to spawn, but are staging to move shallow over the next week or so.

Catfish: They continue to bite consistently in Horseshoe and Mud oxbows up Little River on yo-yos, and limblines in the oxbows, using King's Punch Bait, chicken livers, gizzards and hot dogs.

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— Capt. Darryl Morris of Family Fishing Trips Guide Service (501-844-5418) said the big male crappie are scattered in the banks making spawning beds while the females are maturing their roe between staging brushpiles and the banks. Ample number of smaller crappie can be caught on brushpiles fished 6-8 feet deep.

Local angler Charles Abernathy says the water is warming up quickly and this is the moment that most everyone has been waiting for. Best places to start searching for spawning crappie are small protected pockets along the main river channel.