Millwood
Lake: As
of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation at 261.08 feet MSL (Normal conservation pool – 259.2
MSL).
Millwood
Lake Guide Service said as of Tuesday the surface temperature of
the lake is 62 to 68 degrees. Although the 4-foot drawdown is still
in effect, the rain has kept the lake high. The Corps of Engineers
has opened gates in the dam to draw the lake back down as soon as possible.
The drawdown and radically fluctuating water have made the lake extremely
dangerous to navigate because of added debris and water levels exposing
stumps. Boat ramps at Yarborough and Jack's Isle are still open. Other
ramps around Millwood, which have been shallow, are usable this week
with the increase in lake pool from recent rains. Wilton Landing on
Hwy 71, White Cliffs, River Run East and River Run West are all CLOSED
this week due to high water. The dam discharge is 25,080 CFS is with
13 gates open at 4.5 feet each and two sluice gates open at 6 feet
each. Main lake visibility is 2-4 inches. The oxbows’ clarity
also worsened due to recent thunderstorms, and is 5-6 inches, at best.
The activity level of the bass has dropped with the continued cool
down and muddy water. Until the lake clarity returns to normal and
temperatures stabilize, the best bite will be from slow, methodical
presentations of bulky 10-inch worms, jigs and slow-rolled spinnerbaits.
Once the lake returns to normal, schooling fish may pick up again and
the Rat-L-Trap bite will resume. Right now, 10-inch worms in Peanut
Butter 'n Jelly are working in the clearest water of the oxbows one
can find up Little River. June Bug, The General, Blue Fleck, Red Shad
and Black are good colors in the muddy areas. Pitch or flip stumps,
cypress trees and laydown tree trunks near deep water. Crankbaits are
finding a few schools of larger bass. When the water was back in the
grass, 3- to 4-inch tubes were working well. The best colors for bass
jigs were Texas Craw, Black/blue and chartreuse walnut. White bass
and crappie disappeared with the current and muddy water. Channel catfish
are excellent on cut shad, chicken livers and Catfish Charlie near
current in 10 to 15 feet of water.
White
Oak Lake: Frequent rain has kept anglers off the lake. The water is high and muddy.
Lake
Greeson: As
of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation was 547.5 MSL (Flood pool – 548 MSL).
Darryl Morris of Family
Fishing Trips Guide Service said the rain has cooled the water
temperature and caused the lake to rise. Water color in the creek arms
is stained. Crappie and bass are being caught 15-feet deep on brush
piles and bamboo condos in 25-feet of water with live bait and jigs.
Fish the cleaner water and you'll find the fish.
Cossatot
River: Cossatot
River State Park said the water is too high and swift for fishing.
DeGray
Lake: As
of Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake’s
elevation was 409.95 feet MSL (Flood pool – 408 MSL).
Local angler George Graves said the surface water temperature is in
the mid-60s. The water is clear in the lower lake, dingy around the Caddo
Drive area and muddy in the upper lake. Bass fishing is good between
Arlie Moore and Shouse Ford along the flooded shoreline brush and around
brush on secondary points close to deep water. Jigs and brush hogs have
been the best baits. Hybrid fishing is slow. Only a few fish are showing
up in the deep timber and the fish are scattered with the high water.
Fish in water between 90 and 120 feet. The fish will be holding tight
to the trees, so make sure your sonar is fine tuned to mark them. Try
different colored lures, as these fish are very color sensitive. Productive
colors are smoke/glitter, pink, chartreuse and pumpkin. Try a chartreuse
or green spoon between the dam and the State Park Marina. Crappies are
slow; the high water scattered them off the brush piles. Cover a lot
of brush in 20 to 25 feet of water with a 2-inch grub on a 1/16-oz. jig
and you should pick up a few. Tennessee shad and black/chartreuse are
the best colors for crappie right now. |
