Local fisherman Jeff Moore said the White River at Batesville is at 7 feet and the low condition makes it very difficult to get up and down the river. 

Many of the boat ramps are difficult to negotiate.

Trout fishing in the Guion area is slow as is bass fishing. What few trout are around are near the wing dam and between the bridge and the power line upstream. If a person likes to wade fish, this is as good as it gets in this area. 

Bass fishing is fairly slow with a few smallmouth being caught. Largemouth are in the grass but are not biting very well. Top waters and plastic frogs will draw a few out late in the day. 

The smallmouth can be caught on Gitzits and small crankbaits along the steeper banks. 

There have been a few walleye caught beneath Lock1 and 2 dams. Trolling crankbaits such as a Wally Divers and casting gray grubs fished on a ¼- to 3/8-ounce jig head has produced a few fish from late evening until after dark. 

Catfishing has been fair with the best fishing below Lock 1 dam on prepared bait and chicken livers.

Catfish No Report

Crappie No Report

Stripers No Report

Largemouth Bass No Report

White Bass No Report

Once again Mother Nature changed her mind and decided to return to summer weather instead of fall. Therefore everything we thought would develop this last week completely turned around. Lake temperature is 70 degrees, warming to 72 during the day, however, it is 70 degrees down to 40 feet, which is the top of thermocline. We are still very dry with no rain in sight and the lake level has dropped to 646.94, 7 ½ feet below normal pool. Angler’s Edge 3rd Annual Team Bass Tournament was held this last weekend and the anglers had to deal with bright sun, bluebird skies and no wind. First place went to the team of Robert Tilley and Steve St. Clair with a two day total of 21.42 pounds, second place went to the team of Rick Culver and Butch Petersen with 19.82 pounds and third place was taken by Shane Sanders and Lonnie Cox. Congratulations to all of the competitors.

Largemouth bass have become difficult to pinpoint now that they are off the banks. They are off the banks because the shad have left the banks. Somewhere from 10 feet of water to 40 feet of water on some sort of structure around secondary points is where they have pulled back to. Now is a good time to Carolina rig, throw jigs or drop shot until the largemouth move into their fall pattern and head back toward the banks. 

Smallmouth are also hard to pinpoint but we know that they are using water depths from 36 to 40 feet of water to feed. With the full moon of October we are having probably our last crawdad hatch of the year so look for the smallies to move up on chunk rock or pea rock points to feed. Meanwhile fish football jigs, Spider Jigs, grubs and Mojo rigged centipedes around the deep side of points. 

Kentucky bass are roaming with the shad and throughout the day they push them to the top to frenzy feed. Keep a top water bait tied on. As Kentuckys are spending most of the day swimming with the shad, graphing is more important this time of year if you wish to be successful. When you locate an active school of shad, drop a spoon or use a drop shot to trigger a strike.

Walleye have moved into the 30 to 40 feet of water range to feed instead of using that depth as a comfort zone. Long lining with lead core line and small baits (Hot’N Tots, Wally Divers and Glass Shad) have produced some nice 6 to 8 pound walleye this week. Spooning is still a good option over flats and drop offs, best colors are white or blue/silver. Other techniques to try are jigs with grubs or live shiners, crawler harnesses or leeches on a leech harness.

LAKE RATING: The lake is going through a conversion flip or turnover. Rating for the lake is fair to poor until the turnover is complete.

Fishing for trout on the White River has been good on Berkley Power Eggs in yellow and white and pink With generation the Buoyant Spoons, Little Cleo's and Super Dupers are the bait of choice. The fly fishermen did well on olive Woolly Bugger, olive scuds and sow bugs. The Brown trout are being caught on Flat Fish, nightcrawlers and Rogues.

Remember to keep only what you can eat and release the rest for another day. Rick Culver of Wilderness Trail does the research for this report and the writing of this report.

}><(((º> Millwood Lake Fishing Report 10/18/05 <º)))><{

Largemouth (Black) Bass are good and are schooling in creeks along Little River. 1/2 oz to 3/4 oz Rat-L-Traps in chrome/black; orange; white; or chrome/blue; white Heddon Dying Flutters; clear Baby or Tiny Torpedoes; and Johnson spoons, are catching the schoolers from surface to 6 feet deep the last few weeks. 5" Bass Assassin Shads and the Johnson spoons with white grub trailers, are taking good size bass in the pads and vegetation.

White bass and Kentuckys (Spotted Bass) are still randomly schooling in Little River in close proximity to the black bass, and are hitting 1/4 to 1/2 oz Rat-L-Traps in chrome, white, or chrome/chartreuse colors. Throw the Rat-L-Traps or Rocket Shads all around the edges of those bait schools, and count down to approx 4-8 feet depth and yo-yo back through the school at various depths until you connect with the Whites or Kentuckys. It's a great time to take kids fishing. Numbers of 30-40 Whites, Kentuckys, and yearling Blacks are common in a few hours. The heavier 3/4 oz Rat-L-Traps, fished slower and deeper, are catching a better quality, and larger bass.

Crappie remain best early in the mornings, although the Crappie bite is shifting. Best this week on chartreuse head or white colored grubs or jigs, and shiners, 8-10 feet deep, in contact with planted brush piles and tops. The best bite has shifted to later in the morning.

Channel Cats are biting again well on chicken livers and cut shad along Little River on trot lines 9-14 feet deep, and under cypress trees on yo-yos using live shiners, 6-8 feet deep.

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

For those fishing the river and below the spillway, as of Tuesday, October 18, the lake level is approx 1.5 inches above normal conservation pool. Current is decreased in Little River due to change discharge at the dam at 172CFS. The lake elevation is 259.31.

Water clarity improved, in Little River and is approx 12-14". Clarity on the main lake approx 8-12". North eastern sector of the lake around OK Landing, is clearing. Saline River clarity heavy stain, but improving.

The upriver oxbows away from any current in Little River, still have much better water visibility, estimated at approx 2-4 feet in places. Water temperatures have decreased in the last week and range approx 73ºF early to 80ºF later in the day, depending on area of the lake and wind.

Thank you to the US Army Corps of Engineers and AG&FC personnel who are currently in process of evaluating the increase and spread of various vegetation species on Little River and Millwood Lake. A recommendation & report is pending, on potential control measures which would be the most physical effective manner of the vegetation growth explosion in all the creeks, oxbows, Little River and the main lake; as well as which methods could be the most cost effective to maintain.

Use EXTREME caution navigating Little River in low light conditions, and SLOW DOWN! Careful watch for floaters and debris in Little River's current, and wearing your PFD is a requirement!!