Millwood Lake Guide Service

10/28/2026

Giant Salvinia Identified in Millwood Lake Tributary
By: Randy Zellers
10-27-2026

WHITE CLIFFS, Ark. — Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers crews worked tirelessly all weekend responding to the discovery of the invasive aquatic plant giant salvinia near the White Cliffs Public Use Area on the Little River, a major tributary entering Millwood Lake.

“After being called on Friday by a local angler using the ramp at the White Cliffs Campground, we sent out our rapid response team to confirm the sighting, assess the situation, and begin containing the spread,” said Matt Horton, AGFC Aquatic Nuisance Species Coordinator. “We initially contained a 300-foot section of shoreline at the campground where the infestation likely originated. However, subsequent surveys found the plant had spread, and we expanded containment booms to cover 1,900 feet of shoreline around the boat ramp.”

AGFC and USACE personnel physically removed as much salvinia as possible near the campground and ramp, hauling more than 900 pounds of the invasive plant to dry ground for proper disposal.

“USACE has been a tremendous partner throughout the weekend,” Horton said. “They had at least four staff members working alongside our team to search for and collect the plant since Friday’s discovery.”

Crews have found fragments of giant salvinia up to a mile both upstream and downstream from the campground, and containment efforts will continue throughout the week.

“The primary challenge with giant salvinia is that even a tiny fragment can reproduce and survive, and the shoreline along the Little River is dense with vegetation where fragments easily hide,” Horton said. “We will begin applying an EPA-approved aquatic herbicide this week to target visible salvinia and knock back the cutgrass and shoreline vegetation harboring it. Once that vegetation dies down, we will coordinate with USACE to conduct a controlled burn to eliminate any fragments trapped in the dead plant mats.”

Millwood Lake Operations Project Manager Tiffany Smith said the USACE is dedicated to fighting the infestation for the sake of the fishery as well as recreation and water supply needs provided by Millwood Lake.

“We’re grateful for the quick response and partnership with AGFC” said Millwood Lake Operations Project Manager Tiffany Smith. “If it goes unchecked giant salvinia poses a threat to Millwood Lake’s environmental stewardship, recreation, and water supply missions.”

Officials urge boaters and anglers to avoid disturbing the floating containment booms. Anyone who suspects they have spotted giant salvinia in Millwood Lake or nearby waters should contact the AGFC Southwest Regional Office at 501-255-1496, email [email protected], or submit an online report at agfc.com/ans.

This is not the first occurrence of giant salvinia at Millwood Lake; the species was detected and eradicated there in 2020. However, biologists stress that outdoor recreationists must remain vigilant.

“We were able to stop it back then because of an early detection and immediate response like this one; hopefully we’ll be able to fight it back again, but we need the public’s help,” Horton said. “Texas and Louisiana spend millions of dollars annually trying to manage giant salvinia, and we are actively fighting infestations in two other south Arkansas lakes — Lake Columbia and Lake Erling,” Horton said. “With low seasonal water levels, anglers and hunters frequently travel between different waterbodies, which increases the risk of inadvertently transporting invasive species. It is vital to clean, drain, and dry boats, trailers, and gear between every outing.”

Boaters and waterfowl hunters can prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance species by following three basic steps:

Clean: Inspect and remove all visible mud, plants, and seeds from trucks, trailers, boats, waders, decoys, and blinds. Wash equipment thoroughly with a high-pressure sprayer.

Drain: Pull all boat drain plugs, livewell valves, and bilge lines before leaving the boat ramp area.

Dry: Allow all equipment to dry completely for at least five days before launching into a different body of water. If five days is not feasible, thoroughly towel-dry all wet surfaces.

INFESTED CREEK
Giant Salvinia can double in size in less than a week, choking out native vegetation and making access impossible for boats and fish. AGFC photo.

PLANT IN HAND
Giant salvinia is a floating aquatic plant native to South America, but can destroy ecosystems where has been accidentally introduced. AGFC photo

MAP
Giant salvinia has been found as far as a mile upstream and a mile downstream from the suspected initial infestation point. Map courtesy USACE.

ROLLING OUT BOOM
AGFC and USACE crews used 1,900 feet of floating containment boom in an attempt to isolate salvinia where it was most likely to spread. AGFC photo.

10/27/2026

Giant Salvinia Found on Millwood Lake
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⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR MILLWOOD LAKE BOATERS & CAMPERS ⚠️

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have detected Giant Salvinia near the White Cliffs boat ramp and campground.
Crews are actively working to contain the infestation, remove plant matter, and apply targeted herbicide treatments.

How You Can Help:

Respect the containment booms: Floating booms are set up around high-concentration areas near the campground. Do NOT drive boats over them, move them, or tamper with the perimeter.
Clean, Drain, and Dry: Giant Salvinia is an aggressive invasive plant that can double in size in under a week, choking out native vegetation and ruining boating/fishing access. Always inspect your boat, trailer, and gear before leaving the area.

Found Giant Salvinia? Report It Immediately. If you spot this plant elsewhere on Millwood Lake:

Contact the AGFC SW Regional Office (501-255-1496 or [email protected]) or the USACE Millwood Lake Project Office (870-898-3343).
Submit an online report through the AGFC Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) page.

Thank you for helping us protect Millwood Lake and keep the Natural State thriving!

10/02/2026

Here's our weekly Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Fishing Report for Millwood Lake in sw Arkansas that we have written at their request for over 35 years, every week! We are booking the last week of October and middle of November as we type for Bass and Crappie adventures on gorgeous Millwood Lake! Let us help you GET OUT THERE!!

Get caught up on Arkansas Wildlife Weekly Fishing Report from the AGFC.

09/05/2026

If yall are camping this weekend, and run into an emergency need of parts, fluids, cleaning supplies, batteries, this is the only number you need in your speed dial. Texarkana Truck and Rv. Open today, closed Sunday and Labor Day. 903-793-7803.

09/05/2026

Here's our weekly Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Millwood Lake Fishing Report that we've written for the AGFC Fisheries Division at their request for over 36 years! Here's the report for the week of 03 SEPTEMBER 2026. Get those reels spooled up w/ fresh line, grab the kids, give us a call and let us help you GET OUT THERE!! We are the original Millwood Lake Guide Service, with professional Fishing Guides since 1990, when most of all of you reading this, weren't even born yet!! LoL :-) Hit us up on our website, MillwoodGuideService. com or message us here on Facebook to get you on our schedules while good days remain available!

Get caught up on Arkansas Wildlife Weekly Fishing Report from the AGFC.

09/05/2026

We're back off summer vacation! Booking October and November Bass, Crappie, and Catfish Adventures as we speak! Reach out here or on our website, the original, https://www.MillwoodGuideService.com for over 36 years for Rate table, discounts, lodging, and all the great information you're looking for!

08/22/2026

What’s a man supposed to do with a better half that knows the route to a man’s heart is through his stomach?? Homemade taco salads and cheese dip with sweet tea!! WoW! I’m as full as a loaded stuffed potato at Roadhouse!

07/04/2026

Happy 4th of July and Happy Birthday 250 America!!

07/02/2026

WoW! Happy 4th of July!! 25% OFF EVERYTHING ON THE WEBSITE!! Get going and reload your gear!! Check out this huge summer sale now while they still have your go-to favs in lures, baits, tackle, RODS, line, and all the newest gear in the best colors to GIT U BIT!! GO!!

06/15/2026

AGFC Celebrates Homecoming for Legacy Lunker Largemouth Bass
By: Randy Zellers
6-9-26

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s hatchery and Black Bass Program staff returned 18 healthy, double-digit largemouth bass to lakes across Arkansas in May, marking one of the final steps in the official inaugural year of the Arkansas Legacy Lunker Program.

The fish, donated by Arkansas anglers from January through March, were held at the newly renovated Joe Hogan State Fish Hatchery in Lonoke. There, they enjoyed quiet days and nights with little competition for food or space in raceways segregated by their home watersheds. They remained at the hatchery to spawn with specially selected Titan Maxx Florida bass from Red Hills Fishery in Georgia to maximize the growth potential of their offspring.

“It’s just a really cool program,” Jeremy Risley, AGFC Black Bass Program Coordinator, said. “We’re taking female fish that are proven to grow to trophy size in Arkansas waters and matching them up with males that have the markers to create trophy offspring. By working with Red Hills, we’re cutting years off the development of our trophy bass genetics program.”

Will Lancett, Legacy Lunker Program Coordinator, said 14 of the 18 anglers were able to attend the release of their fish.

“That was really neat,” Lancett said. “Almost all of the anglers were able to place their fish in the exact spot they came from—not just the same lake, but the same spot. A few even brought friends and family to be a part of the release. Brady Smith, who caught the final fish of the collection period, said, ‘Most people get a once-in-a-lifetime experience to catch a double-digit fish, but returning that fish is an even better feeling. I get to see her again for one more look before she swims away.’”

Lancett noted that all of the fish were healthy when returned, having fully recovered from both their initial capture and the spawning season. Hatchery staff maximized the results of the spawn while keeping the health of the fish as the top priority.

“If we had two or three fish from one lake, then we let them stay in the same raceway, but we maintained separation by watershed for spawning and to prevent spreading anything when the fish were returned,” Lancett said. “The Ouachita and Hamilton fish, for instance, did very well in a raceway together, but the fish from Atkins and Monticello had spaces all to themselves.”

Lancett said the fish received a thorough health check and were treated for any external parasites when they arrived at the facility, and hatchery staff kept a daily eye on them throughout their stay.

“Most of the fish looked really good when we released them, and about half of them had even gained some weight from the time they were caught.“

AGFC Fisheries Chief Tommy Laird said he couldn’t be more proud of the collaboration between Lonoke hatchery staff, regional fisheries biologists and the Black Bass Program for this generational project to improve Arkansas’s bass fisheries.

“You could almost hear a cheer at AGFC Headquarters in Little Rock when we received word that the last of the fish collected from January through March was swimming in her old home again,” Laird said. “A couple of these fish had lived at the Joe Hogan Hatchery since the second week of January. They were treated to exceptional care by hatchery staff during their stay, but I’m sure there’s no place like home.”

The final piece of the Legacy Lunker Program is currently in progress, as hundreds of thousands of eggs have hatched, creating offspring that will be stocked in Arkansas lakes soon.

Lancett is also looking forward to the end-of-year Legacy Lunker Banquet, which will take place Oct. 29, at the North Little Rock Event Center. At the banquet, all participating anglers will receive high-quality replicas of their fish, courtesy of Harper’s Pure Country Taxidermy and the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation. More information on the banquet and how to be a part of this groundbreaking event is available at https://onecau.se/lunker.

“It’s going to be a public event to celebrate bass fishing in Arkansas as well as these incredible anglers,” Lancett said. “The highlight of the night will be the drawing for the fully rigged 21-foot Xpress Boat donated by Xpress Boats of Hot Springs. Anglers who turned in a Legacy Lunker fish will be eligible for that drawing, and we’ll have other great gear from PRADCO, AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops and other sponsors to hand out. Keep an eye out for the announcement as we finalize details of the event.”

The buzz around the Arkansas Legacy Lunker Program and other outdoor recreation-based efforts in Arkansas has attracted the attention of many organizations reaching out to become sponsors. Arkansas Chevy Dealers have doubled down on their investment in the outdoors, sponsoring the Legacy Lunker Program as well as offering financial support for fishing derbies and outreach efforts through the AGFC Education Division.

Visit www.agfc.com/legacylunker for more information on the Arkansas Legacy Lunker Program, including details of each catch from the inaugural season.