Thread: Hot Spots

Degray...this past week before the front came through...25-35' of water...16-22' fishing depth...right in the top of the brush...using minnows...find structure on that lake...you find fish...there isn't ANYTHING on the graph until you get to your pile you put in... :D we were up brushy creek area.

I fish Millwood area, but mostly I fish the river launching at White Cliff Camp Site as a lot of guys do. Hiway 71 to the right of ramp is about 4-5 miles by river. To the left is the lake about the same distance. In the spring and spawning season you can go to the ramps that have cypress trees, like Jacks Isle. Last spring it flooded and the cow pastures all around Millwood were flooded and boats were up in the woods fishing and catching nice crappie in about 1-2 foot of water. Some guys may have condo,s or baited sites they keep to themselves, myself I fish where I find them and revisit those same sites. In the winter those spawning areas in the big cypress are not good places to fish like Jacks Isle or Okay Landing / Mine Creek area. If spawning they are killer sites. I caught my limit and most were over a pound or 1 1/2

Right now the guys are fishing the river in the main channel and the shelves or sides. Some are fishing the river channel by the dam out from the buoys maybe 1/8 to 1/4 mile out. I try all of the brush piles or deep bank sides. There is a few small lakes within the big lake and a map will show you where they are. Two rivers run through and join in the lake above the dam. Depth finders will help you find the channels.

Guys that have boated in Millwood will verify what I say---Boat runs are shallow usually about 5 ft deep in most places or lower. River channels are deeper 10-20 ft in the lake. Little River 20-30 ft or deeper. Stumps in the boat runs are cut at 3 feet according to the Corps.--do not count on it.

Windy days about 20-25 mph, I stay off the big lake it gets rough out there and some of them small lakes are in the middle, maybe 2-3 miles out from shore.

Cottonshed / Saline River area is crappie heaven during spawning. This part of the lake many are scared of it due to the Saline river channel winding across the lake and stumps line both banks underwater. Guys who want to fish the Saline, I can show you or tell you a different place to launch down from Cottonshed.

Boat Lanes are lined with white striped telephone poles on each side. There is maybe two-- (somewhat)-- clear areas to run outside the boat lanes but you need to know where, otherwise stay in the boat runs--Do not take short cuts even if lake is up--follow someone who knows the lake and how to run it at high water. Little River follow the buoys to the T--If you venture out of the channel slow down completely--I use trolling motor--trees underwater in 15-20 feet of water on the shelves

You could explore Millwood for a week and not see all of the fishing spots. Sorry for the long post, but if you are going to fish Millwood you need to know this information or you will be in big trouble. Do not be wading in the water anywhere, especially in the oxbow lakes, creeks or back water. This place has plenty of Gators--Just watch for them and do not bother them--I had them to swim up to the boat. Fish hanging over the side--WATCH OUT.

Anyone I can help out just holler. Speed and aggressive boaters will get killed in this area. The bass boats run the river wide open a lot of times. Watch out about trying to avoid them by moving over to the sides--remember the under waters trees---Millwood is not one of the deep canyon lakes like Degray--Greeson or others---Average depth about 5 feet.

Fished Millwood yesterday for about 3-4 hours--small nibbles-1 small crappie. The water is high, muddy and still emptying into the lake from the rivers and creeks. Seems the Corps is allowing the lake to take on water. If last season is a gauge for water level than for spawning season we need a lot more water, to fill the grassy area,s and backwater areas. Lot of underwater roots from the lilly pads, need a couple feet of water for spawning. The cypress tree areas around Okay, water is very shallow less than 2 ft. I will keep an eye on the areas, my boat will run in these area,s. The tramway at Okay to Mine creek area is still less than 2 ft. in depth and a lot of logs in the boat run. Today I am going to try Horseshoe and McQuire oxbows on the river. Will let you know how it turned out. Right now real bad--big time fog-can not see the river.

Fished Millwood again----sand bass or striped bass biting. Caught a few and 1 catfish--no crappie

I recon I might be a dunce, 'cause I can't figure out where'd be the right place to ask this question on here. So, for lack of my knowin' any better, here goes... Has anybody ever tried fishing for crappie with leeches? Did they have any luck that you've heard about?
Thanks for any response, ... and if I'm way out in left field just give me the boot in the general direction of where I should be askin....

Originally Posted by petpi_puppy

I recon I might be a dunce, 'cause I can't figure out where'd be the right place to ask this question on here. So, for lack of my knowin' any better, here goes... Has anybody ever tried fishing for crappie with leeches? Did they have any luck that you've heard about?
Thanks for any response, ... and if I'm way out in left field just give me the boot in the general direction of where I should be askin....

I have used the small ones and had good luck for both Crappie and Brim in the spring time up in North Dakota.

Originally Posted by crappierookie

I fish Millwood area, but mostly I fish the river launching at White Cliff Camp Site as a lot of guys do. Hiway 71 to the right of ramp is about 4-5 miles by river. To the left is the lake about the same distance. In the spring and spawning season you can go to the ramps that have cypress trees, like Jacks Isle. Last spring it flooded and the cow pastures all around Millwood were flooded and boats were up in the woods fishing and catching nice crappie in about 1-2 foot of water. Some guys may have condo,s or baited sites they keep to themselves, myself I fish where I find them and revisit those same sites. In the winter those spawning areas in the big cypress are not good places to fish like Jacks Isle or Okay Landing / Mine Creek area. If spawning they are killer sites. I caught my limit and most were over a pound or 1 1/2

Right now the guys are fishing the river in the main channel and the shelves or sides. Some are fishing the river channel by the dam out from the buoys maybe 1/8 to 1/4 mile out. I try all of the brush piles or deep bank sides. There is a few small lakes within the big lake and a map will show you where they are. Two rivers run through and join in the lake above the dam. Depth finders will help you find the channels.

Guys that have boated in Millwood will verify what I say---Boat runs are shallow usually about 5 ft deep in most places or lower. River channels are deeper 10-20 ft in the lake. Little River 20-30 ft or deeper. Stumps in the boat runs are cut at 3 feet according to the Corps.--do not count on it.

Windy days about 20-25 mph, I stay off the big lake it gets rough out there and some of them small lakes are in the middle, maybe 2-3 miles out from shore.

Cottonshed / Saline River area is crappie heaven during spawning. This part of the lake many are scared of it due to the Saline river channel winding across the lake and stumps line both banks underwater. Guys who want to fish the Saline, I can show you or tell you a different place to launch down from Cottonshed.

Boat Lanes are lined with white striped telephone poles on each side. There is maybe two-- (somewhat)-- clear areas to run outside the boat lanes but you need to know where, otherwise stay in the boat runs--Do not take short cuts even if lake is up--follow someone who knows the lake and how to run it at high water. Little River follow the buoys to the T--If you venture out of the channel slow down completely--I use trolling motor--trees underwater in 15-20 feet of water on the shelves

You could explore Millwood for a week and not see all of the fishing spots. Sorry for the long post, but if you are going to fish Millwood you need to know this information or you will be in big trouble. Do not be wading in the water anywhere, especially in the oxbow lakes, creeks or back water. This place has plenty of Gators--Just watch for them and do not bother them--I had them to swim up to the boat. Fish hanging over the side--WATCH OUT.

Anyone I can help out just holler. Speed and aggressive boaters will get killed in this area. The bass boats run the river wide open a lot of times. Watch out about trying to avoid them by moving over to the sides--remember the under waters trees---Millwood is not one of the deep canyon lakes like Degray--Greeson or others---Average depth about 5 feet.

I was wondering what is the Crappie fishing like in March on Millwood? Do they typically spawn in April? Can you catch them on the flats in March or are they still relating to the channels and ledges?

ive had good luck latley at faulkner lake ive caught alot of crappie and some bass. One of the hot spots are when you put your boat in go towards the houses and keep going for a while then suddenly the houses will stop. But keep going. Then you will see 4 or 5 wooden post sticking out of the water. tie up to those and catch catch catch!!!- i know i did