Memorial Day weekend expected to bring more activity to area lakes

TEXARKANA — Fishing at Wright Patman and Millwood lakes is expected to spike during the Memorial Day weekend.

According to officials at the Army Corps of Engineers, Memorial Day weekend is one of the top three busiest weekends of the year for the region’s lakes and rivers.

Social distancing rules remain in effect for lakegoers at both Wright Patman and Millwood.

“All of the camp grounds and boat ramps are open,” said Tiffany Smith, operations manager for Millwood Lake. “We want to encourage everyone to be safe when they are out boating. Wearing a lifejacket is important as well as watching out for other boaters.”

On Millwood Lake, largemouth bass have improved over the past week. Buzzbaits, frogs, bass assassin shads and razy shads have been preferred by bass on Millwood, many now post-spawn and recovering, upriver and in many locations.

Spinnerbaits improved this week near pads and grass lines, and square-bill crankbaits, medium running echo 1.5 crankbaits, chatterbaits and custom painted Little John crankbaits also improved. Best crankbait colors are Bluegill, Red-ear Bream, Tennessee Shad and Citrus Shad.

The Crappie responses have improved with minnows and small jigs in chartreuse-white, chartreuse-blue and black.

Over at Wright Patman Lake, the overall fishing has been good.

Largemouth bass are good on swimbaits, Texas-rigged worms and rattle baits in 4 to- 16 feet of water. White bass are good on jigging spoons and slabs. Crappie are fair on jigs and minnows

while catfish are excellent on cut bait, live bait and blood bait.

“We have opened up all of campgrounds,” said Mark Seavy, Wright Patman Lake manager. “The only thing that we don’t have, in following the state mandate, are the playgrounds. Those areas are closed, and we have signs up to make people aware. North shore is all opened up except for the playground. Elliot Bluff’s boat ramp recently opened, and all boat ramps are open. We have a section at Clear Springs campground closed because of flood debris.”