Fishing Report For Lake Harris

Current Report: Good To Very Good

The bass grow big here thanks to a long growing season. The lake record largemouth bass weighed over 12 1/2 pounds.

WINTER. The cold of Winter has isolated largemouth away from the shallows. Good results are coming along main-lake points, drop offs and the deeper edges of hydrilla and grass beds. Water temperatures are currently in the low 60's, and bass can be found from 8 to 14 feet deep, around weeds and brush piles. Often, some of the larger bass will isolate away from schools. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs or finesse worms are often the key to getting bites. On warmer days, especially during late afternoons, bass may move a bit shallower to feed.

SPRING. Bass will be in various stages of the spawn, some feeding heavily, others nesting, and some guarding fry. The good news is most bass are shallow, and the fishing is usually quite good around spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they will be feeding aggressively in about 1 to 6 feet of water. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will create nests, and lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 12 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they will be caught in 2 to 10 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on shad,, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 6 to 14 feet deep. Some of the best reports typically come from anglers fishing around weedlines, hydrilla edges, standing timber, brush piles and deeper structure.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In early Fall, anglers typically have success in 3 to 12 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps, flutter spoons are often the ideal bait in 10 to 14 feet of water. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school.

Current Report: Good

WINTER. Now that the shallows have turned cold, crappie have migrated to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. Currently they are being caught using a very slow presentation, in 8 to 14 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, submerge, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. Good numbers are coming from along the main channel edges between Big Lake Harris and Little Lake Harris. When they suspend in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into shallower water to feed. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 5 to 12 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as both black crappie and white crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 3 to 8 feet of water. Vegetation, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 12 to 20 feet of water. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 8 to 8 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 12 to 14 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs, bridge pilings and deeper docks. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. As Fall begins warming the shallows, baitfish, move into shallow flats, coves and bays, which draws crappie into these areas. They will be feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 3 to 12 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall which turns the shallows cold, starts pushing crappie deeper, toward winter holding areas. Small flutter spoons, fished in 8 to 12 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles. The points and channel bends leading into the main basin are popular areas in Fall.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Bluegill are are growing big and fat here, and get very little attention from anglers, due to the great bass and crappie fishing. These bluegill are a primary food source for bass and catfish, so they are always hiding in the weeds to avoid getting eaten.

WINTER. Cooling shallows have driven the bluegill back to deeper cover, in water ranging from 6 to 15 feet deep. They are being caught around brush piles, deeper weed edges, docks, and in coves in Little Lake Harris. In areas with no cover, anglers typically find them around sharp drops, into even deeper water. Small pieces of worms, and other baits worked slowly, tends to get the best results.

SPRING. In early Spring, bluegill migrate from winter holding areas toward the shoreline areas, and are typically caught around 1 to 6 feet deep. As the water warms to the mid 70's they will begin the spawning ritual, building nests in 1 to 3 feet of water. Many of the bigger bluegill prefer to spawn a bit deeper, depending on water clarity. After the spawn, bluegill drop to 5 or 10 feet deep. Small spinners and swimbaits, or jigs tipped with small pieces of nightcrawlers are good choices for catching a lot of bluegill in Spring.

SUMMER. Following the spawn, most of the bigger bluegill migrate to deeper water, around 6 to 18 feet deep. They prefer rocky or weedy areas, often hanging out on steep, rocky banks where they can move up and down to feed without having to travel a great distance. Small spoons, underspins, and mini-crankbaits are catching some of the bigger bluegill. Earthworms also catch good numbers. Early and late in the day, anglers catch them in 1 to 6 feet of water.

FALL. Cooling, Fall weather drops the water temperature in the shallows and bluegill move shallow to feed, around the edges of weedlines in 3 to 12 feet of water. Steeper banks, and shallow weedy areas with drop-offs, are hold bluegill this time of year. Later in Fall, as the shallows get colder, bluegill will move into 8 to 15 feet of water, in the same areas.