Fishing Report For Harris Lake, NC

By Rick Seaman

January 31, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Harris Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
Boat Launch Ramps
Fishing License
Map
Contact Info

Fishing Report Harris Lake, NC

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Harris Lake, NC

Largemouth Bass

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good

Bass grow big in Harris Lake, in part due to the proliferation of grass and vegetation. Grass provides, cover, oxygen and warmth when the water begins to cool down. It is also a great hiding place for baitfish and sunfish. Many tournament anglers report good success with vibrating jigs around grass, docks and brush. The pulsing vibration gets their attention and they naturally attack. Stick worms, rigged wacky style, are great for fishing holes in the grass, and for pitching under docks.

Black Crappie

Uncle Buck's Panfish Creatures Curly Tail Minnow Rigged

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Very Good To Excellent

If you like catching 2-pound crappie, you'll love crappie fishing in Harris Lake. Local crappie enthusiasts report good catches on both live minnows and crappie jigs. Spring is the premiere time to be on the water as crappie move into shallow coves to spawn. Docks, brush, wood and deep grass are a good place to cast small crappie jigs or live minnows. Light tackle with 4 lb to 8 lb line is ideal. Use fish finders to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

Bluegill

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Very Good

Bluegill are a primary food source for predator fish in Harris Lake, and the small ones help bass to grow big. Those that survive beyond eating size for bass, grow to good size on their own. In addition to making a tasty fish fry, bluegill are just plain fun to catch, for anglers of all ages. Local are predicting another good year for bluegill fishing, especially in Summer. Small pieces of nightcrawlers make an ideal bait, on a small hook, tied to light line.

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, bluegill, white bass and white perch at Harris Lake in North Carolina.

Shearon Harris Lake is a 4,100-acre lake, with 140 miles of shoreline and an average depth of less than 20 feet. However, those who fish this reservoir are rewarded with catches worthy of note. The lake contains a healthy population of bass, catfish, crappie, sunfish and white bass. Bass over 10 pounds and crappie over 2 pounds swim here in good numbers.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Click here for boat ramps available at this lake.

Fishing License

Click here for a North Carolina Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".