Harris Chain of Lakes

Largemouth Bass:

The hottest months of the year are upon us, with the unrelenting heat giving even more reason to target the early morning and late afternoon bites. Luckily for us, fish will be in on this pattern as well with activity levels elevated closest to dawn and dusk. Throwing a topwater bait (frogs, devil’s horse) is one of the most exciting ways to catch a bass and there’s plenty of opportunities on the Harris Chain. Targeting clearer water areas over beds of submersed vegetation or alongside emergent vegetation can be the ticket to experiencing the blow-up of a big bass. Lakes like Beauclair and Griffin are likely good systems to try this on. If you see any fish already hitting bait on the surface, act quickly and throw out a topwater lure- this goes for boat and shore anglers alike!

Similar to the last quarter, many fish will be looking for the relief of cooler water throughout the summer. Deep diving crankbaits can help in finding the bass in those cooler depths, and one of the best spots to hit will be the many attractors scattered throughout the Harris Chain. You can find atractors on lakes: Griffin, Dora, Harris, and Apopka. GPS coordinates for all sites are below under the “Fish Attractors” tab. Offshore shell beds and isolated deep vegetation can hold fish as well, which can be found using your boat electronics. While the general trend for bass is to move deep offshore all summer, there certainly are some bass that still utilize nearshore areas during this time of year. Look for shaded areas underneath canopy cover or docks and you’re likely to find some fish. The typical Texas-rigged soft plastic should continue to produce bites. As always, make sure to submit any “trophy bass” (>8lbs) to the TrophyCatch program to collect some great prizes.

Bream (Bluegill and Redear):

Early on in this quarter, expect Bream species to be in similar pattern to last quarter. Both Bluegill and Redear (Shellcracker) can still be spawning, making nests in soft substrate on shallow to medium flats. At this time, they are easy to catch, put up a fun fight, and are good eating— providing a wonderful opportunity to introduce new anglers to the sport. Many anglers believe the full moon bites for both species cannot be matched. Look for beds in nearshore vegetation such as lily pads and once you find them determine the right depth by varying how far off the bottom you fish. A cane pole with a bobber and either worms, crickets or grass shrimp will always be the ticket. If you want some artificial action, try a small spinner (beetle spin, inline spinner) around the beds. The Harris Chain is renowned for large Redear, with lakes Griffin and Dora and both Haines Creek and the Dead River as good spots to start. Large Bluegill can be found in any lake in the Chain, but Lakes Harris and Dora are great places to begin. Bream species are great for shore-based fishing, with public docks providing ample opportunity throughout the spring and summer.