On the Harris Chain September arrives with hot days and hot bites! We will also see breezy days and the beginning of fall as the days grow shorter. Look for areas with any current from the wind or running / moving water from the afternoon rains. This is when the fish have been grouping up and feeding on schools of bait. The low light conditions of early morning is best until about 9:30 am. Get out on the water before the suns rises and in most days it will be worth it.
Try top water baits like the trusted Devils Horse, pencil poppers, and hard or soft bodied frogs – these have been producing explosive strikes from above average size bass. Try the mouths of canals, both ends of the Dead River and areas with offshore hydrilla in Big and Little Lake Harris. Once the sun gets up try finding shell-bars close to deep water. Lake Dora has several and they have been producing good numbers of bass and they are good-sized. As the sun gets high, switch to deep running crankbaits, swimbaits or Carolina rigs with a large worm. Fish them slow, once you catch one there are usually more in the area. Flipping the heavy grass and mats with black-blue creature baits or June-bug colored plastic worms have also been producing. The larger deeper docks located all around the chain have been producing keeper bites later in the day as well, target docks with largest shaded areas with breeze blowing in on them.
The crappie bite will pick up towards the end of the months near Dead River, around the mouth of Haines Creek at both ends and around the northwest corner of Lake Eustis. Use jigs tipped with a minnow for crappie. Vary the depth of your baits until you find where they want it! The deeper holes in big Lake Harris have been producing the best bites for crappie. Take a kid with you – crappie are great fun with light tackle and great on the dinner table.
