December starts the usual bedding process as the bass all over the Harris Chain will begin to answer Mother Nature’s call. The cold fronts are arriving right on schedule, coming every 7 to 10 days. The bass have been biting fast moving baits. Try lipless crankbaits or chatter baits worked near the outside edges of the Kissimmee grass, along the eel grass edges or lilly pad fields. Both Lake Harris and Eustis have been hot lately. The mouths of the creeks, canals and around the entries to bays or pockets are all good places all over the chain, especially the areas close to deeper water. When the fronts come the fish will move to the closest deeper and warmer water until the weather stabilizes. Some of the best days will be 2 or 3 days after the fronts when the water is warming during a Full or New moon phase.
The top water bite has been good also since the water temps have dropped. If you see birds active in an area look for the bait on your graph. The schoolers will only get better as the bait balls group up in the deeper chillier water.
The Crappie bite has been going all over the chain as well. The old stand byes are still producing; Road Runner Baits slow trolled, Mylar jigs in bright colors like, pink, chartreuse or white, tipped with a minnow. Naked minnows under a cork or bobber is still is a technique that produces especially in swallow water to keep your offering in the strike zone longer. Move to the swallow grass or pads as the moon phases change, the males will be a few days ahead of the fat females. If you hit them on the right days, you can have a blast as well as some of the year’s best eating table fare!
