This September there will still be heat – hot water, and even hotter weather. That being said, the fish here on the Harris chain much like you or me, will look for the coolest and most comfortable places they can find. This means deep water or deep cover. There isn’t much deep water, therefore most an- glers will be fishing heavy cover. Pull out the flippin’ sticks and the heavy tungsten and start pitching into matted grass and lily pads with worms, craws, and creature baits. All these baits are pro- ductive in junebug, black blue, or chartreuse, something that is easy to see in the dark water un- der that cover.
Other than flippin’ into the cov- er, frogs over that heavy cover are productive this time of year. Burning green, black, or white Zoom Horny Toads, Stanley Rabbits, or walking hollow body frogs over the cover are sure to produce a strike; especially first thing in the morning or late in the evening. Main lake points on Lake Dora, and Harris have been key to the everyday fisherman. Canals off Dead River and Dora Canal have been good if you are looking for the topwater bite.
If you’re interested in catching crappie the most productive method is to troll for them in Lake Dora or Lake Beauclaire. Use mylar or ice jigs in chartreuse and pink and tip them with minnows or grass shrimp. Look for deeper holes in open water and set all your rods at different depths starting at 1’ to 7’ deep. The shellcrackers and bluegill have fallen off but there is still the occasional angler coming in with good catches off the Dead River or Haines Creek. For all the tournament anglers, we will be hosting our monthly bass tournament the third Saturday of every month at the buzzard beach boat ramp in Tavares. Be sure to come out for some fun competition, and as always, tight lines.
