Vague Practice reports for BFL on Harris............... 2/18

[flranger]

OK, I'll start. Since I will not practice until the afternoon before I can only add my vague heard it from somebody report:

1. If you have the patience fishing the canals can win the tournament.
2. There is a somewhat steady bite in Eustis fishing above the eelgrass with crankbaits. Limit possible, size limited.
3. Recent Federation Championship was won on a Carolina Rig offshore in Harris.

[namgrunt]

And if you have the grapes to go into Griffin, to the Yale canal, and into the emeralda marsh, there have been several 5lb + fish taken and released back to the water.
The key is to take the 2nd cut into the Marsh. The water in there is 4 to 5 ft deep, and was 66 degrees Farenheit on tuesday.

[FloridaEd]

John when you go into Yale canal are those cuts on the right or left?

[namgrunt]

Ed, they are on your left.
The 1st one is just a short distance in the canal, and the 2nd one is down almost to the end where the pumps are located.

[flranger]

Is that a protected area? Never heard of it before today.

[knowphish]

I've got the grapes !!!!!!!!!!!! Who wants to go ????????????????????? MickSitx & I were on The Harris Chain today It wasn't that great. We did ALOT of looking and very little fish tricking.

[flranger]

Is Haines Creek a idle zone? How long to get from Hickory Point to Yale Canal (I'm guessing an hour?)

[knowphish]

CORRECTAMUNDO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you're going to go there, it sounds like a total commitment. I guess that will test your patience!!!!

[FloridaEd]

A.J. i assume it was pretty rough over there today with all this wind.

[flranger]

How many boats can go through the Haines Creek lock at one time? I haven't run through there.

[knowphish]

Yes, it was little rough! I think MAYBE 6 boats at a time. It was last year when I did it. I've been told by several people, that they're patrolling the HECK out of Haines Creek !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[namgrunt]

Haines Creek is IDLE from one end to the other. And they just love giving out fines too!!

If you are going to fish, or, want to fish the "marsh", put in in Leesburg, at the train. There is a good ramp there.
Go out to the main lake, and head north, like your going to the Ocklawaha River.
You'll see the 2 pumpstations with a lot of signs, and marker bouys. The mouth of the Yale canal is behind the one on your right.

(P.S. don't be afraid to throw traps in the calal or marsh.)

[George]

A.J. what part of Harris did you and Mick fish.

[knowphish]

Beauclair, Carlton, the Apopka Canal, that clear canal and all those other ones down (?) there. Really didn't do much fish tricking, alot of looking though!

[George]

Might a fish tournament there Sunday and was curious about Apopka Canel should be a bunch of fish in there this time of year. Although there s more boats in there than fish .

[namgrunt]

George, there is a little lake off of Carlton that has a slender canal as it connection to Carlton.
It has good grass beds, and some shoreline structure.
If it's not got high winds I is known to hold some GOOD bedding fish .

[Ba$$n]

The way my friends and I read the signs there are idle zones but not the entire length of the creek. Are we missing something?

[namgrunt]

Only if you feel like donating to the County.......he he They have made the entire length a no wake zone.

[Mickstix]

Was a fun day of tourin the eastern areas of the Harris chain! Thanks again for the flippin "technique" help AJ!! We'll do it again soon! Maybe even fish a little if the weather cooperates!

Skeet, there was one section of the Apopka "main" canal that said "resume normal operation" but another sign up in one of the offshoots said "All manmade canals are idle only" so, take it for what ya will.. We erred on the side of caution today.. Plus there's so many boats you could barely get on plane anyway, before havin to drop down to pass speck fisherman or a party barge convoy.. And this was on a Thursday..

[Ba$$n]

Guess we have been lucky in the past. We obey all of the no wakes but sure didn't realize Haines creek was no wake all the way.