Harris Spawn Discussion

Folks,

Everything is going to change soon and March is always a difficult month for me to find fish because the fish move but I don't fish often enough to really follow them. So I'm asking the experts, what should I expect once the fish start moving? How far will the fish move and where to?

To help me figure things out I created a google map: https://goo.gl/ICkq3A

BTW, feel free to edit this map however you wish!!!

Note that I have a smaller boat so I don't run all over the lake I tend to fish the lake in closer proximity to Holleman's launch, so that's what I've drawn up because I now that part of the lake. Feel free to edit this with other parts of the lake if you so desire.

I know fish are in their winter haunts and I have marked my favorite winter area with the blue markers. Creek channel is generally (but not accurately) marked with a black line.

Questions:

• Will the fish at the blue markers move all the way to the back of the creek marked by purple markers to spawn?
• Do they follow the main creek channel?
• Or do they only move a little bit, like to the yellow markers (these are good coves where I know bass/bream spawn)
• In general, I guess my question is, where do they spawn in this lake?
• And how to follow the migrations in early spring?

I think you have missed much of the winter bite and some of the better spawning areas. PM me for some tips if you won't put them on here for the "spring lurkers". They get really bad this time of year.

Sea Dancer you are likely correct. Fish finder always showed a lot of fish but they were reluctant biters - or maybe they weren't crappie after all. I fished there on Sunday and caught six we fished 8am to 11:30am and then the wind blew us off the lake.

I would say that your drawing shows you something important, the fish are deeper in the winter and move shallower to spawn. At Harris this would mean some move short distances from the creek channels into the near by coves while others make a longer migration up to the heads of the larger coves. Keep reading reports where folks mention water depths and keep those in mind as well as start where you last caught them and keep moving shallower if you aren't getting results. This can mean moving laterally into the smaller coves or moving up the lake into the larger ones.

In the winter Crappie don't move fast to feed. I use coleman rigs to help find the depth. Then I fish slow remembering that crappie never look down. I try to be just inches above them.

We were marking fish and bait all day. We just had few biters. What perch and crappie we brought home were stuffed with minnows. You really gotta make them want what you have when their stuffed like that.

mike

Went last sunday and got blown all over the place. Downside of a pontoon boat. But, I could mark fish, but they were scattered all over the place. A few times I marked the proverbial "cord wood stack" that I interpreted as crappie. The scattered fish, I figured were white perch, but not too big. My wife caught the one crappie, about 11" and so full of eggs I thought she was bleeding out! I think about a couple of seasons ago and we were fretting about our fishery. It sure seems to be turning around.

I think these fish are moving now. I'm going sat just to practice my point. Everything I've read is to follow the channels and start looking for structure along the way and cover of course. These fish will be at your feet before you know it.

If you have not read "Crappie Fishing 101" by Special K you should read it. Search for it on this site. All the crappie will not spawn at the same time or same depth. Natures way to be sure to be productive. Some are moving now. That is why they are so scattered. The "big ol good uns" will be first think.Hope to be looking very soon.