KEEP getting skunked. NC

[Bnjfreak]

I have no idea why, but I have gotten skunked 3 times in a row. 

 

I am from WI, fishing in NC. Recently moved here. I’m fishing on Shearon Harris Lake. I have been fishing mostly spinners and Texas rigs. What am I doing wrong?! I see boats around me catching bass. Why am I not???

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard!

 

Oftentimes when the going is slow ya gotta slow down some more.

 

Assuming you're on a boat, or are you shore-bound? Would definitely

friendly up to some of the locals and get some advice on what works

and what doesn't. Wish I could help more.  Good luck!

[Russ E]

First thing you have to do is find the fish. 

If people around you are catching fish then you may need to downsize and like @Darren. stated slow down.

As an example , My favorite lake here in Kansas has a good population of large bass. It gets extremely heavy fishing pressure.  The fish will rarely hit a large  fast bait. Most of the bigger fish I have caught there, were on a ned rig,  fluke, or Shakyhead.  all fished painfully slow.

A lot of new anglers to the lake try to power fish and often get skunked. I used to be one of them.

[Bnjfreak]

Maybe I do need to slow down. 

 

Yes I am on a boat. 

 

I am from up north and have been fishing Muskie for years. After moving here, I figured bass was the next best thing. 

 

What at do you mean slow down? my Presentation?

 

the water is between 80 and 90 every time I go out. I have never worked with water temps like this. 

 

Thanks for for the input guys!

 

 

[Jig Man]

My advice to you is to go to a shaky or Ned rig.  If there are any fish there you will get some action. Then after you get some confidence you can go to other baits.

[TheRodFather]

I have been fishing only Harris for about a month, trying to break that lake down before making a more serious effort at jordan and falls.  We are transplants (just like everyone else lol), smallmouth on the susquehanna was my experience, so large lakes are a big change for me.  I see a lot of guys netting bait and then fishing with that, so keep that in mind.

 

If you are launching from Hollemans ramp, run a half mile or so down lake to the main lake point, there is a killer shelf out there that I see a ton of guys parked on all the time.  Up by the rip rap bridge (opposite direction from shelf) on the way to the boat ramp there is a creek channel that runs under the bridge with a deeper pocket on the deep side of the bridge, I have caught some out of that pocket working the bottom.

 

Lots of fish are in the reeds on the many coves with vegetation.  I have had some big bites with a shad pattern swim jig with keitec trailer and a black and blue jig, just flipping into irregularities in the reed line.  I have been cursed with equipment/user error and haven't gotten the 3 or 4 big bites I had on the bank to the boat, but they all jumped and were nice bass for sure.  As far as fishing deep, I generally suck, and that is my goal for this year to get better at it.

 

It's stinkin hot, so I have no idea if the main lake fish are scattered or what.  That's why I am trying to learn to find the offshore fish.  I have cranked deep, carolina rigged, shakey head, but no deep bites thus far.  Seen some pictures of a friend of a friend that was catching 7-7lbers deep with spoons, but that was early summer.  I am looking forward to later in the summer and fall, when they concentrate a bit (hopefully).

 

I have talked to some locals and they say that Duke energy introduced grass carp to the lake a couple years ago and the carp have been decimating the hydrilla that used to dominate the lake.  You can see them finning all the time in the coves.  The local told me to look for the hydrilla to find the fish, but he said its all on the south side of the lake.  I have only launched once from the south ramp, I have been focusing on tactics that aren't dependant on the grass so I haven't done much fishing on the southern end.

 

Harris's day may have come and gone by now, it gets a ton of pressure because everyone knows there were (are?) some monster bass in there, and it's not a big lake by any means.