Bass at Jordan, Harris back to biting ways

Topwater fishing at Harris good; shallow cover great at Jordan

Bass fishing has snapped out of the October doldrums at Shearon Harris and Jordan lakes.

“The Harris Lake topwater bite has been really good,” said guide Jeff Thomas of Broadway. “The water has dropped, and the grass lines are really prevalent.”

Thomas has been casting Zara Spooks and buzzbaits when the weather’s been sunny.

“I’ve been throwing a spinnerbait close to the grass when there’s some wind and it’s cloudy,” said Thomas (919-770-4654), who called fishing a “typical fall pattern, but I’m not sure why the water is down about fpur feet at Harris.”

Thomas’ best fall pattern for bass has been to find fish “back in the creeks that have some shallow wood and grass lines.”

His best days have resulted in 20 bass during an 8-hour trip, “but I’ve been averaging 15 to 16 bass a day,” he said, with most fish running 2 to 3 1/4 pounds.

Jordan Lake, just a few miles north, has recovered from the October funk and has been producing more largemouths.

“Jordan’s been getting a lot better than it was,” said Thomas, who has been any kind of shallow cover he can see, but rising water has covered a lot of it, including wood and rocks.

“You’re basically fishing anything you can see in the water,” he said. “Jordan has some grass, especially at the lower end near the dam on the western side of the lake, and I’ve been fishing grass, laydowns and shallow wood with a spinnerbait or shallow-running crankbaits.”

Another good target at Jordan is the riprap banks along the highway causeways, especially at US 64 and the bridge over Beaver Creek near the Ebenezer public ramp.

“Jordan’s fish aren’t really big right now, mostly running 14 to 15 inches,” Thomas said. “My biggest fish was probably a 3-pounder. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s so much better than the lake has been the previous month.”