Lake Harris fishing: Sunshine Bass
Target species: Sunshine Bass
Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr for Sunshine Bass
Boat: 12 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Hickory Point Recreational Facility, 12 lanes, concrete.
The lake
Lake Harris covers 18,416 acres in Florida, across Lake County. It is a lake: 90% of it is 16 feet deep or less; the deepest point measured is at least 29.7 feet (9.1 m). Our records hold 20 species for this water.
Depth and bottom
Deepest measured point: at least 29.7 ft (9.1 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. 90% of the water is 16 feet or shallower. We hold 127 depth contour lines for this water.
- 0–2 ft: 0.4% of the water
- 2–4 ft: 1.4% of the water
- 4–6 ft: 3.9% of the water
- 6–8 ft: 10.2% of the water
- 8–10 ft: 17% of the water
- 10–12 ft: 17.8% of the water
- 12–14 ft: 20.1% of the water
- 14–16 ft: 19.2% of the water
- 16–18 ft: 7.1% of the water
- 18–20 ft: 2.1% of the water
- 20–22 ft: 0.7% of the water
- 22–24 ft: 0.2% of the water
- 24–26 ft: 0.1% of the water
The target fish: Sunshine Bass
- Sunshine Bass (hybrid striped bass, hybrids) — Best months: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr. A trophy starts at 5 lb. Holds in open water, drop-offs, current and canals. What works here: lipless crankbait, spoon, swimbait, jig and jerkbait.
Also recorded here: Grass Carp, Blue Tilapia.
12 ramps and launches on this water
On this water we hold 11 trailer ramps, 1 hand launch and 5 fishing piers.
- Hickory Point Recreational Facility — 12 lanes, concrete, parking for 90 trailers (paved), no fee, open around the clock, flush restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Tavares, Lake County Water Authority. 27341 State Road 19, Tavares 32778 · website lcwa.org/hickory_point/index.php
- Venetian Gardens Public Boat Ramp — 4 lanes, concrete, parking for 32 trailers (paved), no fee, open around the clock, flush restrooms, dock. Leesburg, City of Leesburg. 109 East Dixie Avenue, Leesburg 34748 · website leesburgflorida.gov/government/departments/recreation/facilities_and_parks.php
- Tavares Recreation Park — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 50 trailers (paved), no fee, open around the clock, flush restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Tavares, City of Tavares. 2030 West Burleigh Boulevard (US 441), Tavares 32778 · website tavares.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Tavares-Recreation-Park-11
- Singletary Park Boat Ramp — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 34 trailers (paved), no fee, open around the clock, dock. Leesburg, City of Leesburg. 1902 S. 14th St. US HWY 27, Leesburg 34748 · website leesburgflorida.gov/government/departments/recreation/facilities_and_parks.php
- Herlong Park Public Boat Ramp — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 20 trailers (paved), no fee, open around the clock, dock, wheelchair access. Leesburg, City of Leesburg. 700 East North Boulevard, Leesburg 34748 · website leesburgflorida.gov/government/departments/recreation/facilities_and_parks.php
- Leesburg Ski Beach Park Boat Ramp — 2 lanes, concrete, parking for 10 trailers (paved), no fee, open around the clock, flush restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Leesburg, City of Leesburg. 201 E. Lake Harris Drive, Leesburg 34748 · website leesburgflorida.gov/government/departments/recreation/facilities_and_parks.php
- Astatula Park — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 9 trailers (paved), no fee, open around the clock, dock, wheelchair access. Astatula, Lake County. 12703 Florida Avenue, Astatula 34705 · website lakecountyfl.gov/offices/parks_and_trails/boat_ramps.aspx
- Lake Harris Lodge — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 6 trailers (soft unpaved), paid, flush restrooms, dock. Tavares. 11924 Lane Park Road, Tavares 32778
- Summerall Park Boat Launch (Small Boats Only) — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 8 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, flush restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Tavares, City of Tavares. 1001 Wells Avenue, Tavares 32778 · phone (352) 742-6319 · website tavares.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Summerall-Park-9
- Banana Cove Marina and RV Park — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 8 trailers (soft unpaved), paid, flush restrooms. Tavares. 28725 State Road 19, Tavares 32778
Car-top and kayak launches — no trailer
- Leesburg Ski Beach Park Kayak Launch Dock — hand launch, dock, parking for 10 trailers (paved), no fee, flush restrooms, dock, wheelchair access. Leesburg, City of Leesburg. 201 E. Lake Harris Drive, Leesburg 34748 · website leesburgflorida.gov/government/departments/recreation/facilities_and_parks.php
Fishing piers
- Griffin Waterfront Park — no fee, daylight hours. Howey In The Hills. 101 North Lakeshore Blvd., Howey In The Hills 34737
- Herlong Park — no fee, open 7am–7pm. Leesburg, City of Leesburg. 700 E. North Blvd., Leesburg 34748
- Hickory Point Recreation Area — park entry fee, open around the clock. Tavares, Lake County Water Authority. 27341 State Road 19, Tavares 32778
- Lake Idamere Park — no fee, open 6:30am–sunset. Tavares, Lake County. 12335 CR-448, Tavares 32778
- Venitian Gardens Park — no fee, daylight hours. Leesburg, City of Leesburg. 201 East Dixie Ave., Leesburg 34748
10 of the 16 places listed have both a fee and opening hours on file: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.
Water and conditions
Water clarity runs 1.6–4.3 feet on our readings, averaging 3.1 feet, from 791 readings. Water temperature averages 74°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 52°F and the warmest is 92°F; the warmest monthly average is 85°F. pH averages 7.8. These readings span 2016–2025.
Monthly average water temperature: Jan 61°F · Feb 67°F · Mar 70°F · Apr 75°F · May 78°F · Jun 85°F · Jul 84°F · Aug 83°F · Sep 82°F · Oct 76°F · Nov 71°F · Dec 65°F
Stocking: 24,796 fish in 2020
FWC records list 24,796 fish released into this water in 2020. The latest stocking on record is from 2020, more than three years ago.
- Sunshine Bass: 24,796 in 2020
Season by season
- Winter (Dec, Jan, 61–65°F) — Biting: Sunshine Bass.
- Spring (Feb, Mar, Apr, May, 67–78°F) — Biting: Sunshine Bass.
- Summer (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, 82–85°F) — Steady but no peak: Sunshine Bass.
- Fall (Oct, Nov, 71–76°F) — Biting: Sunshine Bass.
What is hard here
Wind is the limit, not the fish: 18,416 acres of open water build a short steep chop, and there is no shelter in the middle. Alligators live in Florida fresh water. Keep clear of the bank edge at dawn and dusk, and keep pets away from it. Summer water sits at 85°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.
Where this data comes from
- Florida FWC — FWC Florida lake bathymetry: class A, a survey of the bottom.
- SJRWMD — St. Johns River Water Management District: depth contours: class A, a survey of the bottom.
