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 Lake
Dora, Beauclair and Carlton make up the eastern Harris Chain lakes.
Located in Central Florida's Lake County, Lake Dora is approximately
6 miles long and about 3/4 miles wide. Covering 4,502 acres of
water, the lake is the connected to Lake Eustis via the Dora Canal
and Lake Apopka through the Apopka Beauclair Canal. Lake Beauclair
(1,135 acres) is accessed through a short cut between the City of
Mount Dora and Deer Island. Access to tiny Lake Carlton (385 acres)
is through a small inlet in the bottom of Lake Beauclair.
The Apopka Beauclair canal system contains two canals leading into a
residential neighborhood and a gold course. Lake Dora is the
location of some of the most expensive real estate in Lake County.
The City of Mount Dora draws hundreds of thousands of visitors a
year to it's art, crafts and antique festivals. The lake is also the
home of an active antique boat community. The annual antique
boat show, now held in Tavares, is a popular and well attended
event.
Lake Dora and Beauclair
are the lakes closest to Lake Apopka and are most effected by
it's outflow. The water quality in these lakes is poor and the
majority of the bass fishing is limited to fishing canals and boat
docks. In recent years, the water quality has improved
somewhat and a solid growth of eel grass has taken hold. The
lake is the first lake to turn on in the spring and many tournaments
have been won by those knowledgeable enough to fish this area. Many
people are surprised to find good fishing in the Apopka Beauclair
canals. There is a spring in the back of one of the
canals, making sight fishing a real option. At this time, the lock
leading into Lake Apopka is closed. In the spring, a few
knowledgeable tournaments anglers have been known to make the long
ride to Lake Apopka to fish the large spring in this massive lake.
The bass caught near this spring are usually giants, making the long
run worth while. When this strategy works, it's not unusual
for a tournament bag of 5 five to approach or exceed 30 pounds.
Where to fish in Lakes
Dora, Beauclair and Carlton
A number of residential
canals lead off of the Dora Canal. About 100 yards from the
entrance to Lake Eustis on the south side of the Dora canal is the
entrance to Imperial Terrace East. A long shallow canal leads
into the development. Use caution and idle back into the area
as the canal is full of logs and stickups. Once you reach the homes
you will be surprised to find that these canals are deep and
productive. The marina basin has depths to 30 feet and is very
rocky. Many large bass have been taken in these canals. Top
water is my favorite, but many anglers find success with Carolina
and Texas rigged plastics. Other canals in this area hold
bedding bass in the spring. The water clarity is stained and blind
casting with plastics or shallow cranking and spinner baiting is the
norm.
The residential boat
docks on the north side of Lake Dora are good flipping targets,
especially if you find an abundance of eel grass. The Lake Dora cut
leading from Lake Beauclair can be excellent if a current is running
in times of high water. Carolina rigged plastics worked with the
current are productive.
Lake Beauclair and
Carlton both hold good sized bass. The water is dark and the
most successful technique is flipping deeper boat docks.
Action is usually slow, but the average size of bass caught in these
lakes is large and worth the effort. Lake Carlton has a secret spot
that is worth locating. On the southwest shore is a shallow
creek leading through the woods. This path is not navigable in
times of low water, but many tournaments have been won in Horseshoe
Lake at the end of the creek. Horseshoe lake is very shallow, muddy
and full of grass and downed trees. This small lake holds
giant fish in the spring. Many ten pound bass have been caught in
Horseshoe Lake flipping the extensive cover or rattle trapping the
open water.
The entrance to the
Apopka Beauclair canal system is shallow and in times of drought
un-navigable. The canals themselves hold a good population of
resident fish and are a major bedding area in season. The locally
famous "clear canal" contains a spring and as you would expect is a
good place to sight fish bedding bass. Unfortunately, this
canal gets fished quite regularly and unless you happen to be there
at just the right time, it could be a long run with little to show
for it. Still, the area has its regulars who consistently take
nice limits from these canals.
The newly constructed
Lake County Water Authority’s Nutrient Reduction Facility (NuRF) is
located off the Apopka Beauclair canal. This facility is attempting
to eliminate the majority of algae-feeding compounds exported from
Lake Apopka. After five years in development, the project is the
largest alum-based surface water restoration facility ever built. In
total, the project cost $7.272 million to construct and
approximately $1 million per year to operate. When water flows
from Lake Apopka, the facility makes a noticeable improvement in the
water quality of Lake Dora. Unfortunately, it does not operate in
times of drought. Only time will tell if the investment in tax
payers money will pay off.
If you have any
questions or comments about the Lake Dora bass fishing, please
contact me.
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