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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 input at the bottom of Lake Beauclair. The Apopka
Beauclair canal system contains two main 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 is the lake closest to Lake
Apopka and the lake most effected by the outflow. The water quality 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 these lakes. Many people are surprised to
find good fishing in the Apopka Beauclair canals. There are springs 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,
tournaments anglers have been known to make the long ride to Lake
Apopka fishing a large spring in this massive lake. Bass caught
near this spring can be 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 cut leading into 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 much larger than average.
Lake Carlton has a secret spot that is worth the effort to locate.
On the southwest shoreline is a shallow path 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 path. The small 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 has been
caught in horseshoe lake flipping the extensive cover or rattle trapping
the open water.
The entrance to the Apopka Beauclair canal
system is very 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 just at 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 the area.
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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