Harris Lake Fishing
Wake County and Chatham County, NCWRC District 3, 5,568 acres.
- 3launches
- 5,568acres
- 183attractors
Photo of Falls Lake: MadeYourReadThis, CC BY-SA 4.0
Getting oriented on Harris Lake
Harris Lake covers part of Wake County and Chatham County as a lake in NCWRC District 3. The National Inventory of Dams lists 5,568 surface acres at normal pool. The water backs up behind Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Main Dam Dam on the Buckhorn Creek, completed in 1983. Supplies are closest in Holly Springs, about 7 miles away. As a Community Fishing Program site, it gets NCWRC catfish stockings in season.
Records from the Commission list channel catfish, black crappie and white crappie. 3 mapped launches serve it, 2 of them NCWRC Boating Access Areas. For 2026, NCWRC plans to stock 3,000 8-12 in channel catfish. 183 fish attractor sites resolve to it, 15 with buoys. Ownership of the ramps: Duke Energy Progress and Wake County.
Fact sheet lines on Harris Lake
“While Hydrilla was not causing operational problems at Harris Lake, due to the central location of Harris Lake and the close proximity to the Cape Fear River, the lake is deemed as a source of Hydrilla and warrants high priority for Hydrilla management.”
“In the summer (when oxygen levels can drop in deeper water) fish can utilize habitat down to approximately 20ft in the deepest parts of Harris Lake.”
“However, the combination of Hydrilla management, water quality changes, and substantial development within the watershed has resulted in a decrease in submerged aquatic vegetation — a major source of habitat in Harris Lake.”
“Harris Lake supports multiple sportfish populations, with Largemouth Bass and Black Crappie catch rates consistently above average for a Piedmont reservoir during Commission sampling.”
“Harris Lake has diverse aquatic habitat, including rock outcroppings, flats, roadbeds and aquatic vegetation.”
Quoted from NCWRC fishing summary fact sheets for Harris Lake (source). Checked October 2026.
Harris Lake access areas
- Cross Point Landing4 lanes, 125 trailer spaces, 4 docks, Duke Energy Progress
- Hollemans Crossing2 lanes, 91 trailer spaces, 3 docks, Duke Energy Progress
- Harris Lake Parkpaddle access, 57 trailer spaces, restrooms, Wake County
NCWRC shoreline access, Harris Lake
- Harris Lake Park1 pier, owner Wake County, open
- Cross Point Landing1 pier, owner Duke Energy Progress, open
- Hollemans Crossing1 pier, owner Duke Energy Progress, open
- Harris Lakebank access, owner Duke Energy Progress, open
Other ramps by Harris Lake
- Avents Ferry BridgeCape Fear River, 6 miles southwest
- Ebenezer Church Boat RampB. Everett Jordan Lake, 8 miles northwest
- New Hope Overlook Boat RampB. Everett Jordan Lake, 8 miles northwest
- Poe's Ridge Boat RampB. Everett Jordan Lake, 8 miles west
- Vista Point Boat RampB. Everett Jordan Lake, 9 miles northwest
- Poplar Point Boat RampB. Everett Jordan Lake, 9 miles northwest
NCWRC Boating Access Areas and Public Fishing Areas, USACE Wilmington District, USFS and OpenStreetMap, checked October 2026.
Fish to target on Harris Lake
NCWRC publishes no species survey for most lakes, so this list comes from stocking, regulations, profiles and records that name Harris Lake. regulated: 2; stocked: 1.
NCWRC 2026 stocking list, warm-water regulations, species profiles and state records.
Harris Lake stocking plan
| Species | Size | Number | Program | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | 8-12" | 3,000 | CFP | FROM RALEIGH TAKE US 1 S TO THE NEW HILL EXIT. GO S. ON SR-1127 FOR 4.0 MI & TURN RIGHT INTO PARK. GO 0.5 MI & POND IS |
NCWRC 2026 warmwater stocking list and the live trout stocking report. North Carolina stocking.
Harris Lake rules
Harris Lake appears by name in the NCWRC tables below.
| Species | Size limit | Daily creel |
|---|---|---|
| Crappie (Black And White) | 8-inch minimum | 20 in combination |
| Species | Daily creel | Size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | 5 a day | 14 in minimum | No closed season |
| Crappie | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
| Sunfish | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
| Striped and Bodie bass | 4 a day | 20 in minimum | No closed season |
| White bass | 10 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
| Walleye | 8 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
| Rock and Roanoke bass | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
| Blue, channel and flathead catfish | no creel limit | no size limit | No closed season |
| Trout (undesignated waters) | 7 a day | no size limit | No closed season |
Rows depending on I-95 or I-77 are chosen for the location of Harris Lake.
NCWRC 2026-27 inland regulations (eRegulations), checked October 2026. All North Carolina limits.
Side by side with Harris Lake
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Stocked 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris Lake | 5,568 | 3 | yes | |
| Veterans Park Pond | 8 miles northeast | 0 | ||
| Bass Lake | 8 miles east | 58.6 | 0 | yes |
| Jordan Lake | 11 miles northwest | 13,940 | 15 | yes |
| Apex Community Lake | 12 miles northeast | 1 | yes | |
| San-Lee Park Ponds | 13 miles southwest | 1 |
Neighbors of Harris Lake on the map
Lakes close to Harris Lake
- Veterans Park Pond8 miles northeast
- Bass Lake8 miles east
- Jordan Lake11 miles northwest
- Apex Community Lake12 miles northeast
- San-Lee Park Ponds13 miles southwest
Bait stores near Harris Lake
- Shearon Harris Boat Launchmarina, New Hill, under a mile
- Harris Lake boat rampmarina, New Hill, 3 miles
- Marina Sales & Servicemarina, Fuquay Varina, 7 miles
- The Tackle Box Incbait and tackle shop, Fuquay Varina, 8 miles
- Coastal Bait & Wholesale Cobait and tackle shop, Fuquay Varina, 8 miles
- Classic City Marinasmarina, Fuquay Varina, 8 miles
Places to stay by Harris Lake
- Holly Springs7 miles
- Apex9 miles
- Fuquay-Varina10 miles
Which counties Harris Lake crosses
- Wake Countyseat: Raleigh
- Chatham Countyseat: Pittsboro
Reels and a lip grip from Piscifun
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Common catches near Harris Lake
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: -Rorey-, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks staff, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
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Harris Lake in a few answers
Which corner of North Carolina holds Harris Lake?
Find it in Wake County and Chatham County within District 3, about 7 miles from Holly Springs.
What surface does Harris Lake cover at full pool?
5,568 acres on the National Inventory of Dams.
Where is boating access on Harris Lake?
3 launches; Cross Point Landing is one of them.
Which fish does NCWRC tie to Harris Lake?
Records point to channel catfish, black crappie and white crappie.
Does NCWRC stock Harris Lake?
It gets 3,000 8-12 in channel catfish in 2026.
What are the creel limits at Harris Lake?
Crappie (Black And White): 8-inch minimum, 20 in combination.
What license fee applies at Harris Lake?
Residents buy the $32 inland license from age 16.
Does a gauge track Harris Lake?
No public gauge reports it.
Which tackle counter is nearest Harris Lake?
Try Shearon Harris Boat Launch, around under a mile off.
Drive out to Harris Lake
Fees and every statewide limit sit on the license page.