Lake Sinclair Fishing Report – February 2023

Sinclair: Level: 1.5 feet below 340. Temp: 52-56 degrees. Clarity: The rivers have a heavy stain but there is some clearer water in Rooty, Rock and Island creeks.

Bass: Karl Pingry reports, “Despite all the ups and downs in rain and temperatures, the last Berry’s tournament took 24 pounds to win, and the last Middle Georgia tournament took over 21! Ed at Lakeside Chevron says the best areas to fish are in Rooty Creek, up Little River, up the Oconee River and in Rocky Creek. The areas to concentrate on are very different. Ed recommends the backs of the pockets where it is most stained. In those areas, fish a turtle-back spinnerbait or a squarebill crankbait. Target any cover you see and any hydrilla you see (it will be dead grass) that had grown to the surface. Ed said to use a junebug-red Trick Worm on a shaky head on the docks and any cover you can see visually or on your electronics. His last recommendation is a chartreuse-and-pearl crankbait in the SSR Shad Rap or Bandit crankbait. The other color to try would be a crawdad color. Ed’s other location to fish a jig or shaky head is in the areas mentioned above but on the main-lake (or creek) docks and blowdowns. I suggest you go to an area and try both the back of the pocket and the main lake. If you get bit, slow down and work that area hard. If you don’t get bit, move to the main-lake area and continue to repeat until you find the fish. Make sure you note the depth you got bit, the type of bottom and type of structure. Remember the old adage: Get bit once might be luck, get bit twice, and it’s a pattern. February will have the same patterns unless there is a big warm-up. Then, expect fish to move shallow. Or if a big cold front drops water temps, expect the bite to get tough. During those times, focus on getting your bait tight to cover and fish slowly. Make repeated casts to likely holding areas. One of the big advantages to today’s electronics is it will show the fish and how they are relating to structure and/or cover. You can watch how they react or don’t react to different baits and presentations. This is tougher to do around the grass because is blocks out your electronic eye. Put away visual baits like a suspending jerkbait unless you find visibility better than 3 feet. If you get three or four days of warm weather and sun, concentrate your afternoon fishing to areas that have a bottom of sand or rock with a lot of sun exposure. These areas will warm quicker. Also remember that stained water warms faster than clear water.”

Lake Sinclair Page: Archived Articles & Fishing Reports

Tournament angler Matt Henry at Sinclair Marina reports, “Bass are holding 12 to 15 feet deep on their winter pattern and can be caught on points that run out to the channels and also on deep banks. The main lake below the river junctions is best since it is more stable. It does not muddy up as fast as the rivers. Look for rock and brush 12 to 15 feet deep and slow-roll a big spinnerbait like a chartreuse or blue-and-white Hoppy with gold blades along the bottom. Also, fish it with a 3/8-oz. black-and-blue Buckeye Mop jig with a blue Zoom Chunk. As the days get longer toward the end of the month, the bass will start to move up more shallow, with the bigger ones leading the way. Look for rocks, sand and clay on points and nearby grassbeds at the mouths of creeks and coves on the main lake. Fish 2 to 5 feet deep with flat-sided crankbaits, Shad Raps and 1/8-oz. shaky heads with green-pumpkin or black Trick Worms. Fish the outer edges of grass, especially on warm, sunny days, with your jig and spinnerbait.”