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Lake Sinclair Fishing Report January 2019

GON Staff | December 23, 2018

Sinclair: Level: 1.6 feet low. Temp: Mid 50s. Clarity: Muddy all the way from the river past Little River Marina and stained to the dam.

Bass: Tournament angler Mark Denney Jr. reports, “Fishing in January can be great during the winter months. As water temperatures reach their yearly lows, it is critical to match your lure and presentation to the current conditions. Fish are lethargic this time of year and less willing to chase a fast-moving bait as they conserve energy. When throwing a crankbait, I really prefer to slowly reel a flat-sided lure, such as a Blademaster Boss Hawg that has a tighter wobble and gives off a more realistic action. Target rocks and blowdowns with similar presentations, as this cover will retain heat from the sun and consistently hold a good bass population. When throwing a jig or worm around docks, a lighter weight gives the bait a slower fall and helps get more bites when the fish are inactive. This action can be key during the winter months and really makes a difference. Deeper banks allow the fish to transition from shallow to deep with minimal effort, so target these areas with a slow-rolling spinnerbait or jerkbait. Two Colorado blades on your spinnerbait will allow you to crawl it at a slower pace. Implementing longer pauses for your jerkbait will generate reaction strikes when the fish aren’t necessarily wanting to feed.” Tournament angler Karl Pingryreports, “Fish spinnerbaits with turtleback blades and painted blades of chartreuse and white, and don’t be afraid to try a black spinnerbait if you are fishing in the mud. Small crankbaits, ChatterBaits and squarebills can all work at times. Crawfish colors with orange or red anywhere you have a hard, rocky bottom is a good color to have on. Junebug, red plastics, black, black/blue are the colors for stained to muddy water. Lighter shades, like green pumpkin, are good choices in lighter, stained water or as the water down south starts to clear.”

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