Lake Sinclair Fishing Report – March 2023

Sinclair: Level: 1.3 feet below 340. Temp: Lake temps in the backs of the stained pockets are in the mid 60s. Clarity: Stained to muddy from the rivers to the dam.

Bass: Karl Pingry reports, “Ed at Lakeside Chevron says the fish are shallow and in the backs of the coves looking to spawn. Crankbaits in crawfish colors (orange belly) are hot. Shad Raps, shallow-running Bandits and squarebill crankbaits are the baits Ed recommends. Turtleback double-bladed spinnerbaits (gold and silver blades) in chartreuse and white are working well. Ed has been selling a lot of crawfish-colored skirts and double white turtleback spinnerbaits for fishing up the rivers. Down the lake a 1/2-oz. chrome-and-blue Rat-L-Trap is working well. Topwater in the afternoons is starting to heat up. Try a black popping frog and a black-bladed buzzbait. Last, any junebug red worm, speed worm, Trick Worm or Ol’ Monster on a shaky head on any cover you see will do the trick. Locations producing are Rooty Creek, Shoulderbone and between the railroad trestle and Twin Bridges. I think the bass have already started to bed and a big wave will spawn on the next full moon. Sight fishing will be tough, so a Trick Worm in black, merthiolate or bubblegum worked near hard sand bottoms or where you see tiny white shells on the bottom will be hard to beat. You can also fish a dark Senko, but it fishes a little slower. One of the most overlooked baits is a 1/8-oz. Texas rig or a Carolina-rigged lizard. Bring 5-inch and 6-inch sizes. If you’re not hooking up on the 6-inch one, or they are biting off the back end, try the 5-inch one. There will be plenty of postspawn bass as well this month. Look for the fry (look for ‘dustballs’) near dock posts and blowdowns. Try a Trick Worm, Senko or spinnerbait and make sure your bait runs through the little group of fry. The male guarding the fry will hit the lure trying to protect the offspring. The second half of the month will start the shad spawn. You’ll see them flipping right up on edge of the bank. Fish rock, rip-rap and dock pilings where you see the shad in the first hour of the day with a spinnerbait, squarebill or ChatterBait. A buzzbait or Pop-R fished right up on the rock or riprap will also work. March will be one of the best and easiest months to catch bass. Lakeside has added more boat parking, so stop in and see Ed for the latest fishing updates and launch your boat.”

Lake Sinclair Page: Archived Articles & Fishing Reports