Lake Sinclair Fishing Reports – July 2020

Sinclair: Level: 1.6 feet low. Temp: 82-85 degrees. Clarity: Water is stained above the railroad trestle and in the backs of some coves with recent rain.

Bass: Tournament angler Karl Pingry reports, “According to Ed at Lakeside Chevron Bait And Tackle, the tournament on Saturday was won on a monster worm in junebug red and black emerald under the docks. Fish shallow early with a chartreuse-and-white spinnerbait, a Pop-R and a black popping frog in the backs of the coves early. A black-and-brown jig under the mayfly hatches is one more early pattern to try. A ChatterBait ripped out of the grass and a Little Earl crankbait are the other patterns working at this time. Look for these patterns to continue into July. If there is a mayfly hatch, try a brown frog, a prop bait in bluegill pattern, a bluegill-colored swim jig and a chartreuse-tipped plastic bait to entice an early morning bite. After that, move to a grass pattern that includes flipping plastics, a frog and a ChatterBait. Stay shallow. Everyone is saying that since the power-plant shutdown, the fish are staying shallow. If the water is moving, rip-rap and bridges with a crankbait or topwater will produce your big bites. Be safe over the July 4th holidays.”

Crappie: Allan Brown reports, “Crappie fishing is good in deep water around brushpiles. Locate schools and drop a minnow rig down to them. I prefer 6- to 8-lb. test line and a gold No. 2 hook. This will usually let you save the rig if it should hang up in the brush. I also cast a jig in the brush. Dock shooting is producing slabs, too. Docks close to deep water or next to channel ledges are the best. Blue/black/blue, white/chartreuse/white are good colors. Fishing around bridge pilings can been an effective method, also. Night fishing dock lights up the river has been good and will be the ticket as hotter weather moves in.”

GON’s Lake Sinclair Page