Lake Sinclair Fishing Report – May 2020

Sinclair: Level: 0.9 feet low. Temp: Mid 60s to low 70s. Clarity: The lake has returned to muddy up the rivers to stained down the lake and in the backs of pockets from recent heavy rains.

Bass: Tournament angler Karl Pingry reports, “According to Ed at Lakeside Chevron, the shad spawn is on in the mornings. A black frog and a ChatterBait with a merthiolate Trick Worm trailer are working in the grass along with a black buzzbait. Don’t get on the lake at first light without a double willowleaf spinnerbait to throw along the seawalls and rip-rap at first light. Then change to a turtleback blade combo after the shad spawn ends to fish the stained water. A Little Earl in chartreuse along the boat docks and blowdowns is also a strong pattern, along with a shaky head with a junebug-red worm. One last pattern is an 8-inch black emerald lizard fished in and around the grass. Ed thinks May will have another bass spawn, the end of the shad spawn and a group of bass that will finish the postspawn doldrums and will start to put weight back on and begin to move to their summer pattern by the end of the month. The bluegill will also go on the beds, so keep your eyes open for them and their nests. The bass will be roaming through the beds and then hanging around the edges of the beds until they feel it’s time to feed again. Use buzzbaits with chartreuse, prop baits and Whopper Ploppers in bluegill colors in the beds, as well as shaky heads and Carolina rigs for fishing the edges. Watch the banks and trees starting about mid May for the mayfly hatches to start.”

Crappie: Allan Brown reports, “Crappie are done spawning, but trolling and dock shooting are still good. As the water gets hotter, they will move into deeper water. Night fishing is getting good around lighted docks. Fish small jigs around the lights, and swim the jig into the dark areas. Brushpiles will get good, also. Fish minnows in the brush to catch them.”

Access archived articles at GON’s Lake Sinclair page.