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Lake Sinclair

Lake Sinclair is in central Georgia near Milledgeville directly downstream from Lake Oconee on the Oconee River. The 15,330-acre lake is operated by Georgia Power. Bass fishing and crappie fishing are very good and quite popular on Sinclair, and the lake is also home to plenty of catfish. The lake's dynamics changed in 2013 when Georgia Power ceased operation of Plant Branch, which created a warm-water discharge near the Highway 441 bridge area. Even the iconic Plant Branch smoke stacks were brought down. Lake Sinclair stretches through the counties of Baldwin, Hancock and Putnam. Lake Sinclair was created in 1953.

 

Lake Sinclair Resources

Lake Sinclair Fishing Report – December 2024

By GON Staff | November 28, 2024

Sinclair: Level: 1.7 feet below 340. Temp: High 50s to low 60s. Clarity: Stained up the rivers, especially Little River, Cedar Creek and the Oconee River. Bass: Karl Pingry says there are several go-to baits that will need to remain on your fishing lines for most of December. If you are near rock in the pockets, throw a 1/2-oz. chrome/blue or chrome/chartreuse Rat-L-Trap. A Bandit 200 in black or chartreuse/white is the other crankbait to try. The big bass baits are black/blue jigs or big worms in junebug red or plum apple in the backs of coves in any cover you can find. A shaky-head worm will work, as well. The newest pattern is finding the stained water and throwing a turtleback blade spinnerbait or a Colorado blade spinnerbait with nickel/gold blade. A double willowleaf may work in the clearer water, too. Ed at Lakeside Chevron thinks the jig bite will continue, but you may have to find…

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Lake Sinclair Fishing Articles

Tony Couch’s Lake Sinclair Summer Bass Pattern

Bass fishing can be tough everywhere in August, but anglers can head to Lake Sinclair and hit the right docks and points for some action. Tie on a couple of different baits, fish early and late to beat the heat, and enjoy a good catch of August bass. Lake Sinclair is an old Georgia Power…

Sinclair Dock Fishing For Cats

A lazy, yawning, stretching sun is warm, finally, as it peers across treetops bordering Crooked Creek. Winter’s bite has clung on tenaciously this year. After months of chilling winds, rain and more rain, Lake Sinclair almost feels like home again on this Monday, the second week of April. The old faded vest that has weathered…

Sinclair Beast! Record Blue Catfish Weighs Almost 80 Pounds

Just how big are some of the catfish swimming in the waters of Lake Sinclair? We can confirm right at 80 pounds! A new Lake Sinclair record blue catfish was caught this weekend by Guy Covington, of Social Circle, that pulled the certified scales to 79.5 pounds. And Guy released the beast back into Sinclair…

73 3/4 Pound Catfish Sets Lake Sinclair Record Then Released

On the afternoon of Jan. 26, long-time buddies Brandon Pitts and Kenny Scott set out on Lake Sinclair in hopes of wrangling some big stripers. Finding gizzard shad of a suitable size for bait proved to be difficult, forcing the anglers to alter their game plan. Unbeknownst to them, it put them on a path…

Barnes Takes Top 150 On Lake Eufaula

Ellaville native Justin Barnes emerged as the winner at the Lake Eufaula ABA-AFT Top 150 tournament after a remarkable turnaround on the second day, June 3. Competing against 117 other anglers, Barnes secured first place with a total weight of 38.16 pounds, earning a prize of $16,400. On the first day of the tournament, Barnes…

Lake Sinclair Record Fish

Largemouth Bass13-lbs., 2-ozs.Jimmy Edge02/10/90
Hybrid Bass10-lbs., 7-ozs.David Phillips11/27/98
Striped Bass42-lbs.Mike Wicks-
White Bass2-lbs., 7-ozs.James Borders Jr.07/12/92
Black Crappie2-lbs., 11.5-ozs.Brent Moye01/22/00
Channel Catfish21-lbs., 5-ozs.Kenny Durden05/02/07
Longnosed Gar15-lb., 3-ozs.Dustin Turk08/18/09
Flathead Catfish39-lbs.Tommy Spell07/19/22
Blue Catfish79-lbs., 8-ozs.Guy Covington04/27/2024
Yellow Perch15.04-ozs.Eric Phillips02/09/22
Spotted Bass3-lbs., 9.76-ozs.Larry Cason05/10/21
Warmouth12-ozs.Christopher Leverette02/22/23

Oconee River Below Sinclair Record Fish

Largemouth Bass10-lbs., 3.2-ozs.Tracey Jackson03/26/17
Channel Catfish32-lbs., 6-ozs.Rick Leitheiser04/07/96
Flathead Catfish62-lbs.Brian Estes06/13/99
Striped Bass63-lbs.*Kelly Ward05/30/67
Black Crappie1-lb., 11.6-ozs.Kelsey Helms12/07/24
Bluegill1-lb., 8-ozs.Duke Campbell Jr.03/31/15
Shellcracker1-lb., 13-ozs.Ben Bell05/29/22
Blue Catfish50-lbs., 6.4-ozs.Eli Carey04/06/24
Bowfin7-lbs., 6.016-ozs.Benjamin Hammock07/24/23