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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
Sinclair: Level: 1.3 feet below 340. Temp: 69 degrees in Little River. Clarity: Heavily stained most places but clearing by the dam. Bass: Karl Pingry reports, “Ed at Lakeside Chevron says the first wave of spawning bass has occurred. A Trick Worm in dark colors or merthiolate is your best bet in the backs of the coves for the postspawners. A prop bait in bluegill color is another good choice. Either a shaky-head worm or an Ol’ Monster in dark colors will also work around the docks, both in the coves and on the main lake. Also on the main lake, fish the shallow grass with a frog or chartreuse/white ChatterBait for prespawn bass. A Rat-L-Trap or Bandit 200 will work on shallow rock. The big news is the shad spawn. Ed says the shad are trying to spawn in the backs of the pockets. That means by the printing…
Read MoreLake Sinclair Fishing Articles
The start of deer season is a great time for bass fishermen. Many people who have been on the water are now in the woods, making the lakes less crowded and giving you first shot at the fish. With the water and air finally cooling down, the fish feed better, and fishing is much more…
Ahhh, springtime in Georgia… is there a more glorious (or fickle) thing on earth? Temperatures had been in the upper 70s and early 80s for two weeks, but when I had arranged to meet Mark Denney, of Bonaire, at Lake Sinclair, it had been cold and windy for three straight days. It had been just…
The body of a 25-year-old man killed in a boat wreck on Lake Sinclair was found at about 7:10 p.m. Tuesday, June 19 near the scene of the June 9 collision. After 10 days in the water and about 2,000 man hours dedicated to the search by DNR personnel, the body was spotted floating in…
Several anglers said their stomachs were tied in knots. Thoughts of fishing a four hour tournament against one other angler was fresh, new; it was something that most weren’t sure how to prepare for. Go for a quick limit or look for one or two really good bites? Here’s a look at how the 64…
For Richard Saunders, any time he can be on the water is the best time to be crappie fishing on Sinclair, but through the winter months, while he is trolling heavy jigs in deep water, he is thinking about March, when the water temperatures begin to rise and the crappie move shallow. His favorite way…
Lake Sinclair Record Fish
| Largemouth Bass | 13-lbs., 2-ozs. | Jimmy Edge | 02/10/90 |
| Hybrid Bass | 10-lbs., 7-ozs. | David Phillips | 11/27/98 |
| Striped Bass | 42-lbs. | Mike Wicks | - |
| White Bass | 2-lbs., 7-ozs. | James Borders Jr. | 07/12/92 |
| Black Crappie | 2-lbs., 11.5-ozs. | Brent Moye | 01/22/00 |
| Channel Catfish | 21-lbs., 5-ozs. | Kenny Durden | 05/02/07 |
| Longnosed Gar | 15-lb., 3-ozs. | Dustin Turk | 08/18/09 |
| Flathead Catfish | 39-lbs. | Tommy Spell | 07/19/22 |
| Blue Catfish | 79-lbs., 8-ozs. | Guy Covington | 04/27/2024 |
| Yellow Perch | 15.04-ozs. | Eric Phillips | 02/09/22 |
| Spotted Bass | 3-lbs., 9.76-ozs. | Larry Cason | 05/10/21 |
| Warmouth | 12-ozs. | Christopher Leverette | 02/22/23 |
Oconee River Below Sinclair Record Fish
| Largemouth Bass | 10-lbs., 3.2-ozs. | Tracey Jackson | 03/26/17 |
| Channel Catfish | 32-lbs., 6-ozs. | Rick Leitheiser | 04/07/96 |
| Flathead Catfish | 62-lbs. | Brian Estes | 06/13/99 |
| Striped Bass | 63-lbs.* | Kelly Ward | 05/30/67 |
| Black Crappie | 1-lb., 11.6-ozs. | Kelsey Helms | 12/07/24 |
| Bluegill | 1-lb., 8-ozs. | Duke Campbell Jr. | 03/31/15 |
| Shellcracker | 1-lb., 13-ozs. | Ben Bell | 05/29/22 |
| Blue Catfish | 62-lbs., 15.2-ozs. | Kevin Carey | 01/12/25 |
| Bowfin | 7-lbs., 6.016-ozs. | Benjamin Hammock | 07/24/23 |