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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 – April 2025

By GON Staff | March 27, 2025

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…

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Lake Sinclair Fishing Articles

Sinclair Lake Record Hybrid Bass

David Phillips, of Milledgeville, caught this 10-lb., 7-oz. lake-record hybrid on Lake Sinclair on Nov. 27, 1998.

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 Catfish62-lbs., 15.2-ozs.Kevin Carey01/12/25
Bowfin7-lbs., 6.016-ozs.Benjamin Hammock07/24/23