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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: 1.5 feet below 340. Temp: 76-77 degrees. Clarity: Muddy to stained until you get to the dam. Bass: Karl Pingry reports, “Ed at Lakeside Chevron says recent weights at tournaments have been impressive—27, 22, 19 and 18 pounds winning these last couple of weeks. Ed thinks that most of the bass have spawned, but there will be a few more with the next full moon that will be deeper in the water column. The shad spawn is still ongoing with the biggest concentration up the Oconee. It will end soon with the warm temps and no rain the last week of April. However, the mayflies will continue to be emerging along the banks for the next several weeks. The shad spawn will be first thing in the morning. Target rocks, grass, dock pilings and seawalls where you see shad throwing themselves up on the banks. A spinnerbait is…
Read MoreLake Sinclair Fishing Articles
The 2013 Junior Collis Memorial Bass Classic presented by the Baldwin Backlashers on Lake Sinclair was a monumental success for both the anglers and Georgia Cancer Support. In a month when many outdoorsmen prefer to be in the woods chasing whitetail, 87 boats and more than 170 anglers flocked to Little River Park to show…
If you have remotely followed the sport of competitive bass fishing, the name Junior Collis should ring a bell. Although he was the first Georgian to qualify for the coveted Bassmaster Classic in 1973, the champion of one of the toughest events in B.A.S.S. history on South Carolina’s Lake Keowee and the brains behind the…
If ever there was a spring to be thinking ahead, it’s probably this one. It’s not supposed to be 85 degrees in mid March. There’s not supposed to be this much pollen this early, and I can’t ever remember the woods being quite so green before turkey season started. However, Aaron Batson, of Oxford, has…
If you thought it was hot in July, just wait and see what August has in store for us. The dog days of August normally bring us the hottest temperatures of the year. On Lake Sinclair that means early morning water temps in the upper 80s and low 90s and late afternoon water temps in…
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 |