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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: 1.6 feet below 339 Temp: According to Randy Davidson on the Lake Sinclair Fishing Forum on April 29, who has a dock in Crooked Creek, the water temperature is 63-66 degrees and the water in clear in most parts of the lake. He said he’s heard no reports of muddy water on the lake. Bass: Karl Pingry reports that Ed at Lakeside Chevron said there’s a shad spawn early where a white, three-bladed spinnerbait (willowleaf blades of chrome, gold and white) is tearing them up on the rocks, seawalls and grass. “A ChatterBait in the grass where you see the shad is also a good choice. Stick with those two baits and a 1/2-oz. chrome-and-blue Rat-L-Trap or a Shad Rap for the next hour or two after the shad stop doing their morning ritual. Last, fish an Ole Monster in Sinclair colors (black emerald or junebug red) along…
Read MoreLake Sinclair Fishing Articles
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…
Shooting-up crappie can be the quickest and easiest way to fill a limit. Following the spawn, when the fish pack-in under docks like canned sardines, they are hungry. Getting a bait into the deepest, darkest recesses beneath a dock is the only thing standing between the angler and a mess of crappie. And if you’re…
There are some tired fishermen after two half-day Lowrance Eliminator Series tournaments at Lake Sinclair cut the field from 32 boaters to just eight survivors. Those eight anglers will launch tomorrow morning (March 5) along with eight non-boaters as the 2010 Lowrance Eliminator Series continues. Windy, cold conditions all day made for rough fishing at…
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., 9-ozs. | Duke Campbell Jr. | 04/01/06 |
| Bluegill | 1-lb., 8-ozs. | Duke Campbell Jr. | 03/31/15 |
| Shellcracker | 1-lb., 13-ozs. | Ben Bell | 05/29/22 |
| Blue Catfish | 50-lbs., 6.4-ozs. | Eli Carey | 04/06/24 |
| Bowfin | 7-lbs., 6.016-ozs. | Benjamin Hammock | 07/24/23 |