Fishing Report For Lake Sinclair, GA

Current Fishing Report: Poor To Fair

Bass fishing is currently experiencing major changes in the way anglers are approaching the sport. The expanded use of high-tech fish finders is giving anglers, who fish from a boat, a distinct advantage. The fishing hasn't really changed, but the catch rate has increased considerably. The advent of new lures and equipment has improved success for anglers fishing from the bank as well. Savvy anglers, who study bass patterns, continue to catch nice fish, with or without the new gadgets.

Fertile, off-color water, and the host of small fish that swim here, creates an ideal situation for a spinnerbait when fishing for bass. Lake Sinclair is a great bass-tournament destination, as the bass are plentiful and grow to big sizes.

FALL. Now that Fall is in full swing, bass here have moved shallow, following schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays around 6 to 15 feet of water. Jerkbaits, crankbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits are catching most of the bass. Later in Fall, as deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps where flutter spoons, jigs and drop shots are often good choices in 10 to 20 feet of water.

WINTER. Winter will isolate largemouth around slightly deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. They can be found from 15 to 30 feet deep. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations are key to getting bites. On warmer days, especially during late afternoons, bass may move into 6 to 12 feet of water to feed for short periods.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water nearby spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in 2 to 12 feet of water, preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 5 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 6 to 12 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms, jigs, worms, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they will be caught in 6 to 10 feet of water, on square-bill crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 15 to 25 feet deep. Some of the best reports seem to be from anglers fishing around main-lake channel edges, and deep docks.

Current Fishing Report: Good

Black crappie are being caught using new technologies, reducing the amount of time it takes to locate schools. Forward-facing sonar is allowing anglers, fishing from a boat, to locate schools and focus fishing time on areas with good numbers of crappie. Anglers fishing from the bank still have to search via test casting, until a school is located. Then, they are catching them as anglers have for many decades, before the new electronics became available.

Crappie fishing has been good in Lake Sinclair for many years, and current reports indicate continued great fishing.

FALL. Baitfish, which have moved into shallow flats, coves and bays, have drawn crappie into these areas. Decent crappie are being caught while feeding heavily, in preparation for the cold Winter. Anglers report that 6 to 18 feet of water is where most bites are coming. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall starts a migration deeper, toward winter holding areas, for both crappie and baitfish. Small flutter spoons, fished in 12 to 25 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results are coming around points, creek channel edges, and brush piles.

WINTER. Once the shallows start cooling rapidly, crappie will migrate to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. At this time they are typically caught using a very slow presentation, in 12 to 30 feet of water. Most are caught around deep brush piles, creek channel bends, submerged timber, and main-lake structure. If they are suspending in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into 8 to 15 feet of water to feed.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 2 to 10 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 8 feet of water. Vegetation, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 5 to 12 feet of water. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice. Later in Spring, focus on shallower flats around 5 to 15 feet deep.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 6 to 8 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 12 to 14 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs, bridge pilings and deeper docks. The TD Cheek fishing pier, docks, mid-lake humps, channel breaks, and brush piles in the Potato Creek, Crooked Creek, Rooty Creek and Little River arms, are known crappie hang outs.

Current Fishing Report: Fair To Good

Although forward-facing sonar and other high-tech fish finders were designed for bass fishing, many catfish anglers, who fish from a boat, are now using them to locate channel catfish. With this they are now catching more catfish, by focusing on productive water. The catch rate has increased considerably, and anglers are picking their targets to catch the bigger cats. New baits, line and rigging methods have also improved success for bank fishing enthusiasts. Savvy anglers, who study catfish life cycle and patterns, are still managing to catch nice fish, with or without these new tools.

Virtually every acre of Lake Sinclair is home to channel catfish. Locals report good fishing with rod and reel as well as jug fishing.

FALL. Fall is one of the better times of year for catching channel catfish. Early in Fall they cruise the 6 to 18 feet deep shallows, in search of food. Later, in the season they migrate away from the shallows and any current, to moderately deep flats and channel edges on the main body of the lake. The Crooked arm, Rooty arm, and Potato Creek arm all have nice populations of channel cats. They can typically be found from 8 to 18 feet deep. Fishing for channel catfish is often productive around any kind of structure. Road beds, creek channels and rocky points are all good places to begin. Drift fishing or slow-trolling baits along mid-depth structure is popular and generally productive. Use a slip sinker or Carolina rig setup. Use cut bait, nightcrawlers, shrimp or prepared baits. They remain in these areas and feed aggressively in preparation for Winter.

WINTER. In Winter, the channel cats gather in deep holes and go virtually dormant, especially if water cools into the 40's. They hole up in pockets, deep channels, ledges, around fish attractors, and humps in the basin areas from 12 to 30 feet deep and await warmer water. Slow presentations, especially cut bait, can still entice strikes. Often during mid day, through the afternoon, anglers are catching them a bit shallower on the same structure.

SPRING. In Spring, when water temperatures rise into the high 40's, channel catfish start their migration into coves and up river. Early in the season, look for them in 4 to 16 feet of water. The Sinclair Dam Pier, rip rap banks, and shallow creek mouths and coves off Little River, Rocky Creek and Rooty Creek provide warm water early in Spring. These areas attract bait and channel catfish. They hold here, and feed aggressively, around relatively shallow cover until water warms into the mid 70's, at which time they begin the spawn process. Anglers are using slip sinkers, 3-way rigs, or Carolina rigs to get, and keep, the bait close to the bottom. Later in Spring, focus on shallower flats into late evening.

SUMMER. In Summer, slow-moving water, at the river end of the lake may draw catfish to feed. Otherwise they are scattering, locating cover in slightly cooler water. Reports indicate the most successful anglers are using nightcrawlers, cut bait, minnows or shrimp. Most channel cats hold in 15 to 20 feet during the day, and 5 to 12 feet during the night. Fishing from late in the day until midnight produces some of the best results, as this is their prime feeding time. The public fishing pier at TD Cheek fishing area is an ideal place to fish from the bank.