The arrival of spring March 20 will coincide with many fish species getting ready to spawn in area lakes including Lake Sinclair. The weather is finally showing signs of a warming trend after weeks of cold and rainy weather. It appears that the spring spawn may be a little late this year due to the weather.

Just over a week ago, I was thinking that spring might not arrive until April or May but just a week of warmer weather has gotten things back on track. Warmer weather is forecasted over the next 10 days, and if that forecast holds true, most lake species will not be far behind their normal schedule for spawning.

The water temperature has now moved to the middle 50s and should continue its upward trend. The white bass, hybrid bass and striped bass are readying for their annual movement up the lake’s creeks and rivers in an attempt to spawn. The hybrid and striped bass cannot actually spawn in Lake Sinclair, but they make the spawning movement up the creeks and rivers anyway.

Crappie are making their first initial moves toward their spawning areas as anglers are now catching the crappie at the mouths of coves and in the backs of creeks.

The muddy water in January and February set the crappie back a little in some parts of the lake, but the warming water will now get them thinking about spawning. Anglers have reported good catches over the last 10 days.

The Georgia Wildlife Resources Division (GWRD) expects crappie to be abundant this year with the average size being 10 inches. The GWRD said to expect that 60 percent of this year’s catch will be more than eight inches and 40 percent will be more than 10 inches. They also expect some crappie to exceed two pounds. 

The next three to four weeks will be ideal for trolling for crappie so you better get on the lake because once the crappie spawn has completed, the crappie will then hang out under docks, suspend over channels and brushpiles — and a different technique from trolling will have to be employed for you to get a bite.

If your preference is largemouth bass, you also better be ready to go fishing because the doldrums that we had in January and February are behind us and the warmer water also has the largemouth bass thinking about spawning even though the water has to warm another 15 degrees or so to get the fish on the beds.

This was the worst January and February fishing for largemouth bass that I can remember since I began fishing the lake in 1977.

Fishing for largemouth bass has begun to pick up as the fish are making their initial moves to main lake points and flats. The GWRD expects Lake Sinclair anglers to excellent fishing over the next several years due to the excellent spawns in 2006 and 2007.

The water temperature is sitting about 55 degrees now, and when it reaches the upper 60s, usually in late March or early April, the largemouth will begin their spawn.

Striped bass were reintroduced into Lake Sinclair several years ago and those stockings are continuing. GWRD expects the striped bass to reach the 10 to 20 pound range, and in fact, numerous catches of striped bass more than 10 pounds are occurring right now.

Last year was one of my best years for striped and white bass on Sinclair, and even though hybrid bass have not been stocked for several years, the hybrids are still escaping through the Wallace Dam from Lake Oconee, and you can still expect to catch some large hybrids in Lake Sinclair.

The best spring locations for striped, white and hybrid bass is up Little River, Murder Creek and below the Wallace Dam. Crankbaits cast or trolled across points will produce fish and a lively shad or bream will also entice a strike.

The middle of March through the middle of April offers excellent fishing on Lake Sinclair as the lake’s fish move to shallow water and attempt to spawn. If you like catching big fish and numbers of fish you need to be on the lake during this period. Good fishing and see you next week.

Outdoor columnist Bobby Peoples can be contacted via e-mail at brpeoples@windstream.net.