The 7th annual Casting in Pink Charity Bass Tournament wrapped up last Saturday at the Dennis Station boat ramp on Lake Sinclair. Organized in partnership with Mike Tarrer and the Georgia Bass Trail, the tournament featured 89 boats going head to head.
Despite Lake Sinclair being below full pool, the winning teams managed to lock down solid bags. Carl Hayes took top honors with a lunker bag of 17.31 pounds to outlast Landon Howe and Chandler White with 15.45 pounds. Lance Collins had a third-place showing with 14.77 pounds but the real fight was for fourth and fifth place.
Separated by less than a third of an ounce, the team of Dillon Blackwell and Sam Satterfield with 13.59 pounds edged Morris Smith and John Lindsay with 13.27 pounds to round out the top five. Grant Kelly and Zac Bennett teamed up to claim the Big Fish Trophy with a lunker tipping the scales at 6.96 pounds.
The heaviest bass of the event, including the Big Fish trophy winner, were selected to be transported directly to the Bass Pro Shops’ display tanks in Macon and Duluth.
The water is alive with the sound of jumping fish as cooling water temperatures in the 70s have triggered a definitive fall move. The baitfish and bass are absolutely packing the coves and creeks of Lakes Oconee and Sinclair.
The fish aggressively follow the baitfish, creating excellent all-day opportunities. I appreciated the wisdom and hospitality of Robert Lawrence of Lake Country Guide Service, as he hosted me last week on my first trip to Richland Creek. We found a real nice crappie ball in the main lake running parallel to the creek in 42 feet of water wrapped around a big tree branch. So, we did some drop shotting with 12-foot Zebco Crappie Hunters rods and 7-00 crappie minnow hooks and real fresh baitfish.
There has been a breakout bite and major surge in trophy blue catfish activity and overall productive night fishing across Sinclair. As the fall bite intensifies, fish are zeroing in on large live baits and artificial shad patterns around main lake structures. Anglers on deep river bends and ledges are landing massive fish by switching from traditional cut bait to large, live bream fished directly on the bottom.
Lake Oconee is at full pool with clear water on the main lake and lightly stained up the rivers. Bass have aggressively followed the bait migration into localized shallow pockets. Early morning lure options are white Old Nelly buzzbaits worked in the middle of the creeks. Both buzzbaits and spinnerbaits cast directly around shallow wood cover and posts are producing.
When transitioning to the sun being up, switch to a #7 Rapala Shad Rap or a lipless Rattle Trap in a shad pattern on Oconee, while a 3/8-ounce, blueand- black jig with a fat trailer is money on Sinclair. The wood factor on Sinclair is in play, too, with water levels down and shallow, visible structures like blow downs, brush piles, stumps, and dock posts making premier targets.
Also, according to Georgia DNR, fish are in heavy winter preparations and are currently bypassing typical spawning structures and are strictly focused on feeding. If you locate shifting pods of forage on your electronics, the game fish will be mixed right into the bait columns.
Meanwhile, the beautiful greenspace and forests of Lake Country have been hot and alive with hunters on a sizzling start to the 2026 season with deer, turkey, and bear being taken in good numbers in the early going.
Collectively, 3,216 deer have been harvested in Lake Country. Putnam leads the pack with 750, Greene has 719, and Jones County at 655, followed by Morgan with 628, and Baldwin County coming in with 464. Greene is out front in the buck race with 355 harvested, followed closely by Putnam with 317, Jones with 262, Morgan with 260, and Baldwin reporting 210 bucks harvested.
During the same time frame, the Lake Country doe population was reduced by 1,833 deer as Putnam was the top producer with 433 kills, trailed closely by Jones with 393, Greene with 384, and Morgan with 368, as Baldwin came in with 255 does.
There have been 12,634 turkeys reported killed statewide, but locally, Jones reported 213 birds, Putnam had 145, Greene 141, and Baldwin had 85, topping Morgan with 62 turkeys.
Additionally, 68 bears have been harvested.Remember to stay BearWise this time of the year as the bears feed heavily before going into hibernation toward the end of the year. Check the Georgia DNR website for important tips on staying safe during bear feeding season.