Famous for Largemouth and Striped Bass

Castaic Lake and Dam, part of the State Water Project. DWR/2014 (Photo courtesy of CA Dept. of Water Resources)

CA State Record Largemouth Bass—21 pounds, 12 ounces
Trophy Winter Striped Bass

Anglers from around the world come to experience the exciting fishing action found at Castaic Lake… What draws them? Maybe it’s the largemouth bass that grow to within ounces of the world record of 22 lbs. 4 oz.! Largemouth, Smallmouth and Striped bass flourish in Castaic Lake due to a healthy ecosystem and diverse forage opportunities. The lake record for Striped Bass is 43 lbs. and numerous Largemouth Bass have been caught exceeding the 19 lb. mark. Why do they get so big? A steady diet of stocked Rainbow Trout, Threadfin Shad, Crayfish and Bluegill and the perfect geographical location. Castaic Lake also has excellent Striped Bass fishing. Anglers can expect to catch Striped Bass that average three to eight pounds during the spring, summer and fall. The trophy striped bass season starts around Thanksgiving and coincides with the first trout stocking of the season. These are truly large fish exceeding twenty pounds and are usually caught on big trout-imitating lures up to twelve inches long.

Average Summertime Striped Bass
We specialize in ”First Fish” moments
Family fun at its finest!

Fishing Seasons at Castaic

Winter: Trophy Striped Bass season

December, January, February We troll big trout-imitating swimbaits for the biggest Striped Bass in the lake. The days are short, the weather is rough and the bites can be far and few between. But as true trophy hunters know, this is the best and maybe the only time of the year to catch these truly large predators. We have perfected our trolling presentations and our Lund Deep V boat is able to fish the rough water safely and effectively.

Early Spring / Summer: Start of the Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass season and early season Stripers

March, April, May, June Usually by mid-March Castaic’s Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass start their migration from their deep water Winter homes to the shoreline and shallows for the annual spawning ritual. This is without a doubt the best time to target these bass as seemingly ever bass in the lake is in shallow water and often visible to the angler. This is an excellent time to learn about bass fishing for the beginning or novice angler. Just as the spawn ends in May or June, the Stripers start to emerge and are caught best by trolling our custom lures and flies fairly deep.

Summer / Fall: Primetime for all species

July, August, September, October, November By now the water temp is high and the fishing is really fun. The Striped Bass can be caught casting surface lures to visibly feeding fish. The action can be fast and furious. In the late summer to early fall we can net live shad for use as bait and we usually catch all three species of bass. This is also a great time for kids as the Bluegill sunfish are plentiful and very willing to bite for our young anglers. We can also take advantage of a good trolling bite for Stripers during the mid-day hours. This is a very exciting time of the year to be on the water.

Getting to Castaic Lake

Castaic Lake is located just North of the city of Santa Clarita, in Northwest Los Angeles County. Driving access is quick and convenient from the Interstate 5 Freeway. Fishing Trips begin and end at the Main Ramp Parking Lot. This parking lot is adjacent to the main ramp on the southern side of the lake. Park as close to the water as you can. Follow Lake Hughes Road to the find the Main Ramp Parking Lot.

Main Ramp Parking Lot Lake Hughes Road Castaic Lake Recreation Area Castaic, CA 91384

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