Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass:

Most anglers targeting the Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass are finding good windows of improved action using topwater techniques. Early mornings and late afternoons have been best for fish up to 5 pounds with most being caught on Zoom Flukes, poppers and small walking baits. The usual finesse presentations are also producing. Dropshots and Carolina rigs with a C3 Baits Shimmy or Ice Pick in Neptune Shad has been a solid pattern. We are fishing these baits from 15 – 30′ deep on main lake points and cuts. Water temps were up to and over 80° as mid-week temps were in the triple digits. Netting shad for bait has been hit & miss this week with most guides choosing to spend their time chasing Stripers rather than trying to get bait.

Striped Bass:

Striper fishing took a hit this week after the Holiday weekend and triple digit temps. Nightime temps were in the mid 70’s which doesn’t let the lake surface cool at all. It seems the shad are nowhere to be found during these extremes and stomach samples show the Stripers have gone back to eating Glass Minnows. Look for this to be short-lived as temps are forecast to be in the mid 80’s next week. The boils that did materialize were there and gone in about 10 seconds, making luck a better asset than technique and strategy.

Castaic Afterbay:

No Report. We are not fishing the lagoon right now as most of our time has been focused on the Striped Bass upstairs. There is lots of water activity right now so we will be back to fishing here in the late fall.

Jim – 661 Fishing