Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass:

Bass fishing was steady this week with stable lake conditions and smaller crowds. The bigger post-spawn fish are starting to show in better numbers, especially while using live Shad for bait. The finesse plastics bite is doing just as well with the C3 Baits Shimmy fished on a light Carolina Rig leading the way. Productive colors are the mainstays, Neptune Shad and Watermelon Candy. Some quality Smallmouth are hitting ned rigs fished a little deeper on points and bluffs. The key to all of these techniques is light line. We use 5 or 6 pound Maxima UltraGreen monofilament and 6 or 8 pound Seaguar Tatsu flourocarbon. The clearer the water is the lighter we go.

Striped Bass:

Schools of Stripers are blowing up on Shad in the first hour of the day in a few select areas. While these are smaller fish the quality four to seven pound models are in the area and can be caught on weightless pearl white Zoom Flukes. There has also been a few bigger fish caught on live Shad. Trolling with the fly-coring/Producer Fly technique is becoming productive again with fish to 7 pounds showing up on the flies. 

Castaic Afterbay:

Good Bass and Bluegill fishing continues here with the tried and true finesse Carolina rig catching the most fish. C3 Baits and Senko’s will get consistent grabs. Use lighter line here as the water is clear, 5 pound mono or 6 pound flourocarbon. Bluegill are shallow and can be caught on mini jigs tipped with a meal worm or red worm.

Castaic Lake Conditions:

Water Temp Surface:

72° – 77°

Water Temp at 25′:

65°

Water Clarity:

10′ – 15′ visibility.

Mainly clear

Water Level:

8’ down 

Jim – 661 Fishing