Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass:
Bass fishing remains strong despite high fishing pressure and summer boat traffic. Good numbers of fish are holding on rocky points and bluffs closest to the main lake. Senkos, Dropshot rigs and light-line Carolina rigs are all good techniques, with the nod going to the 5″ wacky-rigged Senko as of late. The bulk of the active fish are holding close to the bank in as little as a foot of water. Any version of Green Pumpkin is a good color choice. There has been an uptick of larger fish as of late. Netting Shad for bait not likely until the lake level stabilizes sometime in the early Fall.
Striped Bass:
Not much of a change on the Striper scene. Fly-coring with Yak flies and umbrella rigs in the twenty to fifty foot depth zone remains the best method for fish of all sizes. Most of the Fish Arm and the area around the island in the Ski Arm are good places to troll. The bigger fish are a little deeper than the smaller “schoolies”. Lots of surface action to be had on the 10″ Stripers as they key in on the smaller baitfish, but no sign of the bigger models as the Shad remain deep with the falling water.
Castaic Afterbay:
If we used songs to describe fishing, “Train Kept A’ Rollin” would be the anthem here. Great Bass fishing continues from boat and shore for anglers dragging C3 Baits Shimmy’s on a 6lb test Carolina rig. Neptune Shad and Oxblood are great colors to employ. Senkos are getting some grabs as well, fished on a Texas rig and thrown into the weed pockets. Topwater anglers are having success with frogs and flukes around the weed edges as well, but it is a small window as of late. Mostly early morning or windy evenings.
Castaic Lake Conditions:
Water Temp Surface:
81°
Water Clarity:
5′ to 15′ visibility. Lightly stained.
Water Level:
Down 85′ and falling steadily
Jim – www.661Fishing.com
