Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
With the lake continuing it’s drawdown to 150 feet, we’re at the old drought line around 120′ which means the sticks and bushes are high and dry. While this is good news for our terminal tackle it also means we are seeing the lake at a level not witnessed since it was filling up in the early 70’s. The once rocky, clean shoreline has given way to 50 years of mud and silt buildup. This has pulled most of the Bass off the bank and into the deeper water of 10 to 20 feet on main-lake points and bluffs. The shoreline Senko bite has gone away in favor of the dropshot and Carolina rigs. Purple Smoke, watermelon and green pumpkin hues will all get bit. Poppers and buzzbaits fished around the Striper boils are getting some quality bites.
Striped Bass:
Solid Striper fishing for anglers fly-coring with Yak flies and Shad flies as well as umbrella rigs and small swimbaits, trolled slowly in the twenty to fifty foot depth zone. Main-lake points in the Fish Arm, Center Point, and the East side of the Ski Arm are all holding fish. A deep spoon bite is there for those with good eyes on their sonar units. Schools of 10″ Stripers are everywhere on the lake chasing small baitfish. The larger Stripers remain deep where they are content with the bigger Shad.
Castaic Afterbay:
Slow drifting C3 Baits Shimmy’s in Neptune Shad along the outer weed edge in 20 to 25 feet of water along the Eastern shore continues to get the quality bites. 5″ Senko’s cast into weed pockets will get some attention as well. Topwater action can be had with buzzbaits and Flukes cast around the inside weed edge early, but the deep weeds seem to be concentrating the better fish.
Castaic Lake Conditions:
Water Temp Surface:
81°
Water Clarity:
5′ to 15′ visibility. clear to lightly stained.
Water Level:
Down 120′ and falling steadily
Jim – www.661Fishing.com
