Tips and Fishing Report. Uh oh, better not tell Bob 'bout this one

BY RONNIE KOVACH Castaic Lake, located about an hour from downtown Los Angeles, provides one of Southern California's most popular multi-species fisheries. This 2,000-acre reservoir has a solid population of Florida-strain largemouth bass, along with rainbow trout, channel catfish and striped bass. Both boaters and shore anglers partake in the action at this urban impoundment. Castaic basically is separated into two sections. This V-shaped lake is divided into water skiing and fishing arms. Anglers are permitted to try their luck from either bank or boat in the ski arm as well as in the fishing arm. However, waterskiers are not allowed in the fishing arm, where boat speed is strictly monitored and limited to 20 mph. Bass anglers from all over the west come to sample Castaic's world-class largemouths. Each season, numerous double-digit-weight fish are caught here. The current lake record stands at a whopping 22.01 pounds! Some real veterans firmly believe that a world record fish is waiting to be caught in this small reservoir. Bassin' at Castaic is a year 'round proposition, with five-fish daily limits common for the experienced angler. Following are the details on the seasonal patterns that persist at the lake and the specific strategies used to key in on the its largemouth population.

SPRING BASSIN' If it's sheer quantity you like, Castaic kicks out plenty of bass in the 1 1/2- to 4-pound range from March through June. Look for fish to be holding near the bank and particularly off shallower outside points in the early morning and late afternoon. This is prime crankin' water! I like to start with medium- to deep-diving plugs to probe these points for larger fish. Luhr Jensen's Hot Lips Express and 1/4- or 1/2-oz. Brush Baby are the perfect baits for these conditions. The big trick is to work your plugs not only across the submerged points, but also along the outside edges. These lures will reach the proper depth when fished on 8- to 10-pound test mono. Small diameter line also works well in Castaic's relatively clear springtime water. For spring crankin' with the Hot Lips Express or a Brush Baby series, Tennessee Shad and Crawdad finishes are most effective. Moving inside the coves, stay with shallow running baits like the Speed Trap, and 1/4-oz. Hot Lips. The same colors used for exploring the deeper outside points are effective inside shallow coves. Another option is to rhythmically "twitch" or "jerk" a Jensen Minnow over the 3- to 10-foot depths in both the fishing and ski arms at Castaic. The object is to "twitch" the lure with your rod tip to make the lure dance and dart below the surface when retrieved in the shallows. Then, use long exaggerated sweeps with your rod to pull this minnow-shaped plug down deeper. Let it barely start to rise to the surface and "jerk" it down again. Always be prepared for strikes when the Jensen Minnow is allowed to rest motionless for that split second. This is frequently when bass sense a bait is "wounded" and when they will attack it. Work the lure in either Silver, Silver/BlueTop or Metallic Perch finishes during the spring at this lake. Springtime at Castaic also is popular with dedicated plastic worm fishermen. The largemouths readily strike small four-inch worms in earth-tone colors such as pumpkin-pepper, cinnamon/blue blood line, green and brown "weenie" and "cinnamelon". These baits should be fished either Texas-rigged and slow-crawled with a sliding bullet sinker or split shotted slightly suspended above the bottom. Worm fishermen may find bass anywhere from next to the bank to all the way down to 40 feet during the March through June period. Split-shot affecionados should also slowly retrieve two-inch feather reapers or three-inch curly-tail grubs in salt-and- pepper shades from a variety of depths during the spring here.

Lake Castaic is located off of Interstate 5 approximately 45 miles north of Los Angeles. From I-5 exit Lake Hughes rd. and go east to the lake entrance.The park address is 32100 Ridge Route Rd. Castaic, Ca. 91384, (661) 257-4050. The lake is open year round from sunrise to sunset. Entrance fee is $6.00 per car. Castaic lake has an excellent launch facility and also has rental boats for $24 per day. There is a bait shop and a Mobil mini-mart to serve your needs. Camping is available for $12 per night. Call for reservations! The surface area of the lake is approx. 2,230 acres. Known primarily for it's Largemouth bass fishing, Castaic also hosts a variety of other gamefish such as Trout, Crappie, Catfish, and Striped Bass. These fish are often overlooked by fisherman targeting the prized Largemouths that live here. The DFG stocks rainbow trout here from Fall through Spring. As I have said, this lake is known primarily for it's largemouth bass fishing. There are some BIG, HEALTHY fish that live here. 3 of the top 5 largemouth bass of all time came from Castaic and 7 of the top 25 of all time were caught here. As you would guess, this lake gets a lot of fishing pressure and the "Big-Uns" are usually quite smart. However with the right conditions, a little finesse, and a lot of luck, it is possible to land 2-digit fish from here. Live baits such as crawdads are responsible for a number of the bigger fish that come out of here although jigs, plastics, crank, and spinnerbaits are also effective. Many local anglers believe that the best time to fish is right after a DFG trout plant. When this happens, many of the larger striped and largemouth bass go on a "feeding frenzy", gorging themselves on the helpless little trout. Trout-imitation plugs are known to work well during these times. Of course, not all the trout are eaten by the bass; many are taken by anglers either trolling or spin casting near the dam. Small spinners and Kastmasters have been known to work good as well as a variety of baits such as inflated nightcrawlers, marshmallows, and Power Bait. There is also some very good catfish fishing here for anglers using mackerel or nightcrawlers near the dam or in one of the many coves throughout the lake. Another area of intrest is Castaic Lagoon, which is located just south of the main lake. Like the main lake, this place is also stocked with rainbow trout by the DFG from Fall through Spring. Also, as in the main lake, there are some huge largemouths in here that go "Hawg Wild" whenever the trout are stocked here. The lagoon is said to hold a surprisingly high population of 10+ pound bass for this reason: Until recently, the only certified scale in the area was at the mini-mart next to the lagoon. Anglers fishing the main lake would catch a big fish and, wanting to verify the weight, would drive down to the mini-mart, weigh it, and then release it into the lagoon. (Most anglers would not bother driving the fish back to the main lake). Certified scales have now been installed near the launch ramp at the main lake. Trout fishing is also very popular at the lagoon with the best spots at the east ramp, and along the rocks on the south shore. Power Baits, inflated nightcrawlers, small lures and spinners are all effective. Night fishing is also allowed in the lagoon, making it a popular place for catfish anglers; especially during the summer months.