Castaic Lake Fishing Report

Conditions have been excellent at Castaic over the last couple weeks (even with the recent weekend rains). Water temps are sitting in the mid 60s, and bass action is in peak spring form. Per guide Jim Taibi, largemouth are still in one of the three phases of the spawn cycle, while smallmouth are in post-spawn but already starting to feed heavily. Dropshot and Carolina rigged straight tail worms are working best in the warmer sections of the lake (Fish Arm). Taibi also reports wacky rigged Daiwa Neko Fat worms are working extremely well for both numbers and bigger fish.

Striper action has been inconsistent, with bait soakers getting the occasional fish. Schools are spread out and difficult to pinpoint.

Castaic Lake reopened, and the bass bite has been very good since, with fish setup very tight to structure. Guide Jim Taibi reports fish holding around the 20 foot range, especially on secondary points and rocky transitions leading into coves. The Fish Arm has been the more consistent side. Finesse plastics are doing most of the work. Straight tail worms on drop shot and Carolina rigs are producing for both largemouth and smallmouth. Shallow craw-pattern cranks and fluke-style baits are also getting bit, with some holdover trout mixing in.

A few 5 to 10 pound stripers have also been picked off by anglers targeting bass. Rainbow trout were planted on February 9 at the West Ramp.

Castaic is set to receive another 5,000-pound rainbow trout plant from the California Department of Water Resources this week, which should help jumpstart a quiet stretch for trout anglers since the first plant. Most of those fish have moved out into the main lake. Aside from trout, the bass and striper bite is still hanging on with water temps in the low 60s and sunny weather holding in the 70s.

Guide Jim Taibi reports bass are spread from 2 to 40 feet, with most fish coming off main and secondary points on dropshots. The C3 Jobu (Red Bug, Oxblood) and 7″ Bait Merchant Prototype Worm (Purple Haze) are doing the heavy lifting. There’s also a tight shallow jig bite around steep banks with brush and boulders.

Taibi also reports stripers are being caught by trollers in the 30–40 foot zone on A-rigs and swimbaits. Others are pushing into the backs of coves and jigging spoons with some success. No cut bait bite yet.