Tackle Express Castaic Fishing Reports

The Oxblood and Morning Dawn patterns are working better in the stained water or mud lines, and I switch to the more translucent colors like Neptune Shad, Watermelon Candy and Purple Smoke in the clearer areas. Netting Shad for bait remains difficult as the falling water is keeping them off the bank for now. Hopefully they will come shallow when the lake stabilizes in a month or two.

Not much change this week as water levels continue to fall. The quality Bass are holding a little deeper now, mostly on rocky main-lake points and bluffs in the fifteen to twenty foot depth zone. Dropshot rigs, Ned rigs and finesse Carolina rigs are all working with the C-rig appealing to the bigger fish. We are focused on areas that have a little wind blowing into them. Stay away from areas that have wake boat waves crashing into them. The Bass have a hard time adjusting their swim bladders to the rebounding waves and will suspend or leave the area completely. Netting Shad for bait remains difficult as the falling water is keeping them off the bank for now.

The C3 Baits/Carolina Rig combo is tough to beat as the weeds start to grow in around the swim beach area and Eastern shoreline. C3 Baits Shimmys and Jobus in Oxblood and Neptune Shad continue to get hammered on the inside and outside weed edges by quality Largemouth of all sizes, with the average fish being around two pounds.

Bass fishing remains solid for fish that are mostly in the pre-spawn stage. Fat and strong, willing to bite on virtually any finesse technique and any popular color. Rocky points and shoals leading into spawning areas continue to be our focus. We are mainly fishing wacky-rigged Senkos early and dropshot rigs once the sun gets high.

Castaic Bass fishing is about as good as it gets for fish in all three stages of the spawn. Virtually any finesse technique in any popular bait color will get bites on most rocky points and shoals leading into spawning areas. Dropshot rigs, Ned rigs and light line Carolina rigs have all been productive with wacky-rigged Senkos getting the nod before the sun gets up

Good numbers of quality two to five pound Largemouth are available to anglers dragging the C3 Baits/Carolina Rig combo in the swim beach area. There are lots of small males on beds in this zone with the larger females out in slightly deeper water. Shimmys and Jobus in Oxblood/Red Flake and Neptune Shad color patterns continue to dominate this bite. A low and slow presentation with 6lb. test line will definitly get you bites. Very crowded on weekends.