Bassfan
05-12-2013, 10:32 AM
TB, I went to Castaic for the first time this year yesterday. Optimistically bought a season pass. Thought they have to be starting soon so I wanted to see what it looked like. Thought I’d be a pioneer! I asked the guy in the bait shop before I launched and he really didn’t know much except that the bass fishing is good and the he said stripers are still deep. I found that hard to believe so I was on my own to start the search.
As a slight disclaimer, I do not have the skill level of the Bako boys or most of the good striper guys out there. I never caught a striper before last August when a boil fish was kind enough to get stuck on my lure. Thanks to two trips with TO and some bait experience with fishinone I have put away my share in the last 9 months but I am still a beginner so your experience at Castaic may differ.
Put on the U-rigs and started at C point. Covered the entire ski arm down the right side, across the front of the buoy line and half way up the west side of the ski arm. Didn’t see anything very interesting on the ff, just the occasional small ball of baitfish or a few arches that never hit the rigs. Saw a baby rattlesnake swimming around far from shore, I guess his GPS was broken. I was the only guy I saw in the ski arm striper fishing. Everybody else was after bass and I did see quite a few being caught.
After 2 hours of nothing I went to the fish arm and started at the beginning of Hawks Nest. Saw another boat trolling Hardcore style with a jerkbait type lure and he said he picked up 1 striper. About 10:30 as I was leaving old ss I got a good hit and pulled in a hard fighting striper in the 3-4 lb range. I could have kissed her for breaking up the long ride. That one slammed the jig and had it half way down its throat. It was so solidly hooked I had trouble getting it unhooked. I had hope, but as I did one more run through the same area an obnoxious large ski boat went so close he ran over my rigs and caught one on his ski line. I got it loose and headed down the fish arm all the way to Elizabeth. Still nothing wild and crazy on the ff but I did see a couple of guys anchored near the buoys for Elizabeth that appeared to be bait fishing for stripers. No sign of them catching anything.
Trolled a while longer for nothing so I went back to a spot where I metered a few fish to drop in some sardines. Nothing happening with bait at that spot or at the next two spots so at 3:00 I pulled the boat out and headed home.
That striper filet went right on the grill slow cooked on a cedar plank with a light coat of olive oil, lemon juice and blackened Cajun seasoning and it was the best striper I ever ate. Melt in your mouth delicious with a hint of smoky cedar. Enough left over for lunch!
As a slight disclaimer, I do not have the skill level of the Bako boys or most of the good striper guys out there. I never caught a striper before last August when a boil fish was kind enough to get stuck on my lure. Thanks to two trips with TO and some bait experience with fishinone I have put away my share in the last 9 months but I am still a beginner so your experience at Castaic may differ.
Put on the U-rigs and started at C point. Covered the entire ski arm down the right side, across the front of the buoy line and half way up the west side of the ski arm. Didn’t see anything very interesting on the ff, just the occasional small ball of baitfish or a few arches that never hit the rigs. Saw a baby rattlesnake swimming around far from shore, I guess his GPS was broken. I was the only guy I saw in the ski arm striper fishing. Everybody else was after bass and I did see quite a few being caught.
After 2 hours of nothing I went to the fish arm and started at the beginning of Hawks Nest. Saw another boat trolling Hardcore style with a jerkbait type lure and he said he picked up 1 striper. About 10:30 as I was leaving old ss I got a good hit and pulled in a hard fighting striper in the 3-4 lb range. I could have kissed her for breaking up the long ride. That one slammed the jig and had it half way down its throat. It was so solidly hooked I had trouble getting it unhooked. I had hope, but as I did one more run through the same area an obnoxious large ski boat went so close he ran over my rigs and caught one on his ski line. I got it loose and headed down the fish arm all the way to Elizabeth. Still nothing wild and crazy on the ff but I did see a couple of guys anchored near the buoys for Elizabeth that appeared to be bait fishing for stripers. No sign of them catching anything.
Trolled a while longer for nothing so I went back to a spot where I metered a few fish to drop in some sardines. Nothing happening with bait at that spot or at the next two spots so at 3:00 I pulled the boat out and headed home.
That striper filet went right on the grill slow cooked on a cedar plank with a light coat of olive oil, lemon juice and blackened Cajun seasoning and it was the best striper I ever ate. Melt in your mouth delicious with a hint of smoky cedar. Enough left over for lunch!