Castaic dam action 6/8 am -- water level continues to fall... but action still decent

[dkinla]

well... headed out again with my dad early this am for a quick am session... got there around 6:15am and could already tell the water dropped maybe another 20-30 ft or so from just a couple weeks ago...

here's the view from the top... never realized how steep the slope is from where we used to fish from shore:

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu266/dkinla/772FCCFE-6BCC-4D4D-A007-624B86D0C00A_zps6nd4iqbm.jpg (http://s654.photobucket.com/user/dkinla/media/772FCCFE-6BCC-4D4D-A007-624B86D0C00A_zps6nd4iqbm.jpg.html)

started to make the long walk across the dam... maybe about 3/4 of the way across... my dad's gotta have his cup of coffee :Big Grin: :

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu266/dkinla/9D0F4995-4606-46F5-8CDE-E6D7CBCA686A_zpsj6ilyqdg.jpg (http://s654.photobucket.com/user/dkinla/media/9D0F4995-4606-46F5-8CDE-E6D7CBCA686A_zpsj6ilyqdg.jpg.html)

here's the water level from 2 weeks ago near that pump tower:

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu266/dkinla/14A755E0-6E93-4641-8B89-16F9AE984FB3_zpsbpqveymc.jpg (http://s654.photobucket.com/user/dkinla/media/14A755E0-6E93-4641-8B89-16F9AE984FB3_zpsbpqveymc.jpg.html)

and here it is today... that little island directly in front of the tower is now a pretty big island, and a new big island to the right:

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu266/dkinla/9C0989F1-368D-4EEA-9A83-9D46ADCFD21F_zpsb8s0sxky.jpg (http://s654.photobucket.com/user/dkinla/media/9C0989F1-368D-4EEA-9A83-9D46ADCFD21F_zpsb8s0sxky.jpg.html)

anyhow, that walk down from the top of the dam to the water edge is pretty far now... sucks when you gotta haul some gear down there on a hand cart that far. Around 6:30am... the air temp was still cool... no clouds... slight breeze and the water was a lot murkier close in, but relatively clear further out and not much debris close and no real signs of algae growth yet.

Setup the usual rods with lugworms and bloodworms and chucked them out pretty far with a 1 oz c-rig setup... and got my dad a nice chair/umbrella this time out:

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu266/dkinla/EC79E295-9EB0-4EFD-B839-0D0486330EB3_zpsjhv4vyoo.jpg (http://s654.photobucket.com/user/dkinla/media/EC79E295-9EB0-4EFD-B839-0D0486330EB3_zpsjhv4vyoo.jpg.html)

we got pretty good action with bites maybe every 10-15 minutes or so.. enough to keep my dad busy and not fall asleep :Big Grin:

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu266/dkinla/6FA501DC-E190-4363-8028-26F8A69C9B9E_zpsjvbkj4n0.jpg (http://s654.photobucket.com/user/dkinla/media/6FA501DC-E190-4363-8028-26F8A69C9B9E_zpsjvbkj4n0.jpg.html)

quick vid of a schoolie being caught:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBDX3g0_cmw

we caught and released maybe 8 dinks that swam off nicely... and had to keep 2 smallish dinks that were gut hooked and bled... but we did manage a few decent size schoolies in the mix. Didn't see any boiling action... but did see some HUGE splashes on the surface here and there about 20-30 ft out at times. A couple guys to the right of us did pretty good early on with what looked like small chunks of sardines or some other cut bait...

had to leave around 10:30am... was pretty hot by then.. and made our way to the cleaning station:

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu266/dkinla/F0F19E43-F632-40D0-BB81-310B9EC30259_zpshsdgqptm.jpg (http://s654.photobucket.com/user/dkinla/media/F0F19E43-F632-40D0-BB81-310B9EC30259_zpshsdgqptm.jpg.html)

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu266/dkinla/8DE15D93-6A47-4B2F-93B2-D1C16BFD6D69_zpspe0rzjzm.jpg (http://s654.photobucket.com/user/dkinla/media/8DE15D93-6A47-4B2F-93B2-D1C16BFD6D69_zpspe0rzjzm.jpg.html)

quick vid at the cleaning station:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOJ9XhSiDmA

thanks for reading guys... maybe the lake will drop another 30-50 ft in another 2-3 weeks??? geez...

[AngryMinnow]

Awesome! My dad is the same with his coffee he always has to have it. Sucks the water level is going down though but you still got in some good fishing!

[cutbait]

One of the better reports.

Way to go boys

[jaggerbub]

Another nice session with your pops! Thanks for the report...

[ibom]

I must be doing something wrong.. I was out there from 7:15a to about 10ish today and nothing.. Was also using the Carolina rig on 6lb test with 10inch leader, used both blood worms and sardines, No love. Prob half way.

[dkinla]

thanks for the nice comments guys... yeah it's always great seeing my dad reel in some fish :Wink:


I must be doing something wrong.. I was out there from 7:15a to about 10ish today and nothing.. Was also using the Carolina rig on 6lb test with 10inch leader, used both blood worms and sardines, No love. Prob half way.

I'm not an expert or anything... but a couple things might help...

location: when I first started at Castaic, I usually fished just past that 1st buoy line in the marina... I figured why walk that far across the dam if I didn't have too :LOL: but I have to say I don't think I ever caught anything there. Then I tried about 1/2 way across, and maybe 1 or 2 stripers if I can remember. But... most of the regulars fish pretty much the far end of the dam, at least 3/4 of the way across and basically to just where they don't allow you to fish anymore... you can see most of the regulars fishing the far end as you drive in. Now I've certainly done a lot better from at least 3/4 of the way across and further. I'd recommend trying at least from that 2nd big wooden sign they have posted on the dam and further. Go where the regulars go :Wink:

tackle: it sounds like you use what I use. I use 6# fluorocarbon leader, maybe 16" or so. I think Castaic stripers are much more line shy than say the Pyramid stripers are. I should use 4# fluoro leader, but don't wanna get busted off in case I hook a larger striper. I've tried casting a little closer and further out. I have to say usually I catch dinks closer in and the larger schoolies further out. So I usually c-rig with a 1 oz egg sinker. And I don't make the light tight.. I leave it fairly loose with a bite indicator on it now.

and it's always a good idea to bring at least 2 types of bait like you are... never know what they're gonna like on a particular day.. Bloodworms, lugworms, nightcrawlers, and/or sardines are the popular choices.

here's an old post of mine you can look at how I rig: http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?65293-quot-It-s-about-dam-time-quot-as-Lebron-James-would-say-%28pics-funny-video%29-6-28am

anyways, hope some of this helps... gluck.

[vampirebret]

Great report. The walk back must have been awful in this heat.

[ibom]

Thank for the info. Ill keep at it and hopefully my luck changes.. Do you know whats the earliest you can get there?

[Stumpknocker]

Nice job taking your Dad out for a successful day of fishing!

[tommibear]

Thank for the info. Ill keep at it and hopefully my luck changes.. Do you know whats the earliest you can get there?

According to http://www.castaiclake.com/hours_and_fees.html,

the lake opens at 5:45 AM and closes the main gate at 8:30 PM.

[CrouchingNinjaHiddenFish]

Thanks for the report. Have you found any stuff on the rocks or anything? like snagged lures? lol

I gotta try the dam soon

[dkinla]

Thx again guys for the nice comments...


Thanks for the report. Have you found any stuff on the rocks or anything? like snagged lures? lol

I gotta try the dam soon

Yeah when I went on 5/25/14, I saw a few "dam walkers" scavenging whatever they could find walking along the dam near the water. And I'm pretty sure I saw them picking up some lures here and there. You'll definitely see line/snags amongst all the bigger rocks scattered most places.

@vampirebret: yup! Good thing we left when we did... Cause it was a pretty long, hot walk back. Had to buy a couple cold Coke cans for us at that tackle shop before we headed down :LOL: