Limit of black bass at Castaic

[loweboat]

The following was released yesterday
Lower oat

Please see below

From: Lori Bennett <lbennett@parks.lacounty.gov>
Date: February 25, 2015 at 7:42:01 AM PST
To: C Friedman <clatif@ca.rr.com>, 'Terry Kratzer' <terry.kratzer@gmail.com>
Subject: FW: Castaic Lake black bass regulation change

Please pass this on to Friends members.

From: Black, Duane (Russell)@Wildlife [mailto:Duane.Black@wildlife.ca.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 5:18 PM
To: Lori Bennett
Subject: Re: Castaic Lake black bass regulation change

Lori,
Effective March 1st, 2015 the new legal black bass limit will be 5 fish at 15 inches for Castaic Lake. Please forward this message to any interested parties. These regulations can be found in Title 14, California Code of Regulations, section 5.00.

Thank you,
-Russell

D. Russell Black
Environmental Scientist
Reservoir Research Program
South Coast Region
Department of Fish and Wildlife
Office (858) 467-4262
Cell (858) 860- 4000

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[DarkShadow]

What was the limit before?

[Fishbones]

As much as you can fit in a bucket. Loll

[fishrdi]

Current Castaic regulations on Black Bass = Bass (Largemouth) Limit =2 Size= 18 inch+

Very weird that these regulations are changing like this, but I am a Striper Fisherman so it does not bother me!

[DarkShadow]

That must mean the largie population must be poppin!

Congrats Castaic!

[CrouchingNinjaHiddenFish]

its like pyramid now .

[BlueGillChaser]

cool now i can keep 5

[seal]

They've discussed changing it to 5 from 2, 18" at Silverwood also. Changed it just before the spawn huh? Good timing.

[DarkShadow]

cool now i can keep 5

LOL

http://www.idahobassfed.com/images/lowell-dead-bass.jpg

[kwin]

Silverwood is 15"/2 bag limit and will remain as such.

Regs come out March 1 every year and as such any reg changes take effect March 1.

Castaic LMB pop'n is bottlenecked with few fish above 18" and an unreasonable size restriction to allow for harvest. Over 50% of the pop'n larger than 12" is also over 15". Allowing more harvest of slightly smaller fish could alleviate the bottleneck and produce more larger fish. Although SoCal harvest rates average 5-10% so we will see. Also this should help the tournament crowd, particularly clubs, who all had to apply for event permits (1 per lake per day) if they wanted a variance to the 18"/2 prior reg. Now it's 15"/5 and no variances are going to be issued. Also the decent SMB fishery there will allow for harvest and tournaments to weigh in that species if they are so lucky.

[seal]

Silverwood is 15"/2 bag limit and will remain as such.

Thanks. I had heard a couple years back that the limit was being considered for change due to study's, guess you guys decided differently, glad to hear it.

The spawn comment, just kinda worried the beds will be raped.

[shinbob]

Castaic LMB pop'n is bottlenecked with few fish above 18" and an unreasonable size restriction to allow for harvest. Over 50% of the pop'n larger than 12" is also over 15". Allowing more harvest of slightly smaller fish could alleviate the bottleneck and produce more larger fish. Although SoCal harvest rates average 5-10% so we will see. Also this should help the tournament crowd, particularly clubs, who all had to apply for event permits (1 per lake per day) if they wanted a variance to the 18"/2 prior reg. Now it's 15"/5 and no variances are going to be issued. Also the decent SMB fishery there will allow for harvest and tournaments to weigh in that species if they are so lucky.

Thanks for the info! You are the best resource this site has and I hope you continue to provide us actual, factual information, very informative.

Although I'm not the most experienced LMB fisherman out there, this info is consistent with my own anecdotal experience. Even when fishing live shad, nearly 100% of the LMB I catch at Castaic (upper) are in the 1.5lb range, but at Pyramid I get the occasional larger fish, 10lb was my biggest there last year.