Here’s the latest Castaic Lake fishing report for Saturday, April 19, 2026:

Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass: Good to Great Fishing as Another Spawning Cycle Begins 🔥

Bass fishing continues to roll along nicely as we head into another spawning cycle with the upcoming full moon. Largemouth are split between pre-spawn and post-spawn fish, while most smallmouth have finished their mating cycle and are back to feeding aggressively.

Mid-week brought high Northwest winds — the opposite of the usual Southwest winds — which pushed warm water out of the coves and cooled things off a few degrees on the other side of the lake. That sent a lot of anglers searching for fishable water in new zones.

Top techniques that are still dominating:

• Dropshot rigs
• Carolina rigs with straight tail worms

Best baits right now (especially in the clear water):

• C3 Baits Shimmy in Neptune Shad (a true standout in these conditions)
• Bait Merchant / C3 Baits Calligators
• Prototype 1 Worms

Jim has been relying heavily on the wacky-rigged 5″ Daiwa Neko Fat worms all year — it’s an easy, effective technique that’s perfect for teaching kids and beginners while still putting good numbers (and some quality fish) in the boat.

Producing areas: Secondary points, cuts, and rocky areas leading into spawning coves in both arms of the lake. Most of the better bites are coming in 20–30 feet of water. There are some fish shallow, but with the lake level rising, many are spawning a bit deeper than usual.

Jim’s key advice: Keep moving! He typically hits 5 to 10 spots a day until he finds the scattered biters. Mobility is the name of the game right now.

Striped Bass: No Real Change

A few fish are still being caught by trollers using lead-core and trolling flies, but the consistent bite has yet to turn on. Cut-sardine dunkers are picking up an occasional fish, but the schools remain spread out and tough to target, especially with the ongoing cold water inflow into the Ski Arm.

Rainbow Trout: Season Is Over

Trout fishing is done for the year except for a few holdovers being caught incidentally by bass anglers throwing finesse and wacky worms.

Important Lake Info (Save This!)

• Lake is CLOSED on Mondays & Tuesdays
• Launching is West Ramp Only
• Entry gate address: 32132 Castaic Lake Drive (west side of the lagoon)

Current Conditions (as of April 19):

• Surface Temp: 62 °F (morning) – 66 °F (afternoon)
• Water Clarity: 10–20 ft – zero algae
• A few pieces of driftwood floating as the lake level rises and wood breaks free from the shoreline
• Lake Level: Down 25 ft and rising

NEW Lake Hours (as of Sunday 4/19):

• Park Opens: 6:00 a.m.
• Launching: 6:30 a.m.
• Off water: 7:30 p.m.
• Park closes: 8:00 p.m.

With the full moon approaching, this is a great weekend to get out on Castaic if the winds cooperate. Stop by our Santa Clarita storefront (just minutes from the lake) or order online at tackleexpress.com before 2 p.m. PST for 99% same-day shipping. We’ll get your C3 Baits Shimmy in Neptune Shad, Calligators, Prototype Worms, Daiwa Neko Fat worms, dropshot gear, and everything else you need out fast — free shipping on orders over $59.99, just $5.99 flat rate under that. Real anglers, real service, every order.

Tight lines, Your friends at Tackle Express Santa Clarita, CA