I need advice :(

[ronniek524]

Hello all, I am new to this board, and cannot tell you guys how I enjoy reading this posts and watching the videos on this site. This site is one of the best thing i ever found. Anyways back to the topic.

I am fishing on a tourney this weekend on Sunday at Castaic Lake, CA

Conditions: +/- 50F
Winds: 9mph
Rainy condition: (short periods)
Fish Type: Florida Bass


I know the fish are on a Mid Winter Pattern; fish are boiling on shad inside creeks from time to time. And the only thing that have been catching them are flukes or minnows rigged weigthless. Although the fish are not qualitly fish. they average about 2lbs. I believe the bigger one are on the bottom, but they don't seem to be bitting anything i toss at them, from jigs, craws, creatures, texas, dropshots.... Could you guys suggest anything? Thnx

[keithdog]

I can't give you any advice in regard to your question. Never fished in CA and where I live the lakes are frozen up solid. But I do want to welcome you to the site. New members are always welcomed. Hope you enjoy your time spent here and good luck with your upcomming tourney.

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by keithdog

I can't give you any advice in regard to your question. Never fished in CA and where I live the lakes are frozen up solid. But I do want to welcome you to the site. New members are always welcomed. Hope you enjoy your time spent here and good luck with your upcomming tourney.

i too just wanted to welcome you to the site. i have never fished in california and would be no help. but just for kicks i say throw a big azzed swimbait........that is what made california bass fishing so popular right? well that and giant fish hahaha.

[cassidyta]

Well, I have fished in Cali and specifically Castaic. This time of year, water clarity will be 4-6+ foot. Since the water is usually more stained the first thing I would suggest is to downsize your line.
Since you said you are getting some hits on Flukes, I would suggest that you wacky rig a fluke with a light 1/8 oz jig head. Rig it up just above the eyes and bring the hook through the side, this will allow your fluke to maintain action as it sinks, but will give it the appearance of a shad feeding off of the bottom. I have also had some luck C-rigging them.
According to the DFG schedule, there should be a trout stock this week, so I would suggest a mid to fast sinking trout swimbait. The actual DFG stocked trout are usually around the 8" mark so I would stick with something along that size.
I have not had much top water luck there for anything other than the stripers, but have heard of people who swear by large top water right after a stock.

[lowrider]

wow cass, you finally got to answer a question totally pertaining to your region!! congrats

[cassidyta]

It is a proud day indeed.

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by lowrider

wow cass, you finally got to answer a question totally pertaining to your region!! congrats

lmao...........

[zooker]

Originally Posted by lowrider

wow cass, you finally got to answer a question totally pertaining to your region!! congrats

why else do you think we put up with his left coast nonsense?? he do come in handy on occasion..

zooker

[bamabassman]

hahahahaha cassy's got a friend nearby now gang. watch out!! hahahahahaha.
kidding cassydta.
welcome to the house of nuts buddy. glad that you like it so far. hahaha as someone else said once.....that'll change,lmao. just remember, feed da bait monkey and alls okay.

[Jim80]

Welcome to the site jump right in and make yourself comfy and enjoy


Jim

[Amarillo Palmira]

Just a thought. If they're not biting on the bottom, are you sure they are on the bottom? It seems like you've tried everything, so maybe' the big fish are elsewhere.

[woody]

Welcome to the site Ronniek, if ya haven't already, try the Double Zulu Fluke Rig.~good luck~
btw- we are a bit nutty around here LOL
__________________________________________________ ___________
Hows about another round of applause for Cass! CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!LOL

[chubs]

When the water temps hits in the 50,s the fish in my neck of the woods stack up on steep breaks, the steeper the better also on hard bottom to weed transition areas near deep water.Dont forget a big slo rolled spinnerbait Id also give a tube a try they put big fish in my boat when them temps drop!

[3dkicker]

Burn a crankbait??? Start shallow and then maybe something that dives 8-12'. First thought I had when reading your description.

[cassidyta]

Okay Ronnie,

Time to give it up. How did you do, what worked out there?

[Lilmoosecountry]

My suggestion is a 6 or even 8 inch castaic boot tail. Go with the rainbow or stocker trout color. The stocker is ok but the ayu color is better. For some reason the castaic Ayu color looks more like a stocker. I have a box of about 30 swimbaits in the 6 to 8 inch size. Boot Tails are the most afordable in the 15 to 20 dollar range. Here is the link. http://www.castaicswimbait.com/8%22-...-%28SBT%29/18/ One day i'm going to get carolina fishing with me. May he see that this west coast stuff does work in the midwest. Attach a treble hook & split hook below. This will increase your odds on hook up.

[Fish2win]

when you say boiling on shad at the surface I take it that means surface schooling. Smallmouth do that here a lot in late fall. The bigger fish are usually under this school feeding on dieing shad as they fall .Try rigging a fluke or shassy shad on a light 1.8 oz darter head. Cast to the schooling fish and allow the bait to fall through the school on a slack line. Once the bait gets down work it with a dieing shad action to trigger strikes. In Tennessee once we get a shad die off or a lot of surface action the fish very quickly get on a verticle action more than a horizontal action. They are keying on bait that is gradually decending in the water column as they die.Try to match the hatch a little with the size fluke or sassy shad you use.
Based on my interpretation of the situation you are descibing this should work.
The water temp here in the upper TVA lakes is also 50 ish. We are catching bass with shallow running crankbaits or pig and jigs now. Fish2win

[Lilmoosecountry]

Originally Posted by Fish2win

when you say boiling on shad at the surface I take it that means surface schooling. Smallmouth do that here a lot in late fall. The bigger fish are usually under this school feeding on dieing shad as they fall .Try rigging a fluke or shassy shad on a light 1.8 oz darter head. Cast to the schooling fish and allow the bait to fall through the school on a slack line. Once the bait gets down work it with a dieing shad action to trigger strikes. In Tennessee once we get a shad die off or a lot of surface action the fish very quickly get on a verticle action more than a horizontal action. They are keying on bait that is gradually decending in the water column as they die.Try to match the hatch a little with the size fluke or sassy shad you use.
Based on my interpretation of the situation you are descibing this should work.
The water temp here in the upper TVA lakes is also 50 ish. We are catching bass with shallow running crankbaits or pig and jigs now. Fish2win

The big Bass on lake castaic feed on stocker trout. There is some shad. But trout offer the most fat content. Meaning the big boys feed on stuff that makes them big. The california swimbait craze is almost a different kind of bass fishing. From what we see here in the midwest & on the east coast. But it works here in Missouri very well. Musky are called the fish of 10,000 cast. Well add monster bass if you use the big baits. But quality of your fishing gets allot better as well. Lake Viking proved that to me in late Aug. Awesome lake up in northern missouri. So many sows up there you could see 5lb plus all over the place My smallest of 5 fish was 3/12lbs. Lake viking has been called the next potential state record by missouri conservation. It is a private lake that offers public access. But you can't fish on private property. Which goes alway around the lake. Ohh & there is no public boat ramps. How do i do it. Enter stage left my father in law. He owns property on the lake.

[Fish2win]

Sorry, The questions says fish are boiling on shad at the surface from time to time. I assumed he knew what he was saying. He is thier I am not. I quess my advise was ill placed and unneeded. Please consider it withdrawn.A acquaintence of mine recently caught a 9.6 Smallmouth on a California type swimbait here at Tellico. We fish those swimbaits and wake baits here also. It is surprising how many 2 to 3 lb bass will hit those big baits. They dont just catch toads. Fish2win