Lake Castaic
Construction of the Castaic dam began in 1967, designated to be a key feature in the largest water delivery system in the world, the California Aqueduct. On February 9, 1972 the dam was subjected to an unscheduled test when it was hit by an earthquake, measured at a magnitude of 6.6. The dam survived the test without a hitch and was completed in 1972.
This scenic lake has 29 miles of shoreline, holding 105 billion gallons of water and covers 2235 acres. The mountainous desert surroundings are frequented by numerous species of wildlife including deer, coyote and 24 species of birds. Castaic has two bodies of water, the upper lake and the lower lagoon also known as the after bay. The lagoon at just 197 surface acres and three miles around is a small shadow of the main lake that’s partitioned by the dam.
Upper Castaic Lake was known throughout the 80’s and early 90’s as the country’s premier trophy bass lake. On March 12, 1991 Bob Crupi caught and released an upper lake bass weighing 22 pounds .5 ounces, a mere 3.5 ounces shy of the current world record. Castaic Lake now holds records for 6 of the top 25 largest bass ever caught. Though these records withhold, some have not gone without controversy as local rumors have been circulating for years.
Anglers in those days would drive their double digit contenders to the mini market, just inside town, to be weighed on a certified scale. After being weighed, most anglers would release the giant bass into the small after bay as a matter of sheer convenience. The new environment proved to be a haven for the big bass. The lower lagoon receives little fishing pressure as lake rules allow for trolling motors only. With very little fishable structure and temperamental fishing conditions, most anglers shy away from the lagoon. Despite consistently spotty conditions, the lagoon has its moments and many anglers believe that the next world record lives in the tiny lagoon.
Due to the accidental introduction of striper from the aqueduct and an emerging competition for food the main lake would forego a change. The deep water combined with steady current proved ideal spawning conditions and the striper population has flourished. While the population of huge bass has thinned out since the hay days, the lake still remains one of Southern California’s premier bass fishing lakes.
