Got up to the Lagoon a little later than I had planned. Pulled into the parking lot around 10 AM and noticed that besides me and the lot attendant nobody else was there.

That is one of the really nice things about the Lagoon and Castaic in general. Sometimes it has the feeling of a private lake and there isn't a soul around except me.

Weather was very comfortable short sleeve made to order. Air temp was 77, water temp was 66. Warmest I've measured so far this year. Barometer was 30.88 and steady.

Water was moderately clear, level was still pretty high. Lots more being let in from the upper lake steadily now for weeks. Sky was clear and sunny, a fair breeze was blowing from the SW approx. 10-15 mph. but steady not gusting.

One other guy finally came around in a nice bassboat.


Started out with the smaller goodies on the DS. Fishing same set up that I got hit on last trip. No dice on those.

Switched over to one of my favorite rigs, Yamamoto Fat Boy Ika.


Fished weightless, T-rigged on 10 lb. Seaguar Fluorocarbon, 7 ft. medium hard action Bass ProShops Xtreme rod with Quantum Energy PT left hand crank baitcaster.


Cast this out as far as she would go into approx. 25 ft. water. Fished real slow, stop and go etc. Finally got a very crisp strike from this very nice 2.25 lb Smallmouth.


This is the first Smallmouth that I have caught in the Lagoon. It came on "VERY" strong and fought like crazy at first. I did think it was much bigger than it ended up to be and was not only surprised by the size but also very surprised by the intensity of the fight and that it was a Smallmouth.

One other interesting thing that I did notice about the way this fish fought was the fact that it put it's full energy on full tilt with no let ups until it was completely out of gas and then was done very fast. Completely exhausted itself in one constant run.

There were no stops for a rest and then second and third runs like the LMB usually do. It was running down and away for deeper water. No jumps or heads up tail dancing. Just one big effort to escape till all was lost.

Fish was released after photo op.

I had to leave early again to pick up my kids from school. When I left at around 2:30 weather was still perfect and I still had the whole south end of the Lagoon to myself.


Memorable day of fishing, unusual catch for me but pretty exciting even though the smallie was my only one today. Very nice time today indeed!!!!!!

Now that's a nice day. Luv smallmouth bass! Nothing like them in fresh water. Great Pictures Geo , I felt like I was there with you. Congratulations on the smallmouth and I hope you enjoyed that beautiful Spring day as much as I enjoyed reading about it!

Very nice smallie!! I've never seen one caught in the Lagoon! I need to catch one, haha. Very interesting to read how it fought. I've heard they fight a lot better than largemouth. I went today after school again on the boat and I'll post the report up later. There was only one other boat on the whole lake when I was there, but the wind was kinda bad.

Wow, thats cool, i want to catch one on my UL the way you explained how it fought. thats one long fisht on 1.5 lb test!!!

lucky, you were like the only one.....

Thanks guys, yeah it was fun tusselin' with that little devil.

After the strike when I set the hook I looked up an my medium heavy rod was bent over at 90 degrees. That was a welcome sight.

Well guys, thanks to catch and release we now know there is at least one smallie in the Lagoon for you guys to catch. LOL

I am wondering though, there can't be that many since that was the first one I've caught there in over six years. Maybe somebody caught it at another lake like Pyramid and released it in the Lagoon.

I know they have smallies at Pyramid cause I've caught several of them a few years ago. Or could be the smallies have been stocked by the DFG.

On the other hand I have never rigged up purposely for smallmouth at the Lagoon because I didn't know they were in there. Now that I know I'll be dusting off the little tubes and jigs.

Thanks geo, haha. I really want to catch one!! I'm glad to know there is at least one in there. I wonder if Butch has ever caught one in the Lagoon.

Nice fish Geo! Never knew they (sm) were in there. See you out there soon!

Nice job geo that the first smallmouth that has been truly documented in my 35 years of fishing the lagoon now thats a cool fish to see caught out of there I have been told of a couple in years past and thought they were full of beans (no proof). But seeing is beliving and thats a "new lake record for smallmouth".Thanks for taking the photo of it, thats the real deal.Very nice geo take care this is history to me you need to play loto soon!

Castaic Lagoon Records

Smallmouth-2.25 lb, George Cawthorn April 19, 2010

Thanks Butch and the rest of you guys.

Well now I have that smallie record and also the one I'm not so proud of...... thirteen skunks in a row at the Lagoon. LOL