CASTAIC FISH STORY BASS NOW COMING UP FOR THE HOOK.

Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer

CASTAIC - For a few weeks, it seemed as if getting a good catch at Castaic Lake was slipping through the hands of fishing enthusiasts.

The torrential rains of earlier this year had caused mud and debris to slide into the water, making it look like a bowl of hot chocolate. The fish hid far under. Hooks came up empty.

But as the temperature rises and the water heats up, and the mud and debris disperse, fishing enthusiasts are finding their way back to the lake, and this season could mean that the big ones, particularly bass, are about to meet their match.

``All the down time will get the fish good and ready,'' said Kris Shrode, an employee at Gallion's Castaic Corner, a popular stop on the way to the lake. ``Business is just starting to pick up. As long as mud isn't falling in the water, it's perfect.''

Temperatures rose to about 84 degrees Tuesday in Castaic, said Dave Keys, who manages Castaic Landing, a bait shop nearby.

``You can see 18 inches down, so it's a little bit of an improvement,'' he said.

The world's second-largest bass ever caught bit here at Castaic in 1991.

It weighed in at a little more than 22 pounds, but not enough to break the record set at Montgomery Lake in Georgia in 1932. That bass was 22 pounds, 4 ounces.

The bass caught more recently at Castaic lake still come in at double digits, but nothing close to that record, Keys said.

But the stories are what keep the fishermen coming, Keys said. People from as far as Japan drop a line in Castaic, hoping to catch a Goliath-size bass.

Bass are just beginning to spawn, professionals say, and the lakes in the northern part of Los Angeles County could see more bass in coming years, especially since the debris helps fish to hide, giving them a chance to grow larger each year, said Dan Warme, an instructor and professional bass fisherman who has made 10 instructional videos called Bazz Clazz.

Bass can be found in 49 out of 50 states, Warme said.

What makes it popular is that the fish is versatile and can adapt to almost any body of water.

It's one of the reasons why bass fishing clubs have increased in membership, Warme said. That and breaking the record, which if broken, is said to pay $1 million.

``Our fishing is going to improve for years because of the higher survival rate,'' Warme said. ``The challenge so far is pretty much the weather. The fish want to go shallow because of the cool weather.''

Susan Abram, [phone]

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com

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3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Robert Giesler and his son, Alex, 3, of Canyon Country try their hand at fishing on the upper Castaic Lake on Tuesday.

(2 -- color) Eric Sweetland of Sylmar hopes his handmade lure will pull a large bass from the upper Castaic Lake.

(3) Eric Sweetland of Sylmar casts from the shore on upper Castaic Lake on Tuesday, hoping to catch a large bass.

David Crane/Staff Photographer