Castaic Lagoon Bass Fishing | 3.6 LB Bass on a Rebel Super Pop-R | 9-18-26

🎣 **Castaic Lagoon Bass Fishing | 3.6 LB Bass on a Rebel Super Pop-R | 9/18/2026**

Another good morning of **topwater bass fishing at Castaic Lagoon (Lower Lake)**.

The **Rebel Super Pop-R Topwater Popper** continued to produce around the weed mats. I caught approximately **4–5 bass**, with the biggest fish of the morning weighing **3.6 lbs**.

Most of the fish came **before 9:00 AM**, but interestingly, the biggest bass didn’t eat until approximately **10:00 AM**.

The pattern was very similar to my recent trips. The bass were relating to the **edges of the weed mats**, and I worked the Pop-R around the outside edges of the vegetation where the fish could come up and grab it.

🔥 **TODAY’S PATTERN**

Location: Castaic Lagoon / Lower Lake, California
Date: September 18, 2026
Bass Caught: Approximately **4–5**
Biggest Bass: **3.6 lbs**
Big Fish Time: **~10:00 AM**
Primary Bait: **Rebel Super Pop-R Topwater Popper**
Primary Cover: **Weed mats**
Best Target: **Edges of the mats**
Main Bite Window: **Before 9:00 AM**
Quality Fish Window: **3.6 lb bass at approximately 10:00 AM**

I briefly switched over to a **worm** and immediately hooked a small bass, but lost it. Shortly afterward I broke the worm off — and unfortunately it was the **only plastic bait I had with me because I left the rest of my plastics up north**.

So it was back to topwater.

Fortunately, the Pop-R was already doing exactly what I needed it to do.

🌓 **CONDITIONS – 9/18/2026**

Moon Phase: **First Quarter / approximately 49% illuminated**
Previous New Moon: **September 10 at 8:27 PM**
Next Full Moon: **September 26 at 9:49 AM**
Moonrise: Approximately **2:13 PM**
Sunrise: Approximately **6:39 AM**
Water Temperature: **Close to 80°F** based on today’s Castaic fishing report
Air Temperature: Approximately **mid-60s early, warming through the morning**
Daily High: Approximately **upper 80s**
Wind: Generally **SW around 8 mph** for the day
Barometric Pressure: Approximately **29.94 inHg**
Sky: **Sunny**
Rain: None

🎣 **WHAT WORKED**

**Rebel Super Pop-R Topwater Popper**

The key continued to be targeting **vegetation**, especially the edges of the weed mats.

Most of the action happened early, but the biggest fish of the day is what really stood out.

Instead of the quality bite ending with the early topwater action, the **3.6 lb bass ate the Pop-R at approximately 10:00 AM**.

That gives me another interesting data point from Castaic Lagoon:

**Most Fish → Before 9:00 AM**

**Biggest Fish → 10:00 AM**

**3.6 lbs → Pop-R → Weed-Mat Edge**

The current Castaic reports are showing a very similar pattern, with bass pushing bait shallow and **poppers and walking baits continuing to produce while water temperatures remain around 80°F**.

🌡️ **THE PATTERN I’M TRACKING**

I’ve been documenting these trips to see how **water temperature, moon phase, wind, barometric pressure, time of day, location, vegetation and lure choice** relate to both the number and size of bass caught at Castaic Lagoon.

The recent vegetation/topwater pattern continues to stand out.

**8/28/26**
3.4 lb bass
9:10 AM
Topwater
Vegetation/weeds toward the inlet
Water around the 80°F summer range
Immediately after the Full Moon

**9/11/26**
Pop-R produced all of my fish
Inlet vegetation and weed mats
Topwater bite until roughly 10:00–10:30 AM
Water approximately upper 70s
Immediately after the New Moon

**9/18/26**
4–5 bass
3.6 lb biggest fish
3.6 caught at approximately 10:00 AM
Pop-R
Edges of weed mats
Water close to 80°F
First Quarter Moon

Today’s trip is especially useful because the **3.6 lb fish did NOT occur close to a full or new moon**. It came almost exactly halfway between them.

That doesn’t eliminate the lunar pattern I’ve been watching, but it’s another reminder that **vegetation + water temperature + topwater presentation + time of day** may be more important than moon phase by itself.

The weed mats continue to be the most interesting part of the Lagoon for me right now, especially when I’m looking for better-quality fish.

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