Lake Piru packs some excellent fishing options into a modest-sized reservoir of just 1,200 surface acres in Ventura County, an easy drive up into the hills from Los Angeles.
This impoundment in the Los Padres National Forest is one of the colder fishing spots in Southern California. Snowmelt, Piru Creek, and the California Aqueduct via canals from nearby Pyramid Lake all replenish its supplies.
Thanks to that cooler water, Lake Piru is one of the region’s better trout-fishing spots and offers a wide range of bass, catfish and panfish.
I have fished Lake Piru on multiple occasions and will share the best tips I’ve gleaned from experience and from talking with experts.
Overview of Lake Piru Fishing
This is a year-round fishery, even for trout.
The deepest water is over 130 feet near the dam, with other deep spots following the old Piru Creek channel. A few small tributaries form arms off the main lake.
Shore fishing is very popular near the campground area and around the three major boat launches. You can walk out from several of these areas. Bank fishing spots are harder to find elsewhere, especially around the steep hills and cliffs that make up most of the southern shoreline towards the dam.
Boats, float tubes, kayaks and other watercraft will give you access to the full reservoir, including the deepest areas where trolling is a common technique.
Like many of the canyon reservoirs in the area, Lake Piru’s prevailing winds blow across the lake’s surface almost every day. You can almost set your watch by wind activity starting around 10 a.m. and blowing until about 5 p.m., so many anglers fish early or late.
Major Gamefish Species
Lake Piru’s most popular gamefish include stocked rainbow trout and resident largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish and carp. Threadfin shad are a dominant forage for many of the larger sport fish.
Trout
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks trout in Lake Piru during the colder months. Private vendors also have planted trout here at times.
The water here is cold enough that anglers can find a very good population of larger holdover trout planted in previous years.
For shore anglers, bait fishing is the most common method.
When I’ve been there, PowerBait or other floating dough baits seem to steal the show for stocked trout, although fishing with lures, jigs and fly fishing also catch fish.
For boaters, trolling is by far the best option in the deeper sections of the lake, with jig fishing the deeper water coming in next.
The larger holdover trout seem to like the open water, where they chase balls of shad.
Using a downrigger or leadcore line to get lures that mimic shad down into the trout zone is usually your best tactic, especially in the summer when trout move into deeper areas. Smaller umbrella rigs can be highly effective in the reservoir’s open waters and along the creek channel.
Piru Creek Fishing
Anglers also can fish in Piru Creek itself, with some of the better trout fishing in the cool water upstream from Lake Piru, starting 300 yards below Pyramid Lake. Those areas are near the Frenchman’s Flat Day Use Area, located along Golden State Highway Old Road.
Hike in from there to fish for wild trout, which are managed under special regulations that require anglers to follow rules including catch and release and use of artificial lures with barbless hooks. Check the regs before fishing.
Catch More Trout
Be sure to check out our straightforward how-to article on trout fishing.
Also, ever wondered where to find the best trout fishing in the Golden State? We’ve got you covered with the Best Rainbow Trout Fishing Lakes in California and the Best Fly Fishing Rivers in California.
Largemouth Bass
The largemouth bass at Lake Piru are northern strain fish, because the Florida-strain bass found in other Southern California waters don’t thrive in cooler water.
That said, Lake Piru is still capable of producing some real lunkers.
Largemouth bass here are most active in spring and summer. Largemouths are aggressive and will pounce on just about anything thrown their way that looks good enough to eat.
Soft plastic baits, including Senkos, are among the most popular lures at Lake Piru, whether you fish from shore or boat.
Topwater baits in the early summer mornings or the afternoons all along the points and drop-offs are always a good bet.
Swimbaits have become very popular all throughout Southern California, particularly among anglers who chase bigger bass in waters planted with trout.
Despite the colder temps, winter fishing for bass has become a common scene at Piru because the largest bass can’t resist making an easy meal of a hatchery trout. Match those big meals with a big swimbait or another lure, and you might catch a trophy of a lifetime.
Fishing skirted football head jigs with big trailers fished nice and slow along the rocks is another winter bass fishing tip.
Catfish
Although anglers tend to overlook it, catfishing can be quite good at Lake Piru.
Along the shoreline near the campground is a favorite place of mine (and others) to catch catfish. While they will bite during the day, it’s hard to beat a summer night of catfish fishing while camping at Lake Piru.
Bait fishing is the way to go for catfishing. Use baits with a strong odor, like cut fish, prepared baits, or others. Nightcrawlers will catch cats but also will attract just about every other species in the lake.
Most catfish at Lake Piru are channel cats in the 2-4 pound range, which is the ideal eating size many anglers prefer. However, anglers have landed catfish over 20 pounds in the lake.
Catch More Catfish
Read our simple guide to catfishing and then put it to work at California’s top-rated catfish lakes and rivers.
Crappie
Lake Piru is getting a reputation as one of Ventura County’s “Slab Cities” for its growing population of crappie, including some big specimens. Check out the stringer of slab black crappie we caught at Piru on one of our fishing trips!
Some spots produce more crappie than others, but the surest time to find and catch them is when the warmer temps in the spring bring hordes of these panfish closer to shore to feed and spawn.
Along the campground to the north shore has always been a good spot for crappie fishing along the Lake Pire shoreline.
Crappie jigs and other small lures that imitate minnows usually will fool crappie. As permitted, live bait can work very well, too.
When the crappie move away from the shoreline for the summer, trolling and deep water jig fishing are also some very productive ways to catch some of the bigger crappies in the lake as they chase threadfin shad in the open water.
Catch More Crappie
Find the best crappie fishing in California.
Whether you catch them on jigs, casting or trolling lures or chucking bait below a bobber, see our top crappie fishing tips.
Bluegill and Sunfish
Another one-time secret that Lake Piru holds near and dear is its amazing population of bluegill and, especially these days, redear sunfish.
Redear sunfish are indeed becoming a bigger attraction for anglers here, due to the invasive quagga mussels, which these sunfish feed on extensively.
Known to many anglers as “shellrackers,” redear sunfish are California’s answer to this invasive mussel. And Piru’s shellcrackers are getting downright huge eating these tasty morsels.
The best method for catching these tasty dinner-plate-size panfish, as well as a mixed bag including bluegill and other gamefish, is with live bait. Nightcrawlers, crickets and redworms are all excellent options.
Here’s a tip: The bait anglers who score their limits in hours often use canned clams as bait. The trick to keep these soft morsels on your hook long enough to catch a redear is wrapping the bait on tight with some sewing thread.
Catch More Bluegill and Sunfish
Catching bluegill and other sunfish is pretty simple, but it pays to know these proven panfish fishing tips and techniques.
Carp
Lake Piru has a huge carp population with massive amounts of fish caught each year. There are groups of carp anglers who almost fill up the entire campground during multiple carp fishing tournaments held each year.
These events remove thousands of pounds of carp in a short time. Lake managers encourage any removal of carp, which can overrun the reservoir if left unchecked.
Bait fishing is the most popular way to catch carp. Canned corn kernels, bread balls, nightcrawlers, and homemade or purchased prepared baits such as “boilies” are commonly used.
Use strong hooks, rods and reels because carp are incredible fighters and can wreak havoc on light tackle.
Fly fishing for carp also has gained a following, especially in the spring. Float tubes, kayaks and boats will help you reach more carp and fewer shoreline tangles.
Planning Your Trip
To get to Lake Piru from State Route 126, head through the small town of Piru and up the scenic Piru Canyon Road to the west side of the lake, which has the best bank and boat access. In favorable traffic, it’s about an hour’s drive northwest of Los Angeles and just a little less heading eastward from Ventura.
The Lake Piru Recreation Area is a popular home base for fishing and other activities.
Other popular fishing spots in this area include Castaic Lake and Pyramid Lake.
Camping
The campground at Lake Piru has undergone some recent changes for the better.
With over 200 tree-covered campsites serving everyone from full RVs to tent campers, this ultra-clean campground is busy all summer long, especially during carp fishing tournaments.
The new restrooms are clean and well-maintained; they have hot showers and are secure for privacy.
Boating
Lake Piru is known for boating of all kinds, from water skiing to fishing. For specific boating rules and current conditions, see the link above.
Special Events
Lake Piru offers the Twilight Fishing Series, a very popular event all summer long that allows anglers to fish at night from their boats.
For More Information
For current lake conditions, rules, events, prices, and other information, see the Explore Lake Piru and Lake Piru Recreation Area websites.