Crescent Retarding Basin is a reservoir in California, near Orange County.
Crescent Retarding Basin is a reservoir in Orange County, California and covers about 4.1 acres, reaches about 17.8 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 31.1 acre-feet.
One weed edge or deeper pocket can hold much of the day’s activity; try deeper shade during summer afternoons, then slow down after the first bite.
Fish listed for Crescent Retarding Basin include Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, and Rainbow Trout.
The first bluegill pass on Crescent Retarding Basin should use a small jig, worm, or tiny plastic around green weeds and protected pockets.
For largemouth bass on Crescent Retarding Basin, work a soft plastic, jig, or spinnerbait around weeds and protected cover.
For channel catfish on Crescent Retarding Basin, fish cut bait or a nightcrawler on the bottom along a channel edge or warm flat.
A useful rainbow trout plan on Crescent Retarding Basin is to cast a small spoon, inline spinner, light jig, or fly through cool water.
Other targets listed here include Common Carp; give each one its own bait and depth instead of trying to catch everything with the same rig; check the clean side of wind, then keep line light around small clear-water fish.
Start where two things meet: weeds and open water, rock and mud, a point and a drop, or clear water and dirty water; fish that edge at more than one depth before leaving it; begin over firm bottom, then work each small drop before going deeper.
In spring, start with warming banks, creek mouths, and shallow cover; summer usually pushes the better bite toward the outside weed edge or a nearby drop; fall can bring bait back to windblown points, while winter calls for smaller moves and a slower pace; keep the lure near the depth that produced, then pause longer when cold water slows the bite.
A light spinning rod, thin line, a few small spoons, inline spinners, and jigs cover the listed trout; carry one slightly heavier setup when other fish or windy water call for more control; compare shallow and deeper water; keep the bait near useful cover.
Record the wind, water color, depth of the repeat bite, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce; use one moving lure and one slow bait.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.