Big Bass Authority Bill Siemantel hoists a largemouth caught in the weeds on a white SPRO Bronzeye Frog at Cachuma Lake.

I take another swig of coffee and wonder how hot it will get today. Liz explains that in a Mediterranean environment like this, hot dry summers and cool wet winters are common. I also learn that the dusty rock under our feet is actually moving -- that all of Santa Barbara County is in perpetual motion. Millions of years from now the 32-billon gallon lake in front of us and the neighboring Santa Ynez Mountains will be where San Francisco is today.

Without question, Cachuma Lake is stunning in all its rugged and untamed beauty. It is the ideal place for nature walks through chaparral-studded terrain, hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, sitting on the bow of a guided cruise up the lake, or what Siemantel and I have come for -- the fishing. I watch as a bass fisherman silently glides his boat out of the marina ahead of us. I've heard of trophy largemouth being caught in this lake, and by the number of bass boats heading out this morning, the fishing must be first-rate. Legendary fly-fisherman Neal Taylor, who happens to be the founder of Cachuma Lake Nature Center, tells me the catfish, crappie, sunfish and trout are also plentiful.

With my gear stored in Siemantal's sleek 19-1/2-foot bass boat, we bid farewell to Liz and motor through the impenetrable early morning fog that envelopes Cachuma. Siemantel, a 38-year-old Los Angeles firefighter, is a leading authority on big bass. He has racked up 40 'Big Fish' awards over the years and is the author of The Big Bass Zone: Catch Monster Bass. I have fished with him numerous times, the last for In-Fisherman and Bassmaster Magazine, when we not only produced fish for the articles, but also hooked into plenty of trophy-size fish.

Siemantel motors up to one of Cachuma's steep rocky-clad banks smelling of sage and lemon-aid berries. A canopy of ancient valley oaks towers above us. Wispy strands of blue-green lichen dangle from the timber's broad limbs. I stand ready at the carpeted bow with a view of Bradbury Dam in the distance. Siemantel begins his visual triangulation process, a skill he developed over thousands of days of fishing. No bottom machine, no LORAN or GPS numbers are needed; just a simple command seems to be enough, "Alright, that ought'a do it." He hands me a Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Baitcaster rigged with a white SPRO Bronzeye Frog, a favorite topwater lure of his. "Cast into the floating vegetation and bring 'er back slowly," he says, with confidence.

My heart begins to pound. A trophy largemouth -- perhaps a state record -- could explode from below at any moment, which is what most anglers find so exciting about fishing Cachuma Lake. Anticipation and adrenalin run rampant. 

Ten minutes pass. We continue to work the shoreline "One thing I'm sure of," says Siemantel, who tosses a large Bass Pro Shops XPS Jerkbait into the floating thicket. "A big bait catches big bass." He explains that an eight- or ten-pounder needs more food and the fish would rather get it from one or two meals a day than from five or six.

A rugged and untamed beauty, Cachuma is a stunning lake with abundant bass and plentiful catfish, crappie, sunfish and trout.

I pump and wind, pump and wind, trying to force the fish -- most likely, a big largemouth -- out of the dense vegetation. I've learned from fishing for bass that, once a fish is wrapped in the weeds, it's very difficult to pull them out. I'm determined not to let this one have its way.

Finally, and mercifully, the bass rises from the shallows, and I steer it toward the boat. Siemantel leans over the gunwale and wraps his wet hands around the exhausted fish. "It's a nice one," he says, his eyes flashing as he hoists the fish onboard. A quick measurement of the largemouth bass: just under five pounds.

Siemantel resuscitates the fish while I take its picture. Mission accomplished, the bass swims away, and I silently thank it for the memory. (Although regulations allow anglers to keep five bass over 12 inches per day, per person, most who fish Cachuma Lake catch and release).

Fifteen minutes later, in the same pocket of water, Siemantel switches to a Diamond Shad and hooks a bass of his own, this one a respectable smallmouth (Personally, I think Siemantel knows all these fish and can call them up any time).

To have the best chance of hooking into an abundance of aggressive bass, anglers should concentrate on Cachuma Lake's undulating shorelines during the early morning hours in the spring and summer months, although Cachuma is a great place to fish anytime because one could hook into a trophy bass any month of the year.

The morning fog has lifted and Cachuma's sapphire waters are shimmering under the brilliant sun, resembling a white-hot cue ball hanging in a blue-felt sky. With the surface bite over and air temperatures quickly reaching the upper 70s, we pick up and make a run down to Storke Flats and Arrowhead Island, two excellent fishing spots at the southeast end of the lake. Not only will we continue to target both smallmouth and largemouth bass, Siemantel knows a few secret bluegill and crappie holes. With crappie being exceptionally good eating, we both agree that if we can boat a half dozen large crappie, Siemantel will reveal his legendary fish taco recipe, famous at the firehouse. It doesn't take long for us to locate a thick school of crappie, hovering beneath submerged timber near shore. Using small Bass Pro Shops two-tone painted jigs and crappie tubes, we land our catch with ease. I look forward to Siemantel's signature tacos with our fresh panfish. (See Siemantel's legendary fish taco recipe below.)

It is now mid-day and the sun is directly overhead. Temperatures are in the mid-80s and still climbing. The glistening water looks tempting but unfortunately visitors like us cannot use the lake to cool off. Body contact with the water is not permitted as Cachuma is the major source of drinking water for Santa Barbara County.

Most anglers on the water have gone in to escape the dry, intense heat. Others figure the bite is over. For the fish, however, they have the ability to dodge the sun and most of them are finding solace on the lake bottom. "The fish are still feeding," Siemantel reassures me as we propeller to a new location. "We just have to keep after them." For the rest of the day, we switch to Bass Pro Shops drop-shot worms, which we bounce along the bottom in 35-feet of water. The lake's diversity of wildlife offers a pleasurable distraction. Throughout the year, Cachuma is home to over 150 species of birds, including osprey, freshwater pelicans during the winter months, golden eagles, and a pair of bald eagles which have resided here since 1989. Great blue herons are commonly seen foraging along the banks, as are raccoon. Seldom-seen animals include beaver, bobcat, mountain lion, rattlesnake and black bear. 

After a full day of fishing, Siemantel has proven that anglers can be quite successful on Cachuma Lake if they understand the fundamentals. By the time the sun melts over the horizon, our tally is 22 largemouth (two over eight pounds), two smallmouth, eight crappie and six bluegill -- all released, except the crappie. For trout fisherman, Cachuma also boasts one of the best trout fisheries in southern California. Every year, the lake is stocked with 150,000 trout. Its no wonder the annual fishing derbies here are so popular.

For those making a trip to Cachuma Lake, the Cachuma Lake Recreation Area is a year-round camping and day use facility, offering tent and RV camping, bicycle rentals, guided lake cruises, a variety of seasonal naturalist programs, and excellent fishing. Rental boats, motors, fuel, California fishing licenses, bait and fishing tackle are available at the marina. Other services include a snack bar, general store, gasoline, showers, laundromat, swimming pool and a family fun center. Also be sure to check out the Bottom of Form
Cachuma Lake Nature Center, which houses an array of hands-on displays and exhibits featuring local wildlife, Chumash traditional culture and a history of Bradbury Dam.