SLO County Fishing Report — August 2, 2026
Sundaygauge Port San Luis / Morro Bay · NOAA 94121104 places
There is a newer report: SLO County Fishing Report — November 15, 2026 →
Verdicts by place
Morro Bay offshore
FairNo advisory; NW 10-20 kt, seas 5-7 ft
Lake Nacimiento
Good757.8 ft47% capacity
Bass: Good; Catfish: Excellent in 20-30 ft depth
Lopez Lake
Good512.8 ft83% capacity
Bass: Good; Catfish: Active in evening using chicken liver
Santa Margarita Lake
GoodBass: Excellent, pre-fall patterns emerging; Trout: Stocked fish still active; try PowerBait near inlet
Tides for the day
| 12:15 AM high | 4.9 ft |
|---|---|
| 7:03 AM low | 0.4 ft |
| 1:37 PM high | 4.6 ft |
| 7:24 PM low | 2.0 ft |
- range
- 4.5 ft
- sunrise
- 6:13 AM
- sunset
- 8:06 PM
Predictions from NOAA Tides & Currents. 14-day calendar →
Bite grid
excellentgoodfairslownoted
| Species | Santa Margarita | Lopez | Nacimiento | San Antonio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bass | excellent | good | goodwhite | fair |
| Catfish | not reported | noted | excellent | good |
| Trout | noted | slow | not reported | noted |
By water
from the report- Conditions Clear water
- Bass excellent Pre-fall patterns emerging
- Trout Stocked fish still active; try PowerBait near inlet
- Topwater lures early morning
- swim jigs midday
Marine forecast
seaswindas written in the report
- Today
- seas
- 5–7 ft
- wind
- NW 10–20 kt
- Tonight
- seas
- 5–7 ft
- wind
- NW 10–20 kt
becoming 5-10 kt after midnight
- Monday
- seas
- 5–7 ft
- wind
- W 5–10 kt
W 5-10 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds
- Monday nightlighter
- seas
- 4–6 ft
- wind
- NW 5–10 kt
becoming light
Full report2 min read ›
The NW wind is 10-20 kt today with 5-7 ft seas and no advisory, and it eases tomorrow. The lakes are holding steady.
Lake Fishing Reports
Santa Margarita Lake
The fishing is excellent:
- Conditions: Clear water
- Bass: Excellent! Pre-fall patterns emerging
- Best Baits: Topwater lures early morning, swim jigs midday
- Trout: Stocked fish still active; try PowerBait near inlet
Tip: Focus on main lake points and creek channels.
Lopez Lake
- Water Level: 512.79 ft, 40,860 AF (83% of capacity), CDEC LOP, Aug 2.
- Conditions: Good clarity
- Bass: Good - fish moving to deeper structure
- Catfish: Active in evening using chicken liver
- Trout: Slow - last plant was several weeks ago
Lake Nacimiento
- Water Level: 757.83 ft, 178,725 AF (47% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Aug 2. Down 0.24 ft from yesterday.
- Bass: Good - focus on shaded coves and creek arms
- Catfish: Excellent in 20-30 ft depth
- White Bass: Being caught near shad schools
Note: Lower water levels affect some launch ramps. Check conditions before heading out.
San Antonio Lake
- Water Level: 744.55 ft, 176,663 AF (53% of capacity), CDEC ATN, Aug 2.
- Bass: Fair - fish holding in deeper water during heat
- Catfish: Good action on shrimp and chicken liver
- Trout: Minimal activity - summer heat slows bite
Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay & Offshore
Morro Bay Landing (Aug 1): Avenger, 1/2 day, 32 anglers: 270 rockfish, 2 copper rockfish, 2 red rockfish, 1 lingcod (up to 8 pounds).
Black Pearl Sportfishing (Aug 1): Black Pearl, 6 hour, 23 anglers: 200 rockfish (up to 4 pounds), 1 lingcod (up to 9 pounds).
Patriot Sportfishing (Aug 1): Patriot (Avila Beach), 1/2 day, 15 anglers: 125 rockcod, 19 bocaccio, 3 copper rockfish, 3 lingcod.
Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Aug 1.
Wind Easing
No advisory is posted for zone PZZ645 today. The NW wind is 10-20 kt with 5-7 ft seas, and it drops tonight.
Current Conditions (Buoy 46011 - Santa Maria)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Wind | NW 15-18 mph (7-8 m/s) |
| Wave Height | 5.5-6.2 ft (1.7-1.9 m) |
| Water Temp | 59.7°F (NDBC 46011, Santa Maria) |
| Air Temp | 57.9-59°F |
Marine Forecast
Today: NW 10-20 kt, seas 5-7 ft
Tonight: NW 10-20 kt, becoming 5-10 kt after midnight, seas 5-7 ft
Monday: W 5-10 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds, seas 5-7 ft
Monday night: NW 5-10 kt, becoming light, seas 4-6 ft
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, zone PZZ645 (Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal), issued 204 AM PDT Sun Aug 2 2026.
Week Ahead: Ocean
Monday: The wind is light, but seas are still 5-7 ft Tuesday-Thursday: Light winds and 3-5 ft seas in the forecast, good for offshore trips
Sources: NDBC buoy 46011; NWS zone PZZ645; lake levels from CDEC (NCM, LOP, ATN).