SLO County Fishing Report — August 12, 2026
Wednesdaygauge 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
FairLight winds, seas 3-4 ft through Friday
Lake Nacimiento
Good755.4 ft44% capacity
Bass: Good; Catfish: Excellent in 20-30 ft depth
Lopez Lake
GoodBass: Good; Catfish: Excellent in evening using chicken liver or cut bait
Santa Margarita Lake
GoodBass: Excellent, topwater action at dawn, deep structure midday; Trout: Stocked fish active near inlet areas
Tides for the day
| 4:41 AM low | -1.2 ft |
|---|---|
| 11:08 AM high | 4.4 ft |
| 4:11 PM low | 1.9 ft |
| 10:16 PM high | 6.5 ft |
- range
- 7.6 ft
- minus tide
- -1.2 ft
- sunrise
- 6:21 AM
- sunset
- 7:56 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 | excellent | excellent | good |
| Trout | noted | slow | not reported | noted |
By water
from the report- Conditions Clear water
- Bass excellent Topwater action at dawn, deep structure midday
- Trout Stocked fish active near inlet areas
None listed.
Marine forecast
seaswindas written in the report
- Todaylighter
- seas
- 3–4 ft
- wind
- W 5–10 kt
W 5-10 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds
- Tonight
- seas
- 3–4 ft
Light winds
- Thursdaylighter
- seas
- 3–4 ft
- wind
- W 5–10 kt
W 5-10 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds
- Thursday nightlighter
- seas
- 3–4 ft
- wind
- NW 5–10 kt
becoming light
Full report2 min read ›
The forecast for the Morro Bay coastal waters has light winds and 3-4 ft seas today through Friday, with no advisory. The NW wind picks up a little on Saturday.
Lake Fishing Reports
Santa Margarita Lake
- Conditions: Clear water
- Bass: Excellent! Topwater action at dawn, deep structure midday
- Trout: Stocked fish active near inlet areas
Lopez Lake
- Conditions: Good clarity
- Bass: Good.
- Catfish: Excellent in evening using chicken liver or cut bait
- Trout: Slow - water warming, fish holding deeper
Lake Nacimiento
- Water Level: 755.41 ft, 169,970 AF (44% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Aug 12.
- Bass: Good - focus on shaded coves and creek arms
- Catfish: Excellent in 20-30 ft depth
- White Bass: Active near shad schools
San Antonio Lake
- Bass: Fair.
- Catfish: Good action on shrimp and chicken liver
- Trout: Minimal - summer slowdown expected
Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay & Offshore
Patriot Sportfishing (Aug 11): Flying Fish, 1/2 day, 17 anglers: 156 rockcod, 12 bocaccio, 2 copper rockfish.
Morro Bay Landing (Aug 11): Endeavor, 3/4 day, 13 anglers: 80 rockfish, 26 red rockfish, 12 bocaccio, 12 copper rockfish.
Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Aug 11.
Light Winds
No advisory is posted for zone PZZ645. The forecast has light winds and 3-4 ft seas through Friday.
Current Conditions (Buoy 46011 - Santa Maria)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Wind | NW 4-9 mph (2-4 m/s), gusts to 11 mph (5 m/s) |
| Wave Height | 3.6-4.3 ft (1.1-1.3 m) |
| Wave Period | 8-10 seconds |
| Water Temp | 65°F (NDBC 46011, Santa Maria) |
| Air Temp | 61°F (16.2°C) |
Marine Forecast
Today: W 5-10 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds, seas 3-4 ft
Tonight: Light winds, seas 3-4 ft
Thursday: W 5-10 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds, seas 3-4 ft
Thursday night: NW 5-10 kt, becoming light, seas 3-4 ft
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, zone PZZ645 (Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal), issued 224 AM PDT Wed Aug 12 2026.
Friday stays light, and Saturday has NW 5-15 kt with 3-5 ft seas.
Fishing Notes
Today-Friday: Light winds and small seas, good for offshore trips Saturday-Sunday: A little more NW wind in the afternoons
Sources: NDBC buoy 46011; NWS zone PZZ645; lake level from CDEC (NCM).