SLO County Fishing Report — August 28, 2026
Fridaygauge Port San Luis / Morro Bay · NOAA 94121105 places
There is a newer report: SLO County Fishing Report — November 15, 2026 →
Verdicts by place
Morro Bay offshore
Rough5–6 ft
NW 15-25 kt this afternoon, small craft advisory; seas 5-8 ft through Sunday
Lake Nacimiento
Good751.4 ft41% capacity
Bass: Excellent, topwater action at dawn, deep structure midday; Catfish: Excellent in 20-35 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; Trout: Active near inlet areas
Tides for the day
| 4:57 AM low | 0.0 ft |
|---|---|
| 11:15 AM high | 4.5 ft |
| 4:46 PM low | 1.7 ft |
| 10:45 PM high | 5.4 ft |
- range
- 5.3 ft
- sunrise
- 6:33 AM
- sunset
- 7:36 PM
Predictions from NOAA Tides & Currents. 14-day calendar →
Bite grid
excellentgoodfairslownoted
| Species | Nacimiento | Lopez | San Antonio | Santa Margarita | Morro Bay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bass | excellentwhite | good | good | excellent | not reported |
| Catfish | excellent | excellent | excellent | not reported | not reported |
| Trout | not reported | slow | noted | noted | not reported |
By water
from the report- Water Level 751.4 ft, 155,854 AF (41% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Aug 28.
- Bass excellent Topwater at dawn, deep structure midday
- Catfish excellent In 20-35 ft
- White Bass Active near shad schools
None listed.
Marine forecast
seaswindas written in the report
- Today
- seas
- 5–7 ft
- wind
- NW 15–25 kt
NW 15-25 kt this afternoon, 10-20 kt this morning
- Tonight
- seas
- 5–7 ft
- wind
- NW 15–25 kt
easing to 10-20 kt after midnight, seas 5-7 ft with a south swell 3 ft at 18 seconds
- Saturday
- seas
- 6–8 ft
- wind
- NW 20–30 kt
NW 20-30 kt in the afternoon, 10-20 kt in the morning
- Sunday
- seas
- 6–8 ft
- wind
- NW 20–25 kt
NW 20-25 kt in the afternoon, 10-20 kt in the morning
Full report2 min read ›
The lakes are dropping slowly in the late-August heat, and night fishing is getting better. The ocean is a different story: strong NW wind and a long-period south swell keep it rough through the weekend.
Lake Fishing Reports
Lake Nacimiento
- Water Level: 751.4 ft, 155,854 AF (41% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Aug 28.
- Bass: Excellent. Topwater at dawn, deep structure midday
- Catfish: Excellent in 20-35 ft
- White Bass: Active near shad schools
Tip: With the lake this low, fish main-lake structure and the creek channels.
Lopez Lake
- Conditions: Clear water
- Bass: Good on deeper structure in the midday heat
- Catfish: Excellent in the evening on chicken liver or cut bait
- Trout: Slow.
Tip: All launch ramps are open. The evening catfish bite is the thing to fish right now.
San Antonio Lake
- Bass: Good on deeper structure midday
- Catfish: Excellent on shrimp and chicken liver
- Trout: Minimal, the usual summer slowdown
Tip: Watch for floating debris after the recent inflow. Night fishing is productive.
Santa Margarita Lake
- Conditions: Slightly turbid from recent inflows
- Bass: Excellent on topwater at dawn
- Trout: Active near the inlets
- Notes: All launch ramps are open
Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay & Offshore
Patriot Sportfishing (Aug 27): Flying Fish, 1/2 day, 12 anglers: 111 rockcod (up to 6 pounds), 7 red rockcod, 2 copper rockfish.
Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Aug 27.
Strong NW wind and steep seas last through the weekend, with a small craft advisory from 3 PM through late tonight. A long-period south swell (17-18 seconds) arrives tonight and holds through Saturday.
Marine forecast
Today: NW 15-25 kt this afternoon, 10-20 kt this morning, seas 5-7 ft Tonight: NW 15-25 kt, easing to 10-20 kt after midnight, seas 5-7 ft with a south swell 3 ft at 18 seconds Saturday: NW 20-30 kt in the afternoon, 10-20 kt in the morning, seas 6-8 ft Sunday: NW 20-25 kt in the afternoon, 10-20 kt in the morning, seas 6-8 ft
Small craft advisory in effect from 3 PM this afternoon through late tonight.
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, zone PZZ645 (Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal), issued 819 AM PDT Fri Aug 28 2026.
Buoy Data (NDBC Buoy 46011 - Santa Maria)
- Water Temp: 61-62°F (16.3-16.7°C)
- Wave Height: 5-6 ft (1.6-1.9 m)
- Wave Period: 6-11 seconds (moderate)
- Wind: NNW 15-22 mph (7-10 m/s), gusts to 29 mph (13 m/s)
- Air Temp: 62-63°F (16.8-17.1°C)
- Pressure: 1011-1012 hPa (stable)