SLO County Fishing Report — August 30, 2026

Sunday brings improved ocean conditions compared to the stormy end of last week! The Small Craft Advisory has expired and seas are calming down. Lakes remain stable with excellent late-summer fishing conditions. Great day to hit the water!

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🏞️ Lake Fishing Reports

Lake Nacimiento (~42% Capacity) ⭐

• Storage: ~158,500 acre-ft (42% capacity)
• Water Level: ~750.5 ft MSL (-0.5 ft from yesterday, slowly falling)
• Water Temp: ~76-78°F (surface), cooler deep
• Conditions: Below normal for date, typical late-summer decline
• Bass: ⭐ Excellent! Topwater action at dawn, deep structure midday
• Catfish: Excellent in 20-35 ft depth
• White Bass: Active near shad schools

💡 Tip: Lake is around 42% capacity - focus on main lake structure and creek channels. Early morning topwater bite best before heat of day. Night fishing picking up!

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Lopez Lake (~127% of Normal)

• Storage: ~48,000 acre-ft (127% of normal)
• Water Temp: ~70-74°F
• Conditions: Excellent clarity, well above normal water levels
• Bass: Good - target deeper structure as fish escape midday heat
• Catfish: Excellent in evening using chicken liver or cut bait
• Trout: Slow - water warming, fish holding deeper

💡 Tip: All launch ramps accessible at current levels. Best fishing during low-light hours. Evening catfish bite is hot right now!

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Lake Nacimiento vs Yesterday

Metric	Today	Yesterday	Trend
Level	~750.5 ft	~751 ft	⬇️ -0.5 ft
Storage	~158,500 ac-ft	~159,000 ac-ft	⬇️ Falling
Capacity	~42%	~42%	⬇️ Declining

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San Antonio Lake (~145% of Normal)

• Storage: ~265,000 acre-ft (145% of normal!)
• Water Temp: ~70-74°F
• Bass: Good - focus on deeper structure during midday
• Catfish: Excellent on shrimp and chicken liver
• Trout: Minimal - summer slowdown

💡 Tip: Well above normal - excellent water levels. Watch for floating debris after recent inflow. Night fishing productive!

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Santa Margarita Lake (~102% Capacity)

• Conditions: Above full pool, slightly turbid from recent inflows
• Bass: ⭐ Excellent! Topwater action at dawn
• Trout: Active near inlet areas
• Notes: Lake remains above capacity - all launch ramps accessible

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🌊 Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay & Offshore

✅ Conditions Improving - Small Craft Advisory Expired

Great news! The Small Craft Advisory that affected the coast through Saturday has expired. Seas are calming down and conditions are much improved for both nearshore and offshore fishing.

Current Ocean Conditions (Morro Bay Area)

• Water Temp: 61-62°F (16.3-16.7°C) - from NDBC Buoy 46011
• Wave Height: 5-6 ft (1.6 m) - moderate swell
• Wave Period: 9 seconds - decent interval
• Swell Direction: WNW (294°) - typical summer swell
• Wind: NNE at 9 mph (14.8 km/h) - light offshore winds
• Air Temp: ~51°F (10.7°C)
• Conditions: ✅ Good for fishing - seas calming

Outlook: NW winds 10-15 kt today, seas 4-6 ft - great conditions for offshore trips!

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🌊 Tides - Morro Bay (NOAA Station 9412110)

Based on NOAA predictions for August 30, 2026:

Tide	Time (PDT)	Height
Low	~5:18 AM	~0.71 ft
High	~12:06 PM	~5.0 ft
Low	~5:54 PM	~0.87 ft

Tide Range: ~4.2 ft - Moderate tidal movement, good for structure fishing

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🌙 Solunar Times (August 30, 2026)

Based on lunar data (Waning Gibbous - 72% illumination):

Period	Time (PDT)
Minor	4:45 AM - 6:45 AM
Major	11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Minor	5:15 PM - 7:15 PM
Major	11:15 PM - 1:15 AM

Best Fishing Windows:

• Early Morning (4:45 - 6:45 AM) ⭐
• Midday (11:00 AM - 1:00 PM)
• Evening (5:15 - 7:15 PM)
• Late Night (11:15 PM - 1:15 AM)

Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous (72% illumination) - Good light penetration, fish still actively feeding

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📅 Week Outlook

Lakes

✅ Great conditions for lake fishing! Water levels stable, early morning topwater bites excellent. Night fishing picking up as temperatures cool.

Ocean

✅ Excellent conditions! Small Craft Advisory expired, seas calming down. Great day for both nearshore rockfish and offshore salmon/tuna trips.

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📊 Quick Reference

Lake	Capacity/Normal	Temp	Rating
Nacimiento	~42%	74-78°F	⭐ Good
Lopez	127% normal	70-74°F	✅ Good
San Antonio	145% normal	70-74°F	✅ Good
Santa Margarita	~102%	72-76°F	⭐ Good

Ocean (Morro Bay): ✅ Excellent - seas calming, offshore winds, great fishing!

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Report compiled August 30, 2026. Lake levels estimated from recent trends and seasonal patterns. Ocean data from Open-Meteo Marine API, NOAA Marine Forecast, and NDBC Buoy 46011. Tides from NOAA Station 9412110.