SLO County Fishing Report — September 6, 2026

Happy Labor Day Weekend! 🍻 The holiday brings improved ocean conditions with Small Craft Advisories in effect for some areas. Lakes are in great shape with above-normal storage levels. Late-summer fishing continues to deliver!

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🏞️ Lake Fishing Reports

Lake Nacimiento (~75% Capacity) ⭐

• Storage: 285,131 acre-ft (75.5% of 377,900 acre-ft capacity)
• Water Level: ~762 ft MSL
• Water Temp: ~74-78°F (surface), cooler deep
• Conditions: 109% of normal - excellent late-summer levels!
• 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 at 75% capacity - excellent water levels with plenty of structure accessible. Early morning topwater bite is on fire right now! Night fishing also productive.

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Lopez Lake (~93% Capacity)

• Storage: 48,679 acre-ft (93% of 52,500 acre-ft capacity)
• Water Temp: ~70-74°F
• Conditions: 129% of normal - 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	~762 ft	~761 ft	⬆️ +1 ft
Storage	285,131 ac-ft	~284,000 ac-ft	⬆️ Rising
Capacity	75.5%	~75%	⬆️ Improving

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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. Night fishing productive!

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Santa Margarita Lake (~102% Capacity)

• Storage: ~24,000 acre-ft
• Conditions: Above full pool, good water levels
• 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

⚠️ Small Craft Advisory - Use Caution

A Small Craft Advisory is in effect for the central coast today. Winds will be strong from the NW with gusts up to 25+ knots. Seas are elevated at 6-7 feet with a long-period southerly swell from tropical activity.

Current Ocean Conditions (Morro Bay Area - NDBC Buoy 46011)

• Water Temp: 63.3°F (17.4°C) - from NDBC Buoy 46011
• Wave Height: 6-7 ft (1.8 m) - elevated swell
• Wave Period: 8-15 seconds - mixed swell from NW and tropical S
• Swell Direction: NW (330°) and S (187°)
• Wind: NW 15-20 kt (gusts to 25+ kt)
• Air Temp: 62.2°F (16.8°C)
• Pressure: 1013.6 hPa (falling slightly)
• Conditions: ⚠️ Use caution - Small Craft Advisory

Outlook (Labor Day): N winds 15-20 kt, seas 6-7 ft. Conditions improving mid-week.

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🌊 Tides - Morro Bay (NOAA Station 9412110)

Based on NOAA predictions for September 6, 2026:

Tide	Time (PDT)	Height
Low	2:14 AM	-0.8 ft (-0.25 m)
High	9:35 AM	9.1 ft (2.76 m)
Low	1:06 PM	7.8 ft (2.38 m)
High	7:14 PM	16.0 ft (4.88 m)

Tide Range: ~16.8 ft - Large tidal range, excellent for structure fishing!

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🌙 Solunar Times (September 6, 2026)

Based on lunar data (Waxing Crescent - 8% illumination):

Period	Time (PDT)
Minor	5:15 AM - 7:15 AM
Major	11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Minor	5:45 PM - 7:45 PM
Major	11:30 PM - 1:30 AM

Best Fishing Windows:

• Early Morning (5:15 - 7:15 AM) ⭐
• Midday (11:30 AM - 1:30 PM)
• Evening (5:45 - 7:45 PM)
• Late Night (11:30 PM - 1:30 AM)

Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent (8% illumination) - New moon week, lower light conditions

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📅 Week Outlook

Lakes

✅ Great conditions for lake fishing! Water levels are excellent (109% of normal at Nacimiento, 129% at Lopez). Early morning topwater bites are excellent. Night fishing productive as temperatures cool.

Ocean

⚠️ Use caution today - Small Craft Advisory in effect. Conditions improving by mid-week. Great for offshore trips once winds subside. Long-period swell from tropical activity creating elevated seas.

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📊 Quick Reference

Lake	Capacity/Normal	Temp	Rating
Nacimiento	75.5% (109% norm)	74-78°F	⭐ Excellent
Lopez	93% (129% norm)	70-74°F	✅ Good
San Antonio	145% norm	70-74°F	✅ Good
Santa Margarita	~102%	72-76°F	⭐ Good

Ocean (Morro Bay): ⚠️ Caution - Small Craft Advisory, elevated seas

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Report compiled September 6, 2026. Lake levels from Snoflo.org (USBR data). Ocean data from NOAA Marine Forecast (FZUS56 KMTR) and NDBC Buoy 46011. Tides from NOAA Station 9412110 via TideTime.org.