SLO County Fishing Report — September 14, 2026
Mondaygauge 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
Rough8–9 ftNW 20–25 kt
NW 15-25 kt this afternoon, seas 4-7 ft, small craft advisory; lighter Tuesday
Lake Nacimiento
Good747.1 ft37% 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
| 12:36 AM high | 4.3 ft |
|---|---|
| 6:09 AM low | 1.8 ft |
| 12:25 PM high | 5.4 ft |
| 7:20 PM low | 0.7 ft |
- range
- 4.7 ft
- sunrise
- 6:45 AM
- sunset
- 7:12 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 747.1 ft, 141,166 AF (37% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Sep 14.
- Conditions Typical late-summer level
- 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
- 4–6 ft
- wind
- NW 15–25 kt
NW 15-25 kt this afternoon, 5-10 kt this morning
- Tonight
- seas
- 5–7 ft
- wind
- NW 15–25 kt
becoming NE 5-10 kt after midnight
- Tuesdaylighter
- seas
- 4–6 ft
- wind
- NW 10–15 kt
NW 10-15 kt in the afternoon, N 5-10 kt in the morning
- Wednesdaylighter
- seas
- 3–4 ft
- wind
- W 5–10 kt
W 5-10 kt in the afternoon, light winds in the morning
Full report2 min read ›
Northwest winds build to 15-25 kt this afternoon under a small craft advisory, with 4-6 ft seas, so offshore fishing is hard this Monday afternoon. The lakes are in good late-summer shape and are the better bet.
Lake Fishing Reports
Lake Nacimiento
- Water Level: 747.1 ft, 141,166 AF (37% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Sep 14.
- Conditions: Typical late-summer level
- Bass: Excellent. Topwater at dawn, deep structure midday
- Catfish: Excellent in 20-35 ft
- White Bass: Active near shad schools
Tip: Fish main-lake structure and creek channels. The early topwater bite is strong.
Lopez Lake
- Storage: 511.1 ft, 39,475 AF (80% of capacity), CDEC LOP, Sep 14.
- Conditions: Excellent clarity
- Bass: Good - target deeper structure during midday heat
- Catfish: Excellent in the evening on chicken liver or cut bait
- Trout: Slow - water warming, fish holding deeper
Tip: All launch ramps are open, and the evening catfish bite is excellent.
San Antonio Lake
- Storage: 740.1 ft, 161,446 AF (49% of capacity), CDEC ATN, Sep 14.
- Bass: Good - focus on deeper structure during midday
- Catfish: Excellent on shrimp and chicken liver
- Trout: Minimal - summer slowdown
Tip: Night fishing is productive.
Santa Margarita Lake
- Conditions: Slightly turbid from recent inflows
- Bass: Excellent. Topwater at dawn
- Trout: Active near inlet areas
Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay & Offshore
Morro Bay Landing (Sep 13): Endeavor, 3/4 day, 26 anglers: 210 rockfish, 20 red rockfish, 18 copper rockfish, 15 bonito.
Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Sep 13.
A small craft advisory is in effect from 1 PM through this evening. Tuesday looks lighter.
Current Ocean Conditions (Morro Bay Area)
From NDBC Buoy 46011 (Santa Maria) and the NOAA marine forecast:
- Water Temp: 60-61°F (NDBC 46011, Santa Maria, morning)
- Wave Height: 8-9 ft (2.5-2.7 m) - from spec buoy data
- Wave Period: 8-9 seconds
- Swell Direction: W-NW (310-320°)
- Wind: NW 20-25 kt (23-29 mph)
- Air Temp: ~55°F (13°C)
- Conditions: Hazardous for small craft
Marine forecast:
- Today: NW 15-25 kt this afternoon, 5-10 kt this morning, seas 4-6 ft
- Tonight: NW 15-25 kt, becoming NE 5-10 kt after midnight, seas 5-7 ft
- Tuesday: NW 10-15 kt in the afternoon, N 5-10 kt in the morning, seas 4-6 ft
- Wednesday: W 5-10 kt in the afternoon, light winds in the morning, seas 3-4 ft
Small craft advisory in effect from 1 PM this afternoon through this evening.
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, zone PZZ645 (Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal), issued 237 AM PDT Mon Sep 14 2026.
Recommendation: Fish the lakes this afternoon.
Sources: NDBC buoy 46011; lake levels from CDEC (NCM, LOP, ATN).