Central Coast Fishing Report — September 28, 2026

Monday brings challenging ocean conditions as a fall storm system moves through. Strong northwesterly winds and elevated seas will keep most boats in port. However, lake fishing remains excellent with stable water levels and perfect conditions for early morning topwater action!

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🏞️ Lake Fishing Reports

Lake Nacimiento ⭐

• Storage: ~155,000 acre-ft (estimated ~41% capacity)
• Water Level: ~746 ft MSL (stable, typical late-summer level)
• Water Temp: ~72-76°F (surface), cooler deep
• Conditions: Typical late-summer level, stable
• 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 41% capacity - focus on main lake structure and creek channels. Early morning topwater bite is hot! Night fishing also productive as temps cool.

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Lopez Lake (~127% of Normal)

• Storage: ~48,000 acre-ft (127% of normal)
• Water Temp: ~68-72°F
• Conditions: Excellent clarity, well above normal water levels
• Bass: Good - target deeper structure during 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 excellent right now!

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Lake Nacimiento vs Yesterday

Metric	Today	Yesterday	Trend
Level	~746 ft	~746 ft	➡️ Stable
Storage	~155,000 ac-ft	~155,000 ac-ft	➡️ Stable
Capacity	~41%	~41%	➡️ Stable

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San Antonio Lake (~145% of Normal)

• Storage: ~265,000 acre-ft (145% of normal!)
• Water Temp: ~68-72°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. Floating debris possible after summer 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

⚠️ Small Craft Advisory In Effect

CAUTION: A Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Wednesday afternoon for all coastal waters. Strong northwesterly winds 20-25 kt and seas 8-12 ft will make offshore boating dangerous. Small craft should remain in port or stay very close to shore.

Current Ocean Conditions (Morro Bay Area)

From NDBC Buoy 46011 (Pt Conception) and NOAA Marine Forecast:

• Water Temp: 65.3°F (18.5°C) - from NDBC Buoy 46011
• Wave Height: 6.5 ft (2.0 m) - from buoy data
• Wave Period: 8-9 seconds - moderate interval swell
• Swell Direction: NW (320-330°) - typical fall swell
• Wind: NW 20-25 mph (9-11 m/s) from 330° - strong offshore winds
• Air Temp: ~60-62°F (16-17°C)
• Conditions: ⚠️ Danger - Small Craft Advisory

Outlook (NOAA):

• Today (Mon): NW 20-25 kt, seas 8-10 ft
• Tonight: NW 20-25 kt, seas 10-12 ft
• Tuesday: N 25-30 kt, seas 10-12 ft (strongest winds)
• Wednesday: N 25-30 kt, seas 9-11 ft, slowly improving

💡 Recommendation: Stay off the water! Dangerous conditions through Wednesday. Head to the lakes for best fishing. Nearshore fishing not recommended - wait for conditions to improve Thursday.

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🌊 Tides - Morro Bay (NOAA Station 9412110)

Based on NOAA predictions for September 28, 2026:

Tide	Time (PDT)	Height
Low	~5:02 AM	1.58 ft
High	~11:14 AM	5.84 ft
Low	~6:07 PM	0.22 ft

Tide Range: ~5.6 ft - Excellent tidal movement, great for structure fishing

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🌙 Solunar Times (September 28, 2026)

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

Period	Time (PDT)
Minor	4:45 AM - 6:45 AM
Major	10:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Minor	5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Major	10:30 PM - 12:30 AM

Best Fishing Windows:

• Early Morning (4:45 - 6:45 AM) ⭐
• Midday (10:15 AM - 12:15 PM)
• Evening (5:00 - 7:00 PM)
• Late Night (10:30 PM - 12:30 AM)

Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous (72% illumination) - Fish feeding actively during major feeding periods

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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. All lakes in excellent shape for fall fishing.

Ocean

⚠️ Danger - Small Craft Advisory through Wednesday. Seas 8-12 ft, winds 20-30 kt. Do not venture offshore. Conditions improve Thursday with lighter winds (10-15 kt) and seas dropping to 5-7 ft. Plan offshore trips for late week.

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📊 Quick Reference

Lake	Capacity/Normal	Temp	Rating
Nacimiento	~41%	72-76°F	⭐ Good
Lopez	127% normal	68-72°F	✅ Good
San Antonio	145% normal	68-72°F	✅ Good
Santa Margarita	~102%	70-74°F	⭐ Good

Ocean (Morro Bay): ⚠️ Danger - Small Craft Advisory, DO NOT venture offshore until Thursday

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Report compiled September 28, 2026. Lake levels estimated based on seasonal patterns and previous readings. Ocean data from NOAA Marine Forecast (FZUS56 KMTR) and NDBC Buoy 46011. Tides from NOAA Station 9412110 via tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov.