SLO County Fishing Report — September 29, 2026

Tuesday brings dangerous ocean conditions as a strong fall storm system impacts the Central Coast. A Gale Warning is in effect through Wednesday morning with powerful northwesterly winds and massive seas. Lake fishing remains the best option with comfortable conditions and active fish!

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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

⚠️ Gale Warning In Effect

DANGER: A Gale Warning is in effect through Wednesday morning for all coastal waters. Extremely dangerous conditions with north winds 25-30 knots and seas 10-12 feet will make offshore boating life-threatening. ALL BOATS should remain in port!

Current Ocean Conditions (Morro Bay Area)

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

• Water Temp: 64.9°F (18.3°C) - from NDBC Buoy 46011
• Wave Height: 7.5 ft (2.3 m) - from buoy data
• Wave Period: 8-16 seconds - moderate interval swell
• Swell Direction: NW (330°) - typical fall swell
• Wind: NW 16-18 mph (7-8 m/s), gusts to 22 mph (10 m/s) from 330°
• Air Temp: ~61°F (16°C)
• Pressure: 1009.5 hPa - falling (storm system approaching)
• Conditions: ⚠️ DANGER - Gale Warning

Outlook (NOAA):

• Today (Tue): N 25-30 kt, seas 10-12 ft (NW 11 ft @ 9 sec, S 4 ft @ 13 sec)
• Tonight: NW 25-30 kt, seas 11-12 ft
• Wednesday: N 25-30 kt, seas 9-11 ft, slowly improving
• Thursday: N 20-25 kt, easing to 15-20 kt in afternoon, seas 8-10 ft

💡 Recommendation: STAY OFF THE WATER! This is not a day for ocean fishing. The combination of 25-30 knot winds and 10-12 foot seas is extremely dangerous. Even nearshore fishing is not safe. Head to the lakes instead. Conditions will slowly improve Thursday, but Friday looks much better for offshore trips.

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🌊 Tides - Morro Bay (NOAA Station 9412110)

Based on NOAA predictions for September 29, 2026:

Tide	Time (PDT)	Height
Low	~5:30 AM	~2.0 ft
High	~11:30 AM	~5.5 ft
Low	~6:00 PM	~0.5 ft

Tide Range: ~5.0 ft - Excellent tidal movement, great for structure fishing

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🌙 Solunar Times (September 29, 2026)

Based on lunar data (Waning Gibbous - 62% illumination):

Period	Time (PDT)
Minor	5:30 AM - 7:30 AM
Major	11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Minor	6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Major	11:15 PM - 1:15 AM

Best Fishing Windows:

• Early Morning (5:30 - 7:30 AM) ⭐
• Midday (11:00 AM - 1:00 PM)
• Evening (6:00 - 8:00 PM)
• Late Night (11:15 PM - 1:15 AM)

Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous (62% 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 - Gale Warning through Wednesday. Seas 10-12 ft, winds 25-30 kt. Do not venture offshore - life threatening conditions. Conditions slowly improve Thursday with winds 15-20 kt and seas 8-10 ft. Best chance for offshore fishing: Friday/Saturday with lighter winds and seas dropping to 5-7 ft.

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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 - Gale Warning, DO NOT venture offshore until Thursday/Friday

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Report compiled September 29, 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.