SLO County Fishing Report — October 5, 2026

Early October brings classic Central Coast fall fishing conditions! Foggy mornings give way to mild afternoons with light winds - perfect for both lake and ocean fishing. Lakes are at good levels for fall fishing, and the ocean is relatively calm after last week's swell.

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🏞️ Lake Fishing Reports

Lake Nacimiento (~52% Capacity) ⭐

• Storage: ~195,000 acre-ft (52% capacity)
• Water Level: ~743 ft MSL (+0.03 ft from yesterday, stable)
• Water Temp: ~68-72°F (surface), cooler deep
• Conditions: Good fall fishing conditions
• Bass: ⭐ Good! Target deeper structure, early morning topwater
• Catfish: Good in 20-35 ft depth
• White Bass: Active near points and creek channels

💡 Tip: Lake is around 52% capacity - focus on main lake points and creek channels. Fall turnover is happening - fish are moving to deeper water. Early morning topwater bite best before fog lifts!

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Lopez Lake (~83% Capacity)

• Storage: ~41,000 acre-ft (83% capacity)
• Water Temp: ~66-70°F
• Conditions: Good clarity, typical fall levels
• Bass: Good - target deeper structure and shaded areas
• Catfish: Good on cut bait and chicken liver
• Trout: Slow - warming water, fish holding deeper

💡 Tip: All launch ramps accessible at current levels. Fall fish are feeding aggressively in preparation for winter. Morning and evening best!

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Lake Nacimiento vs Yesterday

Metric	Today	Yesterday	Trend
Level	~743 ft	~743 ft	➡️ Stable
Storage	~195,000 ac-ft	~195,000 ac-ft	➡️ Stable
Capacity	~52%	~52%	➡️ Stable

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San Antonio Lake (~140% of Normal)

• Storage: ~255,000 acre-ft (140% of normal)
• Water Temp: ~66-70°F
• Bass: Good - focus on deeper structure
• Catfish: Good on shrimp and chicken liver

💡 Tip: Well above normal - excellent water levels for this time of year. Fall fishing heating up!

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Santa Margarita Lake (~95% Capacity)

• Storage: ~32,000 acre-ft (~95% capacity)
• Water Temp: ~66-70°F
• Conditions: Good fall fishing conditions
• Bass: ⭐ Good! Early morning topwater action
• Trout: Fair - target deeper water

💡 Tip: Lake at healthy level for fall. All launch ramps accessible. Early morning bite best!

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🌊 Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay & Offshore

Good Conditions - Light Winds, Mild Seas

Fall pattern established with morning fog, light NW winds, and moderate seas. Perfect for both bay and offshore fishing!

NOAA Marine Forecast (Monterey Bay Area)

Today (Monday):

• Wind: NW 5-10 kt (light)
• Seas: 3-4 ft (NW 3 ft @ 8 sec, SW 2 ft @ 14 sec)
• Conditions: ✅ Good - Foggy, locally dense

Tonight:

• Wind: NW 5-10 kt
• Seas: 3-4 ft
• Conditions: ✅ Good

Tuesday:

• Wind: NW 5-10 kt
• Seas: 3-4 ft
• Conditions: ✅ Good - Patchy dense fog in morning

Wednesday:

• Wind: NW 5-10 kt
• Seas: 3-4 ft
• Conditions: ✅ Excellent

Thursday-Friday:

• Wind: Increasing to 10-15 kt
• Seas: Building to 4-5 ft
• Conditions: ✅ Fair - Typical fall increase

Weekend:

• Wind: NW 15-20 kt Friday night
• Seas: 5-7 ft
• Conditions: ⚠️ Rough - Exercise caution

Buoy Data (NDBC Buoy 46011 - Pt Conception)

• Water Temp: 58-60°F (14.4-15.5°C)
• Wave Height: 3-4 ft (1.0-1.1 m)
• Wave Period: 6-8 seconds (moderate)
• Wind: NW 5-10 mph (light)
• Air Temp: 58-60°F (14.4-15.5°C)
• Pressure: 1014-1015 hPa (stable)

💡 Note: Water temps cooling - fish moving to deeper structure. baitfish schools active along the coast!

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🌊 Tides - Morro Bay

October 5, 2026 - Moderate tides with good range:

Tide	Time (PDT)	Height
Low	~2:15 AM	~1.2 ft
High	~8:30 AM	~5.0 ft
Low	~2:30 PM	~1.0 ft
High	~8:45 PM	~4.8 ft

Tide Range: 4.0 ft - Good tidal movement for structure fishing

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🌙 Solunar Times (October 5, 2026)

Lunar data for today:

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 - Increasing light, fish becoming more active

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📅 Week Outlook

Lakes

✅ Great conditions for lake fishing! Fall turnover complete, fish feeding aggressively. Early morning topwater action excellent.

Ocean

✅ Good conditions through midweek ✅ Light winds, foggy mornings - classic fall pattern ⚠️ Rough conditions return Friday into weekend - plan accordingly

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📊 Quick Reference

Lake	Capacity/Normal	Temp	Rating
Nacimiento	~52%	68-72°F	⭐ Good
Lopez	~83%	66-70°F	✅ Good
San Antonio	140% normal	66-70°F	✅ Good
Santa Margarita	~95%	66-70°F	⭐ Good

Ocean (Morro Bay): ✅ Good - Light winds, seas 3-4 ft, foggy mornings

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Report compiled October 5, 2026. Lake levels from USGS monitoring data and lake sources. Ocean data from NOAA Marine Forecast FZUS56 KMTR and NDBC Buoy 46011. Tides from NOAA predictions. Image via Pexels.