SLO County Fishing Report — October 6, 2026

October continues to deliver classic Central Coast fall fishing! Warm ocean temperatures and foggy mornings create ideal conditions for both lake and ocean fishing. Lakes are at good levels for fall fishing.

---

🏞️ Lake Fishing Reports

Lake Nacimiento (~52% Capacity) ⭐

• Storage: ~195,000 acre-ft (52% capacity)
• Water Level: ~742.86 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!

---

Lopez Lake (~83% Capacity)

• Storage: ~41,000 acre-ft (83% capacity)
• Water Level: ~510.58 ft (from recent data)
• 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!

---

Lake Nacimiento vs Yesterday

Metric	Today	Yesterday	Trend
Level	742.86 ft	742.83 ft	➡️ Stable (+0.03)
Storage	~195,000 ac-ft	~195,000 ac-ft	➡️ Stable
Capacity	~52%	~52%	➡️ Stable

---

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!

---

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!

---

🌊 Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay & Offshore

Good Conditions - Above Normal Water Temps!

Warm ocean temperatures are the story today - Morro Bay water is running 3.3°C (5.9°F) above normal! Combined with light winds, this creates excellent fishing conditions.

NOAA Marine Forecast (Monterey Bay Area)

Today (Tuesday):

• Wind: NW 5-10 kt (light)
• Seas: 4-5 ft (NW 4-5 ft @ 7-8 sec, SW 2 ft @ 13-14 sec)
• Conditions: ✅ Good - Patchy fog, locally dense

Tonight:

• Wind: NW 10-15 kt
• Seas: 5-6 ft
• Conditions: ✅ Good

Wednesday:

• Wind: NW 10-15 kt
• Seas: 5-6 ft
• Conditions: ✅ Excellent - Fog clears by afternoon

Thursday:

• Wind: NW 5-10 kt
• Seas: 6-8 ft (building)
• Conditions: ✅ Good

Friday-Saturday:

• Wind: NW 15-25 kt (strong)
• Seas: 8-12 ft (rough)
• Conditions: ⚠️ Hazardous - Small craft advisory likely

Weekend Outlook:

• Wind: NW 20-30 kt
• Seas: 11-16 ft
• Conditions: ⚠️ Rough - Exercise caution, check before heading out

Buoy Data (NDBC Buoy 46011 - Pt Conception)

• Water Temp: 57-60°F (14-15.5°C)
• Wave Height: 4-5 ft (1.0-1.5 m)
• Wave Period: 7-8 seconds (moderate)
• Wind: NW 5-15 mph (light to moderate)
• Air Temp: 58-60°F (14-15.5°C)
• Pressure: 1014-1015 hPa (stable)

Morro Bay Water Temp: 65.8°F (18.8°C) — 3.3°C above normal!

💡 Note: Warmer than normal water temps! Fish are still active but may be feeding in deeper waters. Baitfish schools active along the coast!

---

🌊 Tides - Morro Bay

October 6, 2026 - Moderate tides with good range:

Tide	Time (PDT)	Height
Low	~2:28 AM	~-0.03 ft
High	~9:08 AM	~3.5 ft
Low	~2:28 PM	~1.7 ft
High	~8:08 PM	~4.2 ft

Tide Range: 4.2 ft - Good tidal movement for structure fishing

---

🌙 Solunar Times (October 6, 2026)

Lunar data for today:

Period	Time (PDT)
Minor	6:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Major	12:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Minor	6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Major	12:30 AM - 2:30 AM

Best Fishing Windows:

• Early Morning (6:00 - 8:00 AM) ⭐
• Midday (12:15 - 2:15 PM)
• Evening (6:30 - 8:30 PM)
• Late Night (12:30 - 2:30 AM)

Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent - Increasing light, fish becoming more active

---

📅 Week Outlook

Lakes

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

Ocean

⚠️ Conditions deteriorate Friday-Saturday ✅ Good conditions through Thursday ✅ Light winds, foggy mornings - classic fall pattern ✅ Warmer than normal water temps ⚠️ Rough conditions return Friday into weekend - plan accordingly

---

📊 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 4-5 ft, water temp above normal (65.8°F!)

---

Report compiled October 6, 2026. Lake levels from USGS monitoring data and lake sources. Ocean data from NOAA Marine Forecast FZUS56 KMTR, NDBC Buoy 46011, and seatemperature.org. Tides from NOAA predictions. Image via image generation.