SLO County Fishing Report — October 9, 2026

Friday brings dangerous ocean conditions with a Gale Warning in effect through Sunday morning. Large northwest swell (12-15 ft) combined with strong to near-gale winds will make offshore boating extremely hazardous. All anglers should stay in port or head to the lakes this weekend. Lake fishing remains productive with stable water levels and good topwater action during low-light hours!

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🏞️ Lake Fishing Reports

Lake Nacimiento ⭐

• Storage: ~145,000 acre-ft (estimated ~38-40% capacity)
• Water Level: ~742.65 ft MSL (+0.01 ft from yesterday)
• Water Temp: ~72-76°F (surface), cooler deep
• Conditions: Typical late-summer level, stable
• Bass: ⭐ Good! Topwater action at dawn, deep structure midday
• Catfish: Excellent in 20-35 ft depth
• White Bass: Active near shad schools

💡 Tip: Lake is around 38-40% 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 (~77% of Normal)

• Storage: ~38,069 acre-ft (~77.4% of normal)
• Water Level: ~510.44 ft (last reading Oct 7)
• Water Temp: ~68-72°F (estimated)
• 7-Day Trend: Falling (-0.19 ft over last 7 days)
• Conditions: Clarity good, below normal pool but accessible
• Bass: Good - target deeper structure during midday heat
• Catfish: Good in evening using chicken liver or cut bait
• Trout: Slow - water warming, fish holding deeper

💡 Tip: Some launch ramps may have limited accessibility at current levels. Best fishing during low-light hours. Evening catfish bite is good right now!

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Lake Nacimiento vs Yesterday

Metric	Today	Yesterday	Trend
Level	~742.65 ft	~742.64 ft	➡️ Stable
Storage	~145,000 ac-ft	~145,000 ac-ft	➡️ Stable
Capacity	~38-40%	~38-40%	➡️ Stable

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San Antonio Lake (~148% of Normal)

• Storage: ~270,000+ acre-ft (148% of normal!)
• Water Temp: ~68-72°F (estimated)
• 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, slight turbidity from recent inflows
• Bass: ⭐ Good! 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 from Friday evening through Sunday morning for all coastal waters. Northwest winds 25-30 kt with gusts to 40 kt and seas 12-15 ft will make offshore boating extremely dangerous. All boaters should remain in port.

Current Ocean Conditions (Morro Bay Area)

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

• Water Temp: 69.6°F (21°C) - from NDBC Buoy 46011
• Wave Height: 6-7 ft (1.8-2.1 m) - from buoy data (WVHT 6.2 ft)
• Wave Period: 9-10 seconds - moderate interval swell
• Swell Direction: WNW-NW (280-320°) - building to NW 12-15 ft
• Wind: WNW 5-8 kts, gusts to 10 kts (currently light, but strengthening)
• Air Temp: ~63.7°F (17°C)
• Conditions: ⚠️ DANGER - Gale Warning in effect

Outlook (NOAA):

• Today (Fri): NW 20-25 kt, seas 8-10 ft, building to 9-12 ft
• Tonight: NW 25-30 kt with gusts to 40 kt, seas 12-14 ft
• Saturday: NW 25-30 kt with gusts to 40 kt, seas 13-14 ft
• Sunday: NW 25-30 kt, seas 14-15 ft, subsiding to 12-15 ft
• Monday (Columbus Day): N 15-20 kt, seas 10-12 ft, improving

💡 Recommendation: STAY IN PORT this weekend. The Gale Warning indicates dangerous conditions with seas potentially exceeding 15 feet. Nearshore fishing is not recommended. Head to the lakes for safe fishing opportunities. Conditions will improve by Monday but exercise caution.

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🌊 Tides - Morro Bay (NOAA Station 9412110)

Based on NOAA predictions for October 9, 2026:

Tide	Time (PDT)	Height
Low	~3:30 AM	~0.7 ft
High	~10:00 AM	~4.8 ft
Low	~4:00 PM	~1.2 ft
High	~10:30 PM	~4.0 ft

Tide Range: ~4.1 ft - Moderate tidal movement, good for structure fishing

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🌙 Solunar Times (October 9, 2026)

Based on lunar data (Last Quarter Moon - ~50% illumination):

Period	Time (PDT)
Minor	3:30 AM - 5:30 AM
Major	9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Minor	3:45 PM - 5:45 PM
Major	9:15 PM - 11:15 PM

Best Fishing Windows:

• Early Morning (3:30 - 5:30 AM) ⭐
• Midday (9:00 - 11:00 AM)
• Evening (3:45 - 5:45 PM)
• Late Night (9:15 PM - 11:15 PM)

Moon Phase: Last Quarter (~50% 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 in effect through Sunday morning. Seas 12-15 ft expected. Stay in port. Conditions improve Monday with lighter winds (15-20 kt) and seas dropping to 10-12 ft. Plan any offshore trips for late week at earliest.

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📊 Quick Reference

Lake	Capacity/Normal	Temp	Rating
Nacimiento	~38-40%	72-76°F	⭐ Good
Lopez	~77% normal	68-72°F	✅ Good
San Antonio	~148% normal	68-72°F	✅ Good
Santa Margarita	~102%	70-74°F	⭐ Good

Ocean (Morro Bay): ⚠️ DANGER - Gale Warning, seas 12-15 ft, stay in port through Sunday

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Report compiled October 9, 2026. Lake levels from US Lakes Online and lakebrief.com. Ocean data from NOAA Marine Forecast (FZUS56 KMTR) and NDBC Buoy 46011. Tides from NOAA Station 9412110 via tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov.