San Luis Obispo County Fishing Report: 03-15-26
San Luis Obispo County Fishing Report: 03-15-26
Happy Sunday, Central Coast anglers! Here's your fishing report for March 15th, 2026.
🌤️ Weekend Conditions
Partly cloudy with mild temperatures — perfect spring fishing weather! Water temps are continuing to warm across all local lakes as we approach the spawn.
🏞️ Lake Fishing Reports
Whale Rock Reservoir 🌟
- Temp: 68-72°F, Partly cloudy, Clear water
- Largemouth Bass: ✅ HOT BIT! Fish in the 2-7 lb range being caught consistently
- Best Baits: Wacky worms, drop shot rigs, swim jigs, jerkbaits
- Tip: Focus on deeper structure. Pre-spawn females actively staging! Early morning topwater action before the sun heats up the water.
- Recent: 70+ largemouth bass landed this week including several trophy-sized fish!
Santa Margarita Lake
- Temp: Low 50s to mid 60s depending on depth, stained visibility, near full capacity
- Bass: ✅ EXCELLENT! Pre-spawn mode — big females staging shallow in mornings
- Crappie: Active on primary points with bright-colored jigs
- Catfish: ✅ HOT! 15-25 pounders caught this week!
- Trout: Slow — last plant was end of February
- Tip: Work jigs along rocky points early and late — midday means deep water only
Lake Nacimiento 🌟
- Temp: 68-70°F, Clear water, near 61% capacity
- White Bass: ✅ EXCELLENT! Windy conditions bringing out the best bite
- Spotted Bass: Active on rocky points, crushing moving baits
- Best Lures: Bladed jigs (white/silver), pin-tail trailers, crankbaits
- Crappie: Big slabs hitting 2-3 inch swimbaits near rocky pockets
- Tip: Target wind-blown points and muddy areas early morning — white bass are staging for spawn!
San Antonio Lake
- Temp: ~56-58°F, roughly half full, slightly stained
- Trout: Slow — a few caught on chartreuse/rainbow PowerBait
- Catfish: ✅ Good! 3-8 lbs on garlic shrimp and chicken liver at backs of coves
- Bass: Warming up — try shallow crankbaits in 8-15 ft during low light
Lopez Lake
- Water: Receiving healthy runoff from recent storms
- Bass: ✅ Good — focus on shad-colored crankbaits and jerkbaits
- Panfish: Crappie and bluegill near marina on small Rapalas and white jigs
- Tip: Drop-shotting in 25+ ft for higher-quality bass
🌊 Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay
Spring fishing heating up as water temps rise! Offshore conditions excellent:
- Lingcod: Up to 35 lbs (season total: 3,200+)
- Rockfish: 62,000+ landed
- Vermilion Rockfish: 9,800
- Copper Rockfish: 2,500
- Bocaccio: 7,800
Charter Update: Full limits reported with lingcod up to 18 lbs! Water temps at 54-56°F at Ft. McAllister — warming nicely for spring species!
Shore/Pier Fishing: Surfperch and barred surfperch good from piers and beaches. Best during low tide and hour before/after tide changes. Perlwort and bloodworms working well.
San Luis Reservoir (Nearby): Stripers moving to deeper water post-full moon. Trolling and jig bites improving! Water temps 58-60°F, lake at 1.78 million acre feet — just 20' from full!
📅 What to Expect This Week
- Bass spawn ramping up with continued warming — focus on shallow flats early
- White bass peak action at Lake Nacimiento during windy conditions
- Ocean fishing improving as water temps rise into the mid-50s
- Catfish action remains strong at Santa Margarita and San Antonio Lakes
- Crappie and panfish very active at most SLO County lakes
🎣 Get Your Gear Ready
Check our Fishing Guide for species info and regulations.
Tight lines, Central Coast! 🎣