SLO County Fishing Report — April 1, 2026
Wednesdaygauge Port San Luis / Morro Bay · NOAA 94121103 places
There is a newer report: SLO County Fishing Report — November 15, 2026 →
Verdicts by place
Lake Nacimiento
Good774.9 ft65% capacity
White bass excellent on bladed jigs; spotted bass and crappie good
Santa Margarita Lake
GoodLargemouth good on drop-shots in 15-25 ft; catfish excellent
San Antonio Lake
FairCatfish good at 2-5 lbs; trout fair, bass improving
Morro Bay offshore
GoodRockfish excellent; lingcod good
Tides for the day
| 4:25 AM low | 0.3 ft |
|---|---|
| 10:25 AM high | 4.4 ft |
| 4:23 PM low | 0.6 ft |
| 10:35 PM high | 5.1 ft |
- range
- 4.8 ft
- sunrise
- 6:50 AM
- sunset
- 7:24 PM
Predictions from NOAA Tides & Currents. 14-day calendar →
Bite grid
excellentgoodfairslownoted
| Species | Nacimiento | Santa Margarita | Morro Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bass | excellentwhite · spotted | goodlargemouth | not reported |
| Catfish | not reported | excellent | not reported |
| Crappie / panfish | good | noted | not reported |
| Trout | not reported | fair | not reported |
| Rockfish | not reported | not reported | excellent |
| Lingcod | not reported | not reported | good |
| Salmon | not reported | not reported | slow |
By water
from the report- Level 774.9 ft, 249,200 AF (65% of capacity) — CDEC NCM, Apr 1.
- White Bass excellent Big schools on windy points, best on white bladed jigs
- Spotted Bass Great on main lake points and creek channels with reaction baits
- Crappie good
- Bladed jigs
- hula grubs
- Spooks
- drop shots
- pin-tail trailers
6-9 AM is best. Start on the wind-blown points at dawn.
Full report1 min read ›
Rockfish season is open today, and salmon opens April 11. At Lake Nacimiento the white bass are schooling on the windy points.
Lake Fishing Reports
Lake Nacimiento
- Level: 774.9 ft, 249,200 AF (65% of capacity) — CDEC NCM, Apr 1.
- The water is warming fast and fish are feeding hard.
- White Bass: Excellent. Big schools on windy points, best on white bladed jigs
- Spotted Bass: Great on main lake points and creek channels with reaction baits
- Best Lures: Bladed jigs, hula grubs, Spooks, drop shots, pin-tail trailers
- Crappie: Good.
- Tip: 6-9 AM is best. Start on the wind-blown points at dawn.
Santa Margarita Lake
- Largemouth Bass: Good. Fish holding in 15-25 ft, and the drop-shot catches the most
- Best Baits: Senkos, drop-shots, Neko rigs, finesse worms in dark colors
- Crappie: Active on main lake points on small bright jigs
- Catfish: Excellent. Big catches on chicken liver and garlic shrimp
- Trout: Fair.
Lopez Lake
No new report from Lopez Lake since March 31.
San Antonio Lake
No new report from San Antonio Lake since March 31.
Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay
Boat rockfish and lingcod opened today.
- Lingcod: Good.
- Rockfish: Excellent. A good mix on the opener, with vermilion strong, coppers in good numbers and bocaccio active in 100-150 ft
- Salmon: Closed. The Monterey area season opens April 11 (CDFW).
Dock counts:
- Morro Bay Landing (Apr 1): Starfire, half day, 28 anglers: 160 rockfish, 20 bocaccio, 20 red rockfish, 1 lingcod.
- Patriot Sportfishing (Apr 1): Patriot, 3/4 day, 25 anglers: 73 rockcod, 50 red rockcod, 22 bolina, 9 lingcod (up to 11 lb).
- Virg's Landing (Apr 1): Fiesta, 3/4 day, 18 anglers: 121 rockfish, 17 starry rockfish, 16 gopher rockfish, 1 lingcod.
Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Apr 1.
Check CDFW regulations for this year's bag limits and size limits.