SLO County Fishing Report — July 1, 2026
Wednesdaygauge Port San Luis / Morro Bay · NOAA 94121105 places
There is a newer report: SLO County Fishing Report — November 15, 2026 →
Verdicts by place
Lake Nacimiento
Good763.5 ft52% capacity
White bass good early; catfish excellent in 20-30 ft
Santa Margarita Lake
GoodLargemouth good on deep structure; catfish excellent
Lopez Lake
GoodBass good on deep crankbaits and drop-shots
Morro Bay offshore
Fair6–8 ftwater 60.3°F
Rockfish excellent but 6-8 ft swell and choppy NW wind
Tides for the day
| 6:13 AM low | -0.7 ft |
|---|---|
| 1:08 PM high | 3.6 ft |
| 5:01 PM low | 2.8 ft |
| 11:09 PM high | 5.5 ft |
- range
- 6.2 ft
- minus tide
- -0.7 ft
- sunrise
- 5:52 AM
- sunset
- 8:21 PM
Predictions from NOAA Tides & Currents. 14-day calendar →
Bite grid
excellentgoodfairslownoted
| Species | Nacimiento | Santa Margarita | Lopez | San Antonio | Morro Bay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bass | excellentwhite · spotted | goodlargemouth | good | fair | not reported |
| Catfish | excellent | excellent | not reported | good | not reported |
| Crappie / panfish | not reported | good | notedpanfish | not reported | not reported |
| Trout | not reported | not reported | not reported | slow | not reported |
| Rockfish | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported | excellentvermilion · copper · blue |
| Lingcod | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported | good |
By water
from the report- Level 763.5 ft, 200,687 AF (52% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Jul 1.
- White Bass good Shallow in the early morning, before the heat
- Spotted Bass excellent On main lake points, schooling on shad
- Catfish excellent Big cats stacked in 20-30 ft, best at night
- Spinnerbaits
- crankbaits (shad colors)
- topwater early AM
Fish 6-9 AM or 6-9 PM. The midday heat pushes fish deep.
Full report2 min read ›
Nacimiento is holding a stable summer pool (763.49 ft, 52% of capacity, CDEC NCM, Jul 1), and the night bite on catfish there is excellent. Out of Morro Bay the rockfish are still biting, but the buoy shows 6-8 ft of swell and a choppy NW wind. July 4th is forecast partly cloudy with a high of 62°F.
Lake Fishing Reports
Lake Nacimiento
- Level: 763.5 ft, 200,687 AF (52% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Jul 1.
- White Bass: Good. Shallow in the early morning, before the heat
- Spotted Bass: Excellent on main lake points, schooling on shad
- Best Lures: Spinnerbaits, crankbaits (shad colors), topwater early AM
- Catfish: Excellent. Big cats stacked in 20-30 ft, best at night
- Tip: Fish 6-9 AM or 6-9 PM. The midday heat pushes fish deep.
Santa Margarita Lake
- Largemouth Bass: Good. On deep structure, schooling at dusk
- Best Baits: Deep-diving crankbaits, drop-shots, Texas rigs
- Crappie: Good on deep brush in 20-30 ft
- Catfish: Excellent. Chicken liver and garlic shrimp
Lopez Lake
- Level: Moderate, seasonal drawdown ongoing
- Bass: Good. Deep crankbaits and drop-shots working
- Panfish: Bluegill and crappie near marina structure
San Antonio Lake
- Level: 748.8 ft, 191,836 AF (58% of capacity), CDEC ATN, Jul 1.
- Trout: Slow. Try PowerBait at dawn near inlet
- Catfish: Good. Big cats on chicken liver
- Bass: Fair on shallow crankbaits early morning
Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay
Current Buoy Data (Buoy 46011 - Santa Maria)
- Wave Height: 6-8 ft (2.0-2.4m) — moderate swell
- Water Temp: 60.3°F (15.7°C)
- Air Temp: 57°F (14°C)
- Wind: NW 10-15 mph, gusts to 18 mph — choppy conditions
Morro Bay Forecast
- Today: High 63°F, patchy AM fog, WSW wind 5-10 mph
- Tonight: Low 52°F, patchy fog after 11 PM
- July 4th: High 62°F, partly cloudy
Current Fishing
- Lingcod: Good.
- Rockfish: Excellent action across all species
- Vermilion Rockfish: Strong showing in 100-150 ft
- Copper Rockfish: Good numbers
- Blue Rockfish: Abundant
Patriot Sportfishing (Jun 30): Flying Fish, 1/2 day, 9 anglers: 68 rockcod, 12 red rockcod, 9 lingcod (up to 12 pounds), 7 copper rockfish.
Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Jun 30.
Inshore, the morning water temperature was 55-62°F (NDBC 46215, Diablo Canyon).
July 4th Weekend
The Nacimiento catfish bite is best at night this weekend. Salmon season has been open since April 11; check CDFW for quota updates.