SLO County Fishing Report — July 3, 2026
Fridaygauge Port San Luis / Morro Bay · NOAA 94121104 places
There is a newer report: SLO County Fishing Report — November 15, 2026 →
Verdicts by place
Lake Nacimiento
Good763.2 ft52% capacity
White bass good early; catfish excellent in 20-30 ft
Santa Margarita Lake
GoodLargemouth good on deep structure; catfish excellent
Lopez Lake
Good514.0 ft85% capacity
Bass good on deep crankbaits and drop-shots
Morro Bay offshore
Good5–8 ftwater 59°F
No advisory for PZZ645; light winds, seas 3-4 ft
Tides for the day
| 7:17 AM low | -0.4 ft |
|---|---|
| 2:14 PM high | 3.8 ft |
| 6:39 PM low | 2.8 ft |
- range
- 4.2 ft
- minus tide
- -0.4 ft
- sunrise
- 5:53 AM
- sunset
- 8:21 PM
Predictions from NOAA Tides & Currents. 14-day calendar →
Bite grid
excellentgoodfairslownoted
| Species | Nacimiento | Santa Margarita | Lopez | Morro Bay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bass | excellentwhite · spotted | goodlargemouth | good | not reported |
| Catfish | excellent | excellent | not reported | not reported |
| Crappie / panfish | not reported | good | notedpanfish | not reported |
| Rockfish | not reported | not reported | not reported | excellentvermilion · copper · blue |
| Lingcod | not reported | not reported | not reported | good |
By water
from the report- Level 763.2 ft, 199,369 AF (52% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Jul 3.
- White Bass good Shallow early, until the heat pushes them deep
- Spotted Bass excellent On main lake points, schooling on shad
- Catfish excellent Big cats stacked in 20-30 ft, night fishing hot
- Spinnerbaits
- crankbaits (shad colors)
- topwater early AM
Fish dawn (5:30-8 AM) or dusk into the night. Midday heat pushes fish deep.
Marine forecast
seaswindas written in the report
- Todaylighter
- seas
- 3–4 ft
- wind
- W 5–10 kt
W 5-10 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds
- Tonightlighter
- seas
- 3–4 ft
- wind
- NW 5–10 kt
becoming light
- Saturdaylighter
- seas
- 3–4 ft
- wind
- W 5–10 kt
W 5-10 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds
- Saturday nightlighter
- seas
- 3–4 ft
- wind
- NW 5–10 kt
Full report2 min read ›
Going into Independence Day weekend, the forecast for the Morro Bay coastal waters has light winds and 3-4 ft seas, with no advisory. On the lakes, fish Nacimiento early.
Lake Fishing Reports
Lake Nacimiento
- Level: 763.2 ft, 199,369 AF (52% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Jul 3.
- White Bass: Good. Shallow early, until the heat pushes them deep
- 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, night fishing hot
- Tip: Fish dawn (5:30-8 AM) or dusk into the night. 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
- Tip: Fish deep water.
Lopez Lake
- Level: 514.0 ft, 41,852 AF (85% of capacity), CDEC LOP, Jul 3.
- Bass: Good. Deep crankbaits and drop-shots working
- Panfish: Bluegill and crappie near marina structure
San Antonio Lake
No new report from San Antonio Lake since Jul 1.
Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay
Current Conditions (Santa Maria Buoy 46011):
- Water Temp: 59°F (NDBC 46011, Santa Maria)
- Air Temp: 58°F (14.6°C)
- Wind: N/NW 10-25 knots
- Wave Height: 5-8 ft
- Visibility: Good
Marine forecast:
Today: W 5-10 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds, seas 3-4 ft
Tonight: NW 5-10 kt, becoming light, seas 3-4 ft
Saturday: W 5-10 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds, seas 3-4 ft
Saturday night: NW 5-10 kt, seas 3-4 ft
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, zone PZZ645 (Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal), issued 220 AM PDT Fri Jul 3 2026.
Ocean Report:
- 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 (Jul 2): Flying Fish, 1/2 day, 18 anglers: 156 rockcod, 16 copper rockfish, 7 red rockcod, 6 lingcod (up to 8 pounds).
Black Pearl Sportfishing (Jul 2): Black Pearl, 6 hour, 19 anglers: 97 rockfish (up to 3 pounds), 13 vermilion rockfish (up to 4 pounds), 2 lingcod (up to 12 pounds).
Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Jul 2.
Independence Day Weekend Outlook
Saturday (7/4): Light morning winds and small seas in the forecast. Check it before you launch.
Sunday (7/5): The NW wind picks up in the afternoon.