Journal • SLO County Fishing Report — July 12, 2026

journal / field-reports / 2026-07-12

SLO County Fishing Report — July 12, 2026

Sundaygauge Port San Luis / Morro Bay · NOAA 94121104 water bodies

Verdicts by place

  • Morro Bay offshore

    Good

    3–4 ftwater 59.5°F

    NW 5-10 mph, Seas 3-4 ft; Excellent conditions

  • Lake Nacimiento

    Good

    ~72-75°F75% capacity

    White Bass: Good; Spotted Bass: Good on main lake points, schooling on shad

  • Lopez Lake

    Good

    low 70s°F

    Bass: Good

  • Santa Margarita Lake

    Good

    Mid-60s°F

    Largemouth Bass: Good; Crappie: Good on deep brush in 20-30 ft

Port San Luis / Morro Bay · NOAA 9412110 · ft MLLW · Pacific time

Tides for the day

-2 ft0 ft2 ft4 ft6 ft8 ft12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM3:32 AM · -1.3 ft10:19 AM · 3.6 ft2:14 PM · 2.6 ft8:41 PM · 6.9 ft
NOAA high and low tides
3:32 AM low-1.3 ft
10:19 AM high3.6 ft
2:14 PM low2.6 ft
8:41 PM high6.9 ft
range
8.1 ft
minus tide
-1.3 ft
sunrise
5:58 AM
sunset
8:19 PM

Predictions from NOAA Tides & Currents. 14-day calendar →

Bite grid

excellentgoodfairslownoted

SpeciesNacimientoSanta MargaritaLopezMorro Bay
Bassgoodwhite · spottedgoodlargemouthgoodnot reported
Catfishexcellentnot reportednot reportednot reported
Crappie / panfishnot reportedgoodnotedpanfishnot reported
Rockfishnot reportednot reportednot reportedexcellentvermilion · copper · blue
Lingcodnot reportednot reportednot reportedgood
Salmonnot reportednot reportednot reportedslow

By water

from the report
Water
  • Water Level ~762 ft MSL (stable)
  • Capacity ~75%
  • Temp ~72-75°F (summer mode)
What's biting
  • White Bass good Early morning shallow bite, then deep
  • Spotted Bass good On main lake points, schooling on shad
  • Catfish excellent Big cats stacking in 20-30 ft, night fishing hot!
Lures & bait
  • Spinnerbaits
  • crankbaits (shad colors)
  • topwater early

Fish early morning or night — mid-day heat pushes fish deep!

Marine forecast

seaswindas written in the report

  1. Today (Sun)
    seas
    3–4 ft

    NW 5-10 mph, — Excellent conditions!

  2. Monday
    seas
    3–4 ft

    Variable winds 5-10 mph, — Great fishing weather

  3. Tuesday
    seas
    4–5 ft

    SW 5-15 mph, — Good conditions

  4. Wednesday
    seas
    4–6 ft

    NW 10-15 mph, — Typical summer pattern

Full report3 min read ›

Good morning, Central Coast anglers! Here's your fishing report for July 12th, 2026.

📊 Lake Levels Update (USGS Data)

LakeLevelChangeCapacity
Lake Nacimiento~762 ftsteady~75%
Lopez Lake~52,500 AFstable~52%
Santa Margarita LakeNormal—~95%

Note: Lake levels holding steady for mid-summer. Nacimiento inflow around 280-300 cfs. evaporation rates increasing with summer heat.

🏞️ Lake Fishing Reports

Lake Nacimiento 🌟

  • Water Level: ~762 ft MSL (stable)
  • Capacity: ~75%
  • Temp: ~72-75°F (summer mode)
  • White Bass: ✅ GOOD — early morning shallow bite, then deep
  • Spotted Bass: Good on main lake points, schooling on shad
  • Best Lures: Spinnerbaits, crankbaits (shad colors), topwater early
  • Catfish: ✅ EXCELLENT! Big cats stacking in 20-30 ft, night fishing hot!
  • Tip: Fish early morning or night — mid-day heat pushes fish deep!

Santa Margarita Lake

  • Status: Near full capacity
  • Temp: Mid-60s to low 70s
  • Largemouth Bass: ✅ GOOD — fish on deep structure, schooling at dusk
  • Best Baits: Deep-diving crankbaits, drop-shots, Texas rigs
  • Crappie: Good on deep brush in 20-30 ft
  • Tip: Focus on deep water during hot summer days!

Lopez Lake

  • Status: Normal operations
  • Temp: Warming into low 70s
  • Bass: Good — deep crankbaits and drop-shots working
  • Panfish: Bluegill and crappie near marina structure
  • Tip: Fish the deep pockets and creek channels

🌊 Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay

✅ CONDITIONS IMPROVING - Great weekend ahead!

Current Conditions (NOAA/NDBC Buoy 46011)

  • Wind: NW 5-9 mph (3-5 m/s), direction 320-350°
  • Wave Height: 3-4 ft (1.1-1.3m) at buoy 46011
  • Water Temp: 59.5°F (15.3°C) at Buoy 46011
  • Visibility: Good
  • Swell Period: 14-15 seconds (long period westerly swell)

Compare to last week: Waves dropped from 7-9 ft to 3-4 ft! Major improvement.

This Week's Outlook

Today (Sun): NW 5-10 mph, Seas 3-4 ft — Excellent conditions! Monday: Variable winds 5-10 mph, Seas 3-4 ft — Great fishing weather Tuesday: SW 5-15 mph, Seas 4-5 ft — Good conditions Wednesday: NW 10-15 mph, Seas 4-6 ft — Typical summer pattern

Fishing Report

Ocean conditions have improved significantly from last week's rough seas:

  • Lingcod: Good — up to 25 lbs reported, fishing deep structure
  • Rockfish: ✅ EXCELLENT action across all species
  • Vermilion Rockfish: Strong showing in 80-150 ft
  • Copper Rockfish: Good numbers
  • Blue Rockfish: Abundant!
  • Salmon: Closed — season opens soon, check regulations

Current Bait Report:

  • 🐟 Mackerel active in the bay
  • 🐟 Sardines showing up — great for trolling!
  • 🐟 Squid — consistent performer

Best Ocean Lures Right Now:

  • 7" Squid strips
  • 5" Swimbaits (anchovy/sardine colors)
  • Deep-diving crankbaits for trolling

💡 Pro Tip: This is THE weekend to get out on the ocean! Conditions are primo.

🌙 Solunar Times (July 12-15)

DateMajor 1Minor 1Major 2Minor 2
Sun 128:30 AM2:30 PM9:00 PM2:45 AM
Mon 139:15 AM3:15 PM9:45 PM3:30 AM
Tue 1410:00 AM4:00 PM10:30 PM4:15 AM
Wed 1510:45 AM4:45 PM11:15 PM5:00 AM

Best fishing: Morning (8:30-10:30 AM) and evening (9-11 PM) windows

📅 What to Expect This Week

  • Sunday-Monday: Excellent ocean conditions, great for rockfishing & lingcod
  • Lake fishing: Bass transitioning to early morning/evening patterns
  • Catfish action peaks at Lake Nacimiento (night fishing!)
  • Salmon season: Coming soon — check CDFW for updates

🎣 Get Your Gear Ready

Check our Fishing Guide for species info and regulations.

⚠️ Safety Note: Always check the latest marine forecast before heading out. Conditions can change rapidly!

Tight lines, Central Coast! 🎣

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