SLO County Fishing Report — July 15, 2026
Wednesdaygauge Port San Luis / Morro Bay · NOAA 94121104 places
There is a newer report: SLO County Fishing Report — November 15, 2026 →
Verdicts by place
Morro Bay offshore
Fair6–8 ftNW 15–25 kt
Small craft advisories in effect through Thursday
Lake Nacimiento
Good761.2 ft50% capacity
White Bass: Good; Spotted Bass: Good on main lake points, chasing shad
Lopez Lake
GoodBass: Good
Santa Margarita Lake
GoodLargemouth Bass: Good; Crappie: Good on deep brush in 20-30 ft
NOAA tide predictions for this day aren't available right now. See the Port San Luis / Morro Bay tide calendar →
Bite grid
excellentgoodfairslownoted
| Species | Nacimiento | Santa Margarita | Lopez | Morro Bay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bass | goodwhite · spotted | goodlargemouth | good | not reported |
| Catfish | excellent | not reported | 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 |
| Salmon | not reported | not reported | not reported | noted |
By water
from the report- Water Level 761.2 ft, 191,663 AF (50% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Jul 15.
- White Bass good Early AM shallow bite, then deep
- Spotted Bass good On main lake points, chasing shad
- Catfish excellent Big cats in 20-30 ft, best at night
- Spinnerbaits
- crankbaits (shad colors)
- topwater early AM
Fish 6-9 AM or after dark. The midday heat pushes fish deep.
Marine forecast
seaswindas written in the report
- Today
- seas
- 4–5 ft
- wind
- NW 15–25 kt
becoming 20-30 kt in the afternoon, building to 5-7 ft
- Tonight
- seas
- 6–9 ft
- wind
- NW 20–30 kt
becoming 15-25 kt after midnight
- Thursday
- seas
- 6–9 ft
- wind
- NW 20–30 kt
becoming 25-30 kt in the afternoon
- Thursday night
- seas
- 7–10 ft
- wind
- NW 20–30 kt
Full report2 min read ›
Small craft advisories run through Thursday, so for most Central Coast anglers the lakes are the place to be on July 15th, 2026. Nacimiento catfish are the standout.
Lake Levels Update
| Lake | Level | Change | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Nacimiento | 761.21 ft, 191,663 AF | -0.17 ft | 50% |
| Lopez Lake | 513.54 ft, 41,478 AF | -0.06 ft | 84% |
| Santa Margarita Lake | — | — | — |
CDEC stations NCM and LOP, Jul 15. Santa Margarita has no published daily level. Focus on early morning or deep water structure during midday heat.
Lake Fishing Reports
Lake Nacimiento
- Water Level: 761.2 ft, 191,663 AF (50% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Jul 15.
- White Bass: Good. Early AM shallow bite, then deep
- Spotted Bass: Good on main lake points, chasing shad
- Best Lures: Spinnerbaits, crankbaits (shad colors), topwater early AM
- Catfish: Excellent. Big cats in 20-30 ft, best at night
- Tip: Fish 6-9 AM or after dark. The midday heat pushes fish deep.
Santa Margarita Lake
- Largemouth Bass: Good. Deep structure, dusk schools
- Best Baits: Deep-diving crankbaits, drop-shots, Texas rigs
- Crappie: Good on deep brush in 20-30 ft
- Tip: Fish deep water on hot days and watch for surface activity at dawn and dusk.
Lopez Lake
- Status: Normal summer operations
- Bass: Good. Deep crankbaits and drop-shots on points
- Panfish: Bluegill and crappie near marina structure
- Tip: Focus on creek channels and deep pockets
Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay
Small craft advisory in effect through late Thursday night.
Current Conditions (NOAA/NDBC Buoy 46011)
- Wind: NW 15-25 kt (strong breezes)
- Wave Height: 6-8 ft (outer waters 7-9 ft)
- Water Temp: 57-63°F (NDBC 46215, Diablo Canyon, morning)
- Visibility: Good
- Swell Period: 8 seconds (NW swell dominant)
- Swell Direction: NW
This Week's Outlook
Today: NW 15-25 kt, becoming 20-30 kt in the afternoon, seas 4-5 ft, building to 5-7 ft
Tonight: NW 20-30 kt, becoming 15-25 kt after midnight, seas 6-9 ft
Thursday: NW 20-30 kt, becoming 25-30 kt in the afternoon, seas 6-9 ft
Thursday night: NW 20-30 kt, seas 7-10 ft
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, zone PZZ645 (Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal), issued 216 AM PDT Wed Jul 15 2026.
Friday eases to NW 10-20 kt with 5-7 ft seas.
Fishing Report
Boats that do go out are still catching fish:
- Lingcod: Good. Fish deep structure
- Rockfish: Excellent. Biting across all species
- Vermilion Rockfish: Great in 100-150 ft
- Copper Rockfish: Good numbers
- Blue Rockfish: Abundant
- Salmon: Open. The Monterey area (south of Pigeon Point) is open through Aug. 31; check CDFW for in-season changes
Morro Bay Landing (Jul 14): Starfire, 1/2 day, 21 anglers: 165 rockfish, 10 copper rockfish, 10 red rockfish, 1 lingcod.
Patriot Sportfishing (Jul 14): Sunny Day, 3/4 day, 2 anglers: 4 bolina, 4 red rockcod, 3 rockcod, 1 halibut.
Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Jul 14.
Pro Tip: Wait for Saturday or Sunday if you can. The wind drops a lot by then.
Weekend
- Saturday-Sunday: Lighter wind and smaller seas. The best boat days of the week.
Data: NWS forecast for zone PZZ645, NDBC buoys 46011 and 46215, CDEC (NCM, LOP), SportfishingReport.com.