SLO County Fishing Report — July 21, 2026
Tuesdaygauge Port San Luis / Morro Bay · NOAA 94121105 places
There is a newer report: SLO County Fishing Report — November 15, 2026 →
Verdicts by place
Morro Bay offshore
Good4–5 ftNW 5–12 kt
Light winds, seas 3-5 ft; great conditions
Lake Nacimiento
Good760.3 ft49% capacity
White Bass: Good; Spotted Bass: Good on main lake points, schooling on shad
Lopez Lake
Good513.3 ft84% capacity
Bass: Good
Santa Margarita Lake
GoodLargemouth Bass: Good; Trout: Stocked regularly, good action
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 | San Antonio | Morro Bay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bass | goodwhite · spotted | goodlargemouth | good | good | not reported |
| Catfish | excellent | not reported | not reported | good | not reported |
| Crappie / panfish | not reported | good | notedpanfish | not reported | not reported |
| Trout | not reported | noted | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Rockfish | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported | excellentvermilion · copper · blue |
| Lingcod | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported | good |
| Salmon | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported | noted |
By water
from the report- Water Level 760.3 ft, 188,031 AF (49% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Jul 21.
- White Bass good Early morning shallow bite, then deep
- Spotted Bass good On main lake points, schooling on shad
- Catfish excellent Big cats stacked in 20-30 ft
- Spinnerbaits
- crankbaits (shad colors)
- topwater early
Fish early morning or at night. The mid-day heat pushes fish deep.
Marine forecast
seaswindas written in the report
- Todaylighter
- seas
- 3–5 ft
- wind
- W 10–15 kt
W 10-15 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds
- Tonightlighter
- seas
- 4–5 ft
- wind
- NW 5–10 kt
- Wednesday
- seas
- 4–5 ft
- wind
- NW 10–20 kt
NW 10-20 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds
- Wednesday night
- seas
- 4–5 ft
- wind
- NW 10–20 kt
Full report3 min read ›
Seas are down to 4-5 ft and the wind is light, so the ocean is the pick on the Central Coast this Tuesday, July 21st, 2026. The wind returns Thursday.
Lake Levels Update (CDEC, Jul 21)
| Lake | Level | % Capacity | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Nacimiento | 760.28 ft, 188,031 AF | 49% | -0.15 ft |
| Lopez Lake | 513.29 ft, 41,271 AF | 84% | -0.05 ft |
| Santa Margarita Lake | — | — | — |
| San Antonio Lake | 746.18 ft, 182,437 AF | 55% | -0.16 ft |
| Whale Rock Reservoir | — | — | — |
CDEC stations NCM, LOP and ATN. Santa Margarita and Whale Rock have no published daily level.
Lake Fishing Reports
Lake Nacimiento
- Water Level: 760.3 ft, 188,031 AF (49% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Jul 21.
- 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 stacked in 20-30 ft
- Tip: Fish early morning or at night. The mid-day heat pushes fish deep.
Santa Margarita Lake
- Largemouth Bass: Good. Fish on deep structure, schooling at dusk
- Trout: Stocked regularly, good action
- Best Baits: Deep-diving crankbaits, drop-shots, Texas rigs
- Crappie: Good on deep brush in 20-30 ft
Lopez Lake
- Level: 513.3 ft, 41,271 AF (84% of capacity), CDEC LOP, Jul 21.
- Bass: Good. Deep crankbaits and drop-shots working
- Panfish: Bluegill and crappie near marina structure
- Panfish: Catfish excellent in deep water
- Tip: Fish the deep pockets and creek channels
San Antonio Lake
- Level: 746.2 ft, 182,437 AF (55% of capacity), CDEC ATN, Jul 21.
- Bass: Good. Early morning topwater, then deep structure
- Catfish: Good in 15-25 ft
- Tip: Launch ramps may have limited access due to lower water
Ocean Fishing: Morro Bay
Current Conditions (NOAA/NDBC Buoy 46011 - Santa Maria)
- Wind: NW 5-12 kt (light-moderate)
- Wave Height: 4-5 ft (1.4-1.5 m) at buoy
- Water Temp: 61-62°F (NDBC 46011, Santa Maria)
- Visibility: Good
- Swell Period: 8-10 seconds
- Swell Direction: S/SW (178-190°)
This Week's Outlook
Today: W 10-15 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds, seas 3-5 ft
Tonight: NW 5-10 kt, seas 4-5 ft
Wednesday: NW 10-20 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds, seas 4-5 ft
Wednesday night: NW 10-20 kt, seas 4-5 ft
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, zone PZZ645 (Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal), issued 237 AM PDT Tue Jul 21 2026.
Thursday afternoon builds to NW 15-25 kt, and Friday has NW 15-25 kt with 6-8 ft seas.
Fishing Report
- Lingcod: Good.
- Rockfish: EXCELLENT on all species
- Vermilion Rockfish: Strong showing 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 20): Endeavor, 1/2 day, 18 anglers: 140 rockfish, 20 bocaccio, 10 copper rockfish, 10 red rockfish.
Patriot Sportfishing (Jul 20): Flying Fish, 1/2 day, 21 anglers: 203 rockcod, 3 red rockcod, 2 bocaccio, 2 copper rockfish.
Black Pearl Sportfishing (Jul 20): Black Pearl, 8 hour, 30 anglers: 263 rockfish (up to 6 pounds), 2 lingcod (up to 8 pounds).
Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Jul 20.
Pro Tip: With calm water through Wednesday, both the boats and the shore anglers at Morro Rock have a good shot.