SLO County Fishing Report — July 22, 2026
Wednesdaygauge Port San Luis / Morro Bay · NOAA 94121102 places
There is a newer report: SLO County Fishing Report — November 15, 2026 →
Verdicts by place
Morro Bay offshore
Good5–6 ft
Great; Light winds, moderate swell; waves 5-6 ft
Lake Nacimiento
Good760.1 ft49% capacity
Bass fishing is excellent
Lopez Lake
GoodBass fishing is solid with good action on shad rap, zoom worms, and crawdad patterns
Santa Margarita Lake
FairBass fair but holding deep during midday heat
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 | Morro Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Crappie / panfish | good | not reported |
| Rockfish | not reported | noted |
| Lingcod | not reported | excellent |
| Halibut | not reported | good |
| Salmon | not reported | notedseason |
By water
from the report- Water Level 760.13 ft, 187,451 AF (49% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Jul 22. Down 0.15 ft from yesterday.
- Crappie good Near submerged structure
None listed.
- Status Great
Crawdad patterns work at midday.
Marine forecast
seaswindas written in the report
- Today
- seas
- 4–5 ft
- wind
- NW 10–20 kt
NW 10-20 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds
- Tonight
- seas
- 5–6 ft
- wind
- NW 15–25 kt
becoming 10-20 kt after midnight
- Thursday
- seas
- 5–7 ft
- wind
- NW 15–25 kt
becoming 25-30 kt in the afternoon, building to 6-9 ft
- Thursday night
- seas
- 7–10 ft
- wind
- NW 20–25 kt
Full report2 min read ›
The Santa Maria buoy shows a light WNW wind and 5.6 ft seas this morning, but the NW wind builds this afternoon and stays up through the weekend. Nacimiento dropped another 0.15 ft overnight, and its bass are biting all day.
Lake Fishing Reports
Lake Nacimiento
Status: Great Water Level: 760.13 ft, 187,451 AF (49% of capacity), CDEC NCM, Jul 22. Down 0.15 ft from yesterday.
Bass fishing is excellent. The warm water keeps fish active all day, and the best topwater bite is early morning and late evening.
What's Biting:
- Largemouth bass - Great on topwater lures at dawn/dusk
- White bass - Active near shad schools
- Crappie: Good. Near submerged structure
Tips: Crawdad patterns work at midday.
Lopez Lake
Status: Good Water Level: Healthy for summer
Bass fishing is solid with good action on shad rap, zoom worms, and crawdad patterns. The fish are on shad in the shallow pockets and coves.
Santa Margarita Lake
Status: Fair
Bass are fair and stay deep through the midday heat. Crappie and catfish bite at dawn and dusk around the submerged timber.
Ocean Fishing - Morro Bay
Status: Great Conditions: Light winds, moderate swell Water Temp: 62-64°F (NDBC 46011, Santa Maria) Wave Height: 5-6 ft
The light morning wind makes for a comfortable start.
Current Ocean Data (Buoy 46011 - Santa Maria):
- Wind: WNW (300°) at 3-4 m/s (~7-9 mph)
- Wave Height: ~5.6 ft (1.7m)
- Water Temp: 62.4°F (NDBC 46011, Santa Maria)
- Air Temp: 61°F (16.1°C)
- Pressure: 1017.4 hPa (steady)
What's Biting:
- Rockfish - Multiple species including vermilion and blue
- Lingcod - Strong action
- Halibut - Good prospects along the beaches
Morro Bay Landing (Jul 21): Endeavor, 3/4 day, 18 anglers: 80 rockfish, 40 bocaccio, 36 red rockfish, 14 copper rockfish.
Patriot Sportfishing (Jul 21): Flying Fish, 1/2 day, 17 anglers: 164 rockcod, 5 red rockcod, 1 bocaccio, 1 lingcod (up to 6 pounds).
Black Pearl Sportfishing (Jul 21): Black Pearl, 6 hour, 35 anglers: 185 rockfish (up to 5 pounds), 1 lingcod (up to 12 pounds).
Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Jul 21.
Salmon Season: Currently open.
Tips: Morning trips get the calmest seas.
Marine Forecast
Today: NW 10-20 kt in the afternoon after light morning winds, seas 4-5 ft
Tonight: NW 15-25 kt, becoming 10-20 kt after midnight, seas 5-6 ft
Thursday: NW 15-25 kt, becoming 25-30 kt in the afternoon, seas 5-7 ft, building to 6-9 ft
Thursday night: NW 20-25 kt, seas 7-10 ft
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, zone PZZ645 (Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal), issued 214 AM PDT Wed Jul 22 2026.
Friday through Sunday stay windy, with NW 10-25 kt rising to 20-30 kt on Sunday afternoon and seas of 5-9 ft. The lakes are the better weekend bet.
Sources: NDBC buoy 46011; lake levels from CDEC (NCM); counts from SportfishingReport.com.