SLO County Fishing Report — August 20, 2026
Thursdaygauge Port San Luis / Morro Bay · NOAA 94121103 places
There is a newer report: SLO County Fishing Report — November 15, 2026 →
Verdicts by place
Morro Bay offshore
Good4–6 ft
Rockfish and lingcod biting, NW 10-20 kt, seas 4-6 ft
Lake Nacimiento
GoodBass 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
Tides for the day
| 7:00 AM high | 3.1 ft |
|---|---|
| 9:11 AM low | 3.1 ft |
| 4:40 PM high | 4.9 ft |
- range
- 1.8 ft
- sunrise
- 6:27 AM
- sunset
- 7:46 PM
Predictions from NOAA Tides & Currents. 14-day calendar →
Bite grid
excellentgoodfairslownoted
| Species | Nacimiento | Santa Margarita | Morro Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bass | notedlargemouth · white | fair | not reported |
| Catfish | not reported | notedcrappie and | not reported |
| Crappie / panfish | good | not reported | not reported |
| Rockfish | not reported | not reported | noted |
| Lingcod | not reported | not reported | excellent |
| Halibut | not reported | not reported | good |
| Salmon | not reported | not reported | notedseason |
By water
from the reportNot reported.
- Largemouth bass Great on topwater lures at dawn and dusk
- White bass Active near shad schools
- Crappie good Near submerged structure
None listed.
- Status Great
Crawdad patterns work midday. Watch for floating debris and grass.
Marine forecast
seaswindas written in the report
- Today
- seas
- 4–6 ft
- wind
- NW 10–20 kt
- Tonight
- seas
- 4–6 ft
- wind
- NW 10–20 kt
- Friday
- seas
- 4–6 ft
- wind
- NW 15–20 kt
NW 15-20 kt in the afternoon, 10-15 kt in the morning
- Saturday
- seas
- 4–6 ft
- wind
- NW 15–25 kt
NW 15-25 kt in the afternoon, 10-20 kt in the morning
Full report2 min read ›
Conditions Overview
Morning fog, warm afternoons and a moderate NW wind. The ocean has a moderate swell, and the lakes still have enough water for late-season fishing.
Lake Fishing Reports
Lake Nacimiento
Status: Great
Bass fishing is excellent. With the water this warm the fish feed all day, but the best topwater bite is early and late.
- Largemouth bass: Great on topwater lures at dawn and dusk
- White bass: Active near shad schools
- Crappie: Good near submerged structure
Tips: Crawdad patterns work midday. Watch for floating debris and grass.
Lopez Lake
Status: Good
- Bass: Solid.
Tips: The fish are feeding hard on shad, so small swimbaits and spinnerbaits get bit.
Santa Margarita Lake
Status: Fair
- Bass: Fair, holding deep through the midday heat.
- Crappie and catfish: Picking up at dawn and dusk near submerged timber.
Lake San Antonio
Status: Good
- Bass: Excellent, and fewer people fish here than at Nacimiento. High water has flooded brush and shoreline that used to be dry.
Ocean Fishing - Morro Bay
Status: Great Conditions: Moderate NW winds, moderate swell Water Temp: 61-62°F (NDBC 46011, Santa Maria, morning) Wave Height: 4-6 ft (1.4-1.8m)
Rockfish are still producing, and the sea is comfortable.
Buoy 46011 (Santa Maria):
-
Wind: NW (320-340°) at 7-8 m/s (~15-18 mph)
-
Wave Height: ~5 ft (1.5m) at 8 seconds
-
Dominant Wave Period: 8-9 seconds
-
Water Temp: 61.9°F (16.6°C)
-
Air Temp: 58-60°F (14-16°C)
-
Pressure: 1014.3 hPa (steady)
-
Rockfish: Vermilion and blues in the mix
-
Lingcod: Strong
-
Halibut: Good prospects along the beaches
Salmon Season: Open.
Patriot Sportfishing (Aug 20): Flying Fish, half day, 12 anglers: 115 rockcod, 3 bocaccio (up to 6 lb), 1 copper rockfish, 1 red rockcod. Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Aug 20.
Tips: The lingcod are thick and pull hard, so bring heavy tackle. Morning trips get the calmer sea.
Marine Forecast
Today: NW 10-20 kt, seas 4-6 ft Tonight: NW 10-20 kt, seas 4-6 ft Friday: NW 15-20 kt in the afternoon, 10-15 kt in the morning, seas 4-6 ft Saturday: NW 15-25 kt in the afternoon, 10-20 kt in the morning, seas 4-6 ft
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, zone PZZ645 (Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal), issued 203 AM PDT Thu Aug 20 2026.