SLO County Fishing Report — August 24, 2026

Good morning, Central Coast anglers! Here's your fishing report for August 24th, 2026.

🌤️ Conditions Overview

Monday morning brings comfortable late summer conditions! Expect mild temperatures with light offshore winds, creating great fishing conditions both on the lakes and ocean. Water temperatures are holding steady—perfect for targeting warm-water species on the lakes and healthy ocean conditions for rockfish and lingcod.

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🏞️ Lake Fishing Reports

Lake Nacimiento

Status: 🟢 Great Water Level: ~760 ft MSL (typical summer pool) Water Temp: 68-72°F

Bass fishing remains excellent! The warm late-summer water has fish active throughout the day, with early morning and late evening providing the best topwater action.

What's Biting:

• 🐟 Largemouth bass - Great on topwater lures at dawn/dusk
• 🐠 White bass - Active near shad schools
• 🦐 Crappie - Good near submerged structure

Best Bets:

• Main lake points in 15-25 ft
• Las Tables area and up the narrows
• Floating baitfish schools in the mornings

Tips: Use light tackle for more action. Crawdad patterns working well midday. Watch for floating debris and grass.

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Lopez Lake

Status: 🟢 Good Water Level: Healthy for late summer Water Temp: 65-70°F

Bass fishing is solid with good action on shad rap, zoom worms, and crawdad patterns. Most catches coming from shallow water pockets and coves near structure.

Best Bets:

• Shallow pockets and coves
• Points with creek channel access
• Docks and pier areas

Tips: Fish are feeding heavily on shad. Try small swimbaits and spinnerbaits!

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Santa Margarita Lake

Status: 🟡 Fair Water Temp: 64-68°F

Bass fair but holding deep during midday heat. Crappie and catfish picking up at dusk and dawn near submerged timber.

Best Bets:

• Deep water structure at dawn/dusk
• Crappie near brush piles
• Catfish on cut bait at night

Tips: Focus on early morning hours when water is coolest.

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🌊 Ocean Fishing - Morro Bay

Status: 🟢 Great Conditions: Light winds, moderate swell Water Temp: 63°F (17.2°C from Buoy 46011) Wave Height: 4-6 ft (1.4-1.9m)

Rockfish season continues to deliver! Charter boats are reporting limits with good lingcod action. The conditions today are excellent for getting out on the water.

Current Ocean Data (Buoy 46011 - Pt Conception):

• Wind: WNW (330°) at 6.0 m/s, gusting to 8.0 m/s (~14-18 mph)
• Wave Height: ~5 ft (1.4-1.9m)
• Water Temp: 63°F (17.2°C)
• Air Temp: 58-60°F (14.9-15.5°C)
• Pressure: 1014 hPa (steady)

What's Biting:

• 🐟 Rockfish - Full limits, multiple species including vermilion and blue
• 🐡 Lingcod - Strong action, fish to 8+ lbs reported
• 🦈 Halibut - Good prospects along the beaches

Salmon Season: Currently open! Some boats reporting success.

Charter Report - Morro Bay Landing:

"Beautiful conditions today! Rockfish limits and a few nice lingcod. Water is clean and fishing is steady."

Best Bets:

• Bottom fishing over rocky structure (60-150 ft)
• Drift fishing along the drop-offs
• Cayucos Pier for halibut

Tips: Bring your heavy tackle for lingcod—they're thick and fight hard! Morning trips best for calm seas.

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🌊 Tide Schedule - Morro Bay (August 24)

Note: Tide data based on NOAA predictions

Time	Tide
5:45 AM	Low
12:08 PM	High
6:15 PM	Low
12:32 AM	High

Best Tide: High tide around mid-morning is ideal for rockfish and lingcod. Low tide exposes structure for shore fishing.

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🌙 Solunar Forecast - August 24

Period	Time	Activity
Major	5:45 AM - 7:45 AM	🟢 Prime
Minor	12:08 PM - 2:08 PM	🟡 Good
Major	6:15 PM - 8:15 PM	🟢 Prime
Minor	12:32 AM - 2:32 AM	🟡 Good

Best Times: Early morning (5-7 AM) and evening (6-8 PM) for best fishing!

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📅 Extended Forecast

Tuesday: Sunny, light winds - Excellent fishing conditions Wednesday: Mild, morning fog - Great for early starts Weekend: Partly cloudy, light swell - Prime time for both lake and ocean

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🎣 Gear Recommendations

Lake:

• Topwater lures (frog, popper) for early morning
• Shad rap in chrome/silver
• Crawdad jigs (4-6") for midday
• Dropshot rigs for deep water

Ocean:

• Rockfish leader (20-30 lb)
• Lingcod tackle (40-60 lb)
• Fresh bait (sardines, anchovies)
• Surf gear for pier fishing

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📬 Stay Connected

Got a hot report? Send your photos and tips to tips@calcoasttides.com — we love featuring local catches!

See you on the water! 🎣

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Report generated for SLO County waters. Always check CDFW regulations before heading out. Ocean data courtesy of NOAA NDBC Buoy 46011. Weather data from Open-Meteo.