SLO County Fishing Report — September 18, 2026
Fridaygauge 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
Fair5 ftwater 67.3°F
Rockfish still good, but NW wind building to 15-25 kt, seas 3-6 ft, small craft advisory
Lake Nacimiento
GoodBass on shad, best topwater early and late
Lopez Lake
GoodBass solid in shallow pockets and coves
Santa Margarita Lake
FairBass fair but holding deep during midday heat
Tides for the day
| 3:34 PM high | 4.6 ft |
|---|
- sunrise
- 6:48 AM
- sunset
- 7:06 PM
Predictions from NOAA Tides & Currents. 14-day calendar →
Bite grid
excellentgoodfairslownoted
| Species | Nacimiento | Morro Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | notedlargemouth · white | not reported |
| 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 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
Marine forecast
seaswindas written in the report
- Today
- seas
- 3–5 ft
- wind
- NW 15–25 kt
NW 15-25 kt this afternoon, 10-15 kt this morning
- Tonight
- seas
- 4–6 ft
- wind
- NW 15–25 kt
easing to 10-20 kt after midnight
- Saturday
- seas
- 4–5 ft
- wind
- NW 15–25 kt
NW 15-25 kt in the afternoon, 10-15 kt in the morning
- Sunday
- seas
- 4–6 ft
- wind
- NW 10–20 kt
Full report2 min read ›
Friday's ocean window is the morning. The NW wind is up and seas are building, so after that the lakes are the better choice.
Lake Fishing Reports
Lake Nacimiento
Status: Great
Bass fishing is excellent. Shad are schooled throughout the lake and the bass are feeding hard on them, with the best topwater bite early and late. Small swimbaits match the shad, and crawdad patterns work at midday. Watch for floating debris and grass.
- Largemouth bass: Great on topwater lures at dawn and dusk
- White bass: Active near shad schools
- Crappie: Good near submerged structure
Lopez Lake
Status: Good
Bass are solid on shad raps, Zoom worms and crawdad patterns. Most come from shallow pockets and coves near structure, and small swimbaits and spinnerbaits copy the shad they are eating.
- Largemouth bass: Solid in shallow pockets and coves
Santa Margarita Lake
Status: Fair
Ocean Fishing - Morro Bay
Status: Good Conditions: Strong winds, moderate swell Water Temp: 67.3°F (NDBC 46011, Santa Maria, morning) Wave Height: 5 ft (1.5m)
Rockfish are still biting. Today is rough, though, with a strong NW wind and building seas, so go early if you go.
Current Ocean Data (Buoy 46011 - Santa Maria):
- Wind: NNW (340°) at 8.0 m/s (~18 mph), gusting to 10.0 m/s (~22 mph)
- Wave Height: 5 ft (1.5m)
- Wave Period: 8-15 seconds (mixed swell)
- Water Temp: 67.3°F (19.6°C)
- Air Temp: 63°F (17.2°C)
- Pressure: 1018.9 hPa (high pressure, stable)
Marine forecast:
- Today: NW 15-25 kt this afternoon, 10-15 kt this morning, seas 3-5 ft
- Tonight: NW 15-25 kt, easing to 10-20 kt after midnight, seas 4-6 ft
- Saturday: NW 15-25 kt in the afternoon, 10-15 kt in the morning, seas 4-5 ft
- Sunday: NW 10-20 kt, seas 4-6 ft
Small craft advisory in effect from this afternoon through this evening.
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, zone PZZ645 (Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal), issued 142 AM PDT Fri Sep 18 2026.
What's Biting:
- Rockfish - Multiple species, including vermilion and blue
- Lingcod - Strong action
- Halibut - Good prospects along the beaches
Morro Bay Landing (Sep 17): Starfire, 3/4 day, 20 anglers: 90 rockfish, 60 bocaccio, 42 red rockfish, 9 lingcod. Patriot Sportfishing (Sep 17): Patriot, 3/4 day, 23 anglers: 210 rockcod, 4 bocaccio, 1 lingcod. Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Sep 17.
Salmon Season: Currently open.
Bring heavy tackle for the lingcod. Cayucos Pier is the shore option for halibut.
Sources: NDBC buoy 46011.