SLO County Fishing Report — September 21, 2026
Mondaygauge 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
Fair66.3°F
Choppy but fishable, NW 10-20 kt, seas 4-5 ft; rockfish steady
Lake Nacimiento
GoodBass on topwater mornings and deep structure at midday
Lopez Lake
GoodBass solid on shad raps and Zoom worms
Santa Margarita Lake
FairBass fair and holding deep through midday
Tides for the day
| 1:44 AM low | 0.5 ft |
|---|---|
| 8:43 AM high | 4.0 ft |
| 1:23 PM low | 2.9 ft |
| 7:08 PM high | 4.9 ft |
- range
- 4.4 ft
- sunrise
- 6:50 AM
- sunset
- 7:02 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
- 4–5 ft
- wind
- NW 10–20 kt
- Tonight
- seas
- 4–5 ft
- wind
- NW 10–20 kt
easing to 5-10 kt after midnight
- Tuesday
- seas
- 4–5 ft
- wind
- NW 10–20 kt
NW 10-20 kt in the afternoon, 5-10 kt in the morning
- Wednesday
- seas
- 5–7 ft
- wind
- NW 10–15 kt
NW 10-15 kt in the afternoon, 5-10 kt in the morning
Full report2 min read ›
Fall is starting to show in the lakes. Monday is mild with a moderate NW wind, and the water is cooling toward fall ranges.
Lake Fishing Reports
Lake Nacimiento
Status: Great
Bass fishing is excellent. With the early fall transition the fish are feeding heavily, on topwater in the mornings and on deep structure at midday. 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
- Largemouth bass: Solid in shallow pockets and coves
Santa Margarita Lake
Status: Fair
Bass are fair and hold deep through the middle of the day. Crappie and catfish pick up at dusk and dawn near submerged timber.
Ocean Fishing - Morro Bay
Status: Good Conditions: Moderate winds, moderate swell Water Temp: 66.3°F (NDBC 46011, Santa Maria, morning) Wave Height: 4.5-5.6 ft (1.4-1.7m)
Sunday's dock totals are below. The NW wind has it a bit choppy, but the water is clean.
Current Ocean Data (Buoy 46011 - Santa Maria):
- Wind: NW (320-330°) at 5-7 m/s (~11-16 mph), gusting to 7-9 m/s
- Wave Height: 4.5-5.6 ft (1.4-1.7m)
- Wave Period: 8-9 seconds
- Water Temp: 66.3°F (19.1°C)
- Air Temp: 62-63°F (16.7-17.1°C)
- Pressure: 1014.2-1014.9 hPa (steady)
What's Biting:
- Rockfish - Multiple species including vermilion and blue
- Lingcod - Strong action
- Halibut - Good prospects along the beaches
Salmon Season: Open through September 30.
Morro Bay Landing (Sep 20): Endeavor, full day, 15 anglers: 70 bocaccio, 30 lingcod (up to 16 lb), 30 red rockfish, 40 rockfish. Patriot Sportfishing (Sep 20): Flying Fish, 1/2 day, 21 anglers: 207 rockcod, 6 bonito, 2 bocaccio. Counts: SportfishingReport.com dock totals, Sep 20.
Marine Forecast
Today: NW 10-20 kt, seas 4-5 ft Tonight: NW 10-20 kt, easing to 5-10 kt after midnight, seas 4-5 ft Tuesday: NW 10-20 kt in the afternoon, 5-10 kt in the morning, seas 4-5 ft Wednesday: NW 10-15 kt in the afternoon, 5-10 kt in the morning, seas 5-7 ft
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard, zone PZZ645 (Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal), issued 510 AM PDT Mon Sep 21 2026.
Sources: NDBC buoy 46011; NWS; SportfishingReport.com.