San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo County Fishing Reports
Checkout the latest San Luis Obispo County fishing reports from local anglers and businesses.
Shad are quite thick at Lopez right now, and bass (and anglers) are loving it. Water temps are hovering in the upper 70s, and fish are keying in on bait off points and the backs of coves... especially in brushy areas. Everything from underspins to jerkbaits to swimbaits... any shad imitation lure... is working extremely well for 1–2 pound fish...
Shad are quite thick at Lopez right now, and bass (and anglers) are loving it. Water temps are hovering in the upper 70s, and fish are keying in on bait off points and the backs of coves... especially in brushy areas. Everything from underspins to jerkbaits to swimbaits... any shad imitation lure... is working extremely well for 1–2 pound fish, with the occasional bigger one mixed in.
Big schools of redear are lining up in transition zones near flats, hitting jigs, redworms and mealworms. The bigger ones have been deeper, in 10+ feet of water. A few quality crappie are being caught as well off the docks near the marina.
The bite has been awesome at Nacimiento this month, even as water temps hit 80 and levels continue to drop almost a half foot per week. The white bass action is really the highlight right now... big schools cruising the outer edges of flats, feeding heavily on shad. Boaters and shore guys alike have been crushing numbers on long-cast spoons...
The bite has been awesome at Nacimiento this month, even as water temps hit 80 and levels continue to drop almost a half foot per week. The white bass action is really the highlight right now... big schools cruising the outer edges of flats, feeding heavily on shad. Boaters and shore guys alike have been crushing numbers on long-cast spoons (Kastmaster) or spinners... letting them sink to the bottom, then reeling back through the schools.
The spotted bass bite is wide open as well. Small swimbaits, spoons (same as for the white bass), dropshots, or any other shad imitation are working in the backs of coves and on transition edges. There's also a morning topwater bite on walking or prop baits (Spook, Chappo)
Some big crappie are biting too, near rock or submerged wood structure. Catfish biting in just about every shallow cove on nightcrawlers and shrimp.
Santa Margarita is full and water temps are sitting at an ideal 69 degrees. Bass action has been excellent despite the post-spawn transition... fish are still stacked in the backs of coves and quiet water, guarding fry aggressively and hanging shallow. Flukes, Senkos, or light topwater baits are getting crushed on a soft lob toward those fry balls...
Santa Margarita is full and water temps are sitting at an ideal 69 degrees. Bass action has been excellent despite the post-spawn transition... fish are still stacked in the backs of coves and quiet water, guarding fry aggressively and hanging shallow. Flukes, Senkos, or light topwater baits are getting crushed on a soft lob toward those fry balls.
The panfish bite is equally strong. Redear and bluegill are pushing shallow to spawn... look for big slabs bedding on the flats. Crappie have wrapped up their spawn and are now shadowing their fry, much like bass. Find them around submerged structure or where the flats break into deeper water.
