San Luis Reservoir Fishing Report | February 8, 2026
The report at a glance
Depth
A lot of the fish are holding in the upper level right now. Plenty of suspended fish show up on the graph but will not always eat.
Presentation
Topwater and ripbaits early in the right cove, then trolling, spooning, jigging and minnows depending on the day. Fog, brightness and wind all shift the feeding cycles.
Lures and baits
Topwater lures, ripbaits, spoons, jigs and minnows. No specific Catch America product was called out in this report.
Water temperature
Warmed to as much as 60 degrees, expected to drop as storms arrive.
Water clarity
Algae started growing in some coves.
Water level
More water coming in and the reservoir starting to rise.
Weather
A run of storms and fronts moving through. A calm day jumped to a 20 mph west wind when a front passed.
Advice for this week
Watch for fronts. When the wind spikes then drops, a front is passing and the bite can shut off, as it did when a calm day jumped to a 20 mph west wind. Fish the windows between storm systems.
What is changing
Water warmed to as much as 60 degrees, with algae growing in some coves. A run of storms and fronts is moving through, with more water coming in and the reservoir starting to rise.
Next week
Incoming storms should cool the water, add inflow, and set up better fishing than the lake has seen in a while. Look for great windows between the systems.
San Luis Reservoir stripers are in a pattern-change mode in early February, with fish up in the upper water column and water warming to 60 degrees. Topwater and ripbaits are producing in the right coves in the morning, while spooning, jigging, and minnows work when you find feeding groups. Watch the weather. Passing fronts and sudden wind shut the bite off fast.
What is biting at San Luis Reservoir right now?
Striped bass. Capt. Roger George reports frequent pattern changes in early February, with some bigger fish taken on topwater and ripbaits in the right cove at the right time. A lot of fish are suspended in the upper level and can be finicky, so timing and location matter.
How deep are the San Luis stripers holding?
Many fish are up in the upper level of the water column, with water warming to as high as 60 degrees. There are suspended fish that will not touch a bait dropped on them, so read conditions. Fog, brightness, and wind all shift their feeding windows.
What is working for San Luis stripers in February?
Topwater and ripbaits in the morning in the right cove for bigger fish. Spooning, jigging, and fishing minnows produce when you locate feeding groups. Trolling has been up and down. Cover water and be ready to change with the conditions.
How does weather affect the San Luis bite?
Strongly. When a low-pressure front pushes through, the fish shut off. One trip went from dead calm to 20 mph west wind and the bite died. Watch your wind apps. Rapid rises and drops signal a front and tough fishing. Fish the windows between storms.
What is the outlook for San Luis Reservoir?
Roger expects change as a storm pattern arrives with rain and snow, which should raise the reservoir and cool the warm coves where algae was growing. He sees great windows between fronts and thinks conditions will look better than they have in a while.
Watch the full report
San Luis Reservoir February 8, 2026 FAQ
Striped bass. Roger George targets stripers here year round.
Up to about 60 degrees, warm enough that algae was growing in some coves.
Topwater, ripbaits, spoons, jigs, and minnows, depending on the day and where feeding fish are found.
A low-pressure front moved through, with wind jumping from calm to 20 mph, which shut the bite off.
During the calm windows between passing fronts, before the wind starts spiking up and down.
No specific product was named in this report.
