San Luis Reservoir Fishing Report | June 16, 2025
The report at a glance
Presentation
Scout first, then match what the fish are eating. Cover water to put marks on the graph, then work them with trolling, jigging, or spoons until they turn active. Try soft plastics when fish get finicky.
Water temperature
Low 70s at the surface
Water clarity
Heavy algae bloom forming
Water level
Falling roughly 1 foot per day, down about 30 feet in the last month, near 1.1 million acre-feet
Weather
Hot, with calm, bright days; a full moon just passed and its brightness is still affecting the fish
Advice for this week
Be patient and stay persistent. Bite rates are low, so scout hard to find active fish and adapt as they shift day to day. Calm, bright days push fish deeper, so plan to fish down in the water column.
What is changing
The lake is dropping fast, fish are deep in a major spawn, and everything coming to the boat is milting. Shallow areas like Portuguese Cove keep getting skinnier by the day.
Next week
Tough until the lake stabilizes. A spawn like this can run two or three moon cycles before it eases. Roger expects the bite to improve as water levels settle and the fish finish their spawn.
San Luis Reservoir is tough right now. The lake is falling about a foot a day, down 30 feet in a month to 1.1 million acre-feet, water is in the 70s with heavy algae, and stripers are deep in a major spawn. Roger George rates it two to three out of ten. Scout the main lake, troll a little deeper on calm days, and stay persistent for a shot at a big fish.
What is biting at San Luis Reservoir right now?
Stripers, but the bite is slow. Capt. Roger George rates it two to three out of ten. The fish are in a very big spawn and everything being caught is milting, so many fish are only interested in spawning and will follow lures without committing.
Why is the San Luis bite so slow right now?
Several factors stack up. The lake is dropping about a foot a day, down 30 feet in a month to 1.1 million acre-feet, which hurts stability. Water is in the 70s with heavy algae, and a recent full moon plus an active spawn have fish focused on spawning, not feeding.
Where are the fish holding at San Luis Reservoir?
Fish are in the main lake and running deeper as shallow areas like Portuguese Cove get shallower. On calm days with good light penetration, trolling and focusing a little deeper helps. Locations shift day to day, so scout to find them.
What techniques work at San Luis Reservoir now?
The game is finding the fish first, then figuring out what they want, whether trolling, jigging, or spooning. Once you mark fish on your electronics, work to get them active. Patience is key during this unstable, high-pressure spawning period.
What is the outlook for San Luis Reservoir?
It will be difficult until the lake stabilizes, but Roger expects some relief and a better bite fairly soon. A few big fish are still being caught during the spawn. He recommends staying persistent. Specific lures were not specified in this report.
Watch the full report
San Luis Reservoir June 16, 2025 FAQ
About a foot a day, down 30 feet in the last month to 1.1 million acre-feet.
They are in a major spawn and milting, plus a recent full moon and falling, warm, algae-heavy water are hurting stability.
The main lake, trolling a little deeper, especially on calm days with good light penetration.
About a two or three out of ten. It is slow.
Yes, a few big fish are still landed during the spawning period.
Up into the 70s, with heavy algae forming in the heat.
