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San Luis Reservoir Fishing Report | July 7, 2025
Report by Roger George Roger George runs Roger George Guide Service and fishes San Luis Reservoir for striped bass. What is working right now San Luis Reservoir striper fishing has improved in early July 2025. Water temps are around 65 degrees and rising, and fish are coming out of spawn mode and holding mostly 60 to 70 feet deep. Roger George trolls divers and minnow-style lures in shad colors to the fish, landing a 26-incher. Practice catch and release and handle fish carefully in the warm water. How is the striper bite at San Luis Reservoir right now?Improved. Roger George rates it about a 3, maybe a little better. The fish are coming out of spawn mode and the wind has finally calmed down, though a brutal heat wave is on the way. Bank anglers with bait are doing okay too. What depth are the stripers holding at San Luis?Most fish are holding about 60 to 70 feet deep. Get your trolled lures down into that band where you mark fish, and you should do okay. What lures are working at San Luis Reservoir?Trolling is the play. Run a diver or jointed diver, or a minnow-style lure in shad colors, down to the fish. Roger George names brands like Lucky Craft, Smithwick, and Rapala, which are not carried by Catch America. How should I handle San Luis stripers in warm water?Catch and release or selective harvest is critical. If you keep fish, keep the smaller ones and let the bigger ones go. Handle them carefully and get them back quickly, especially as the water warms. What are the conditions at San Luis Reservoir?Water temps are 65 degrees and up. The wind that kept Roger George off the water for a week has settled, but a heat wave is coming. The lake is still falling but has slowed, and the weather looks favorable. Watch the full report From the report (Roger George): The fishing has improved. The fish seem to be coming out of their spawn mode. A lot of the fish are holding at about the 60 to 70-foot range. Trolling with either a diver, jointed diver, or something like a regular minnow lure in shad colors, if you get them in the fish, I think you'll do okay. Catch and release is critical, or selective harvesting. San Luis Reservoir July 7, 2025 FAQ How is the San Luis striper bite in July 2025?Improved, rated about a 3 or a little better by Roger George, with fish coming out of spawn. What depth are San Luis stripers holding?Mostly 60 to 70 feet deep. What is the water temperature at San Luis Reservoir?Around 65 degrees and rising, with a heat wave expected. What lures work for San Luis stripers?Trolled divers and minnow-style lures in shad colors. Should I keep or release San Luis stripers?Practice catch and release or selective harvest. Keep the smaller fish and release the bigger ones, handling them carefully in warm water. How big were the fish caught?Roger George showed a nice striper of about 26 inches on the water. Shop the Tackle Shop Striped Bass Tackle Shop Striped Bass Gear
Learn moreSan Luis Reservoir Fishing Report | June 23, 2025
Report by Capt. Roger George Roger George runs Roger George Guide Service and filed this Catch America report from San Luis Reservoir. What is working right now Fishing was tough at San Luis Reservoir the week of June 23, 2025. A wind event to 40 mph and a cold front dropped surface temps to 65 to 70 degrees and shut the fish down. Roger George expects a fast rebound with the warming trend. Cover ground and work downriggers from 30 to 70 feet to find active fish. How is the fishing at San Luis Reservoir right now?Very difficult. A wind event up to 40 mph for several days plus a cold front dropped water temps and put the fish on a complete shutdown. Roger George says do not be discouraged; the bite has bounced back from this pattern again and again and should improve fast.What depth should I fish at San Luis Reservoir?Roger found fish anywhere from 30 feet down to 70 feet. Use downriggers to target suspended fish and cover ground until you locate an active group. When you find them, work that school thoroughly rather than moving on too quickly.Where should I fish on San Luis Reservoir?Roger points to Portuguese Cove, the area near the dam, the Bay of Pigs at the south end of the dam, Dinosaur Point, and the West Wall on the west side of the lake. Fish were seen holding in Portuguese Cove even when they would not bite.What are the conditions at San Luis Reservoir?Water temp is 65 to 70 degrees, down about 5 degrees from a week earlier. The reservoir is at 50 percent. Heavy wind mixed the algae into the water, and a couple of warm days will bring the algae back heavy again.What is the outlook for San Luis Reservoir?Roger expects things to change rapidly with an incoming warming trend, and he hopes the water level stabilizes to help further. This tough spell is similar to a full-moon slowdown. Cover ground, find active fish, and work them with downriggers.Watch the full report From the report (Capt. Roger George): The fishing has been very difficult. We've had this wind event up to 40 miles an hour for several days, and a cold front that came through with it. Those fish just went on a complete shutdown. But I expect things to change rapidly because we have a warming trend coming up. We found the fish anywhere between 30 feet down to 70.San Luis Reservoir June 23, 2025 FAQWhat depth should I fish at San Luis Reservoir?From 30 to 70 feet on downriggers, targeting suspended fish. Cover ground until you find an active group.What is the water temperature at San Luis Reservoir?Between 65 and 70 degrees, down about 5 degrees from the prior week.What is the reservoir level at San Luis?The reservoir is at 50 percent, and Roger is hoping it stabilizes soon.Where are the best areas to fish San Luis Reservoir?Portuguese Cove, near the dam, the Bay of Pigs, Dinosaur Point, and the West Wall.Why was the bite so tough at San Luis?A heavy wind event to 40 mph plus a cold front and low pressure put the fish on a complete shutdown.What species were targeted in this report?The species were not specified in this report. Roger targeted suspended fish on downriggers. Shop the Tackle Shop All Tackle
Learn moreSan Luis Reservoir Fishing Report | June 16, 2025
Report by Capt. Roger George Roger George runs Roger George Guide Service and reports on San Luis Reservoir striper fishing for Catch America. What is working right now 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 From the report (Capt. Roger George): The lake is falling a foot a day or so, and it's down to 1.1 million acre feet. These fish are on a very big spawn right now. Everything that we're catching is milting. We're finding fish in the main lake, and we're trolling a little bit deeper. I would rate it about a two or three out of 10 right now. San Luis Reservoir June 16, 2025 FAQ How fast is San Luis Reservoir dropping?About a foot a day, down 30 feet in the last month to 1.1 million acre-feet. Why are the stripers not biting well?They are in a major spawn and milting, plus a recent full moon and falling, warm, algae-heavy water are hurting stability. Where should you fish San Luis right now?The main lake, trolling a little deeper, especially on calm days with good light penetration. How does Roger rate the June bite?About a two or three out of ten. It is slow. Are any big fish being caught?Yes, a few big fish are still landed during the spawning period. What is the water temperature at San Luis?Up into the 70s, with heavy algae forming in the heat. Shop the Tackle Shop Striped Bass Tackle Shop Striped Bass Gear
Learn moreSan Luis Reservoir Fishing Report | June 9, 2025
Report by Roger George Roger George runs Roger George Guide Service and fishes San Luis Reservoir for striped bass. What is working right now The San Luis Reservoir striper bite is tough in early June 2025, with heavy algae and low visibility scattering the fish. Quality is still there, with fish up to 8 pounds and a recent trip of 15 fish from 21 inches to 8 pounds. Roger George trolls diving lures with rattles about 120 feet behind the boat at 2.2 mph, on 20 to 25 pound line and 9-foot rods. How is the striper bite at San Luis Reservoir right now?Tough and slow, with heavy algae and low visibility scattering the fish. Roger George still put together 15 fish on a recent trip, ranging from 21 inches up to 8 pounds. Persistence and covering water are key. What lures are working at San Luis Reservoir?Diving lures with rattles that cut through the algae. Roger George names a 5-inch Smithwick, the 128 Lucky Craft, and Bomber Long As, which are not carried by Catch America. The rattle and turbulence help fish find the lure in dirty water. How does Roger George troll for San Luis stripers?He runs the lures about 120 feet behind the boat at about 2.2 miles per hour, getting them down to where he marks fish. That lets him check whether the fish will commit and whether he has the right color. What rod, reel, and line does Roger George use?A longer 9-foot rod for extra bend and hook-holding on big fish, 20 to 25 pound Trilene Big Game line since the fish are not line shy, and spinning reels. He has landed fish up to 43 pounds on spinning gear. What are the conditions at San Luis Reservoir?Algae is heavy and visibility is low, making the bite difficult and the fish scattered. Even so, quality fish up to 8 pounds are being caught by staying persistent and working the water hard. Watch the full report From the report (Roger George): The type of lures I'm using, like a 5-inch Smithwick, the 128 Lucky Craft, and Bomber Long As. Running these about 120 feet behind the boat, about 2.2 miles an hour. I'm using 20-25 pound test, Trilene Big Game. We ended up with 15 fish, from 21 inches up to 8 pounds. The bite was very slow, very difficult, but we managed to make the day work. San Luis Reservoir June 9, 2025 FAQ Why is the San Luis striper bite tough in June 2025?Heavy algae and low visibility have the fish scattered and slow, per Roger George. How far back should I troll at San Luis?About 120 feet behind the boat at roughly 2.2 miles per hour. What lures cut through the algae at San Luis?Diving lures with rattles, such as a 5-inch Smithwick, a 128 Lucky Craft, or a Bomber Long A. What line does Roger George use for stripers?20 to 25 pound Trilene Big Game, since the fish are not line shy. Can you catch big San Luis stripers on spinning reels?Yes. Roger George fishes spinning reels almost exclusively and has landed fish up to 43 pounds. How big are the fish being caught?On a recent trip, 15 fish from 21 inches up to 8 pounds. Shop the Tackle Shop Striped Bass Tackle Shop Striped Bass Gear
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