San Luis stripers: 3/10 bite, then a Giuffrida family 19- to 25-pound flurry

Roger George Guide Service’s San Luis Reservoir report, published Sept. 18, 2026 in the Los Banos Enterprise, rated the striper bite 3 out of 10. Water has been rising about half a foot on some days, algae is heavy, temperatures are cooler than normal, and wind has been a factor. Fish are spreading along newly flooded shoreline; George’s best bet is trolling 40 to 70 feet in the main lake.

A four-angler trip this past week sat through hours of blank sonar, then found an active school at 60 feet on a shad-colored Rapala-type stickbait. About two hours of action produced three personal-bests: Rich Giuffrida, 80, of Morgan Hill, 36 inches and 20 pounds; his son Joe, 41 inches and 25 pounds; and his other son Marc, 35 inches and 19 pounds. All three went back on a Seaqualizer.

The reservoir is sitting high for the date at about 1.4 million acre-feet and still rising, with moderate algae. George expects the overall bite to improve if cooler, more stable weather holds.

Photo: Roger George Guide Service / Los Banos Enterprise (Joe Giuffrida with a 41-inch, 25-pound San Luis striper).

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Los Banos Enterprise — Roger George Fishing Report, San Luis Reservoir (Sept. 18, 2026).