Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
This fishing report, provided by Bill Dunn and the Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.
CATCHES OF THE WEEK:
If you have a catch of the week story or just want to write about your latest New Mexico fishing experience, send it to [email protected]. We may include your story in our next report. For catches of the week, include name, date, and location, type of fish, length and weight if possible and bait, lure or fly used.
Northeast
Cabresto Lake: The lake and campground closed May 14 and will stay closed while the dam is being rebuilt.
Charette Lakes: Closed for the season.
Clayton Lake: Closed for the season.
Conchas Lake: Fishing pressure was light again this past week and fishing was slow for all species. Anglers who wish to do so can still launch boats from the Cannon Cove area.
Eagle Nest Lake: As of this past Saturday the ice thickness was 15 to 16 inches. Fishing was fair to good using worms for perch. Fishing for trout was fair using ice jigs, worms and Power Bait. A few northern pike were caught by anglers using ice jigs.
Lake Maloya: Ice conditions over the weekend ranged from a depth of 10 to 12 inches. Fishing was good using homemade dough baits, salmon eggs and ice jigs for trout.
Manzano Lake: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait and wax worms.
Maxwell Lake 13: Closed for the season.
Monastery Lake: The lake is iced over and unsafe. It is off limits to fishing until there is open water accessible from the bank.
Morphy Lake: Closed for the season.
Red River: Water flow below the hatchery was 17 cfs.
Red River City Ponds: Closed for the season.
Rio Grande: The water flow Monday at the Taos Junction Bridge was 360 cfs. Ice affected flow readings farther upstream. Trout fishing was fair to good using bead-head pheasant tails, salmon eggs and worms. We had no reports on other species.
Storrie Lake: As of Monday there was some open water for bank fishing but we had no reports. For updated conditions contact the Storrie Lake State Park office at 505-425-7278.
Stubblefield Lake: The lake has reopened with a new agreement reached with the Vermejo Conservancy District. However, with the current low water conditions, fishing is discouraged at this time.
Ute Lake: Fishing pressure was light this past week. A few white bass were taken by one angler who was fishing deep with jigging spoons. We had no other reports. The surface water temp was in the high 30s.
Northwest
Animas River: Monday morning water flow at Aztec was 380 cfs. Trout fishing was fair using salmon eggs, red copper John Barrs and egg patterns.
Albuquerque Area Drains: Trout fishing on the drains was good again this past week. Anglers did well drifting salmon eggs, wax worms, parachute adams, egg patterns and custom made flies. Chris Ortega from Albuquerque had a great time back on the 21st. He fished from Corrales down to Paseo del Norte and caught and released over 40 trout ranging is size from 6 to 14 inches. He was using custom egg patterns and his own "skunk 101."
Bluewater Lake: Ice thickness as of Sunday was 8 to 10 inches. Fishing for trout was fair using corn and salmon eggs. A few catfish were taken on worms. We had no reports on tiger musky. Anglers are reminded that if there is standing water on the ice, ice fishing is not allowed. For updated ice conditions contact the Bluewater State Park office at 505-876-2391.
Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 162 cfs and 68 cfs respectively. We had no reports from below El Vado. Below Abiquiu, fishing was slow but there were a few trout taken on lures, salmon eggs and streamers.
Cochiti Lake: As of Monday there was thin ice covering the entire shoreline and most of the main body of the lake. For updated conditions contact the Corp. of Engineers office at 505-465-0307.
El Vado Lake: There is a layer of ice on the entire lake which is considered unsafe for ice fishing. For updated information, contact the State Park office at 575-588-7247.
Fenton Lake: The lake is off limits to fishing at this time. Plan on heading here for great ice-out fishing in the spring.
Heron Lake: There was a layer of ice on most of the lake which was considered unsafe for fishing. For updated ice conditions contact the State Park office at 575-588-7470.
Jemez Waters: Water flow on the Jemez River as of Monday morning was 25 cfs. Trout fishing on the lower Jemez was slow to fair using small salmon eggs. Fishing pressure was light. We had no reports on other streams in this area.
Laguna del Campo: Closed for the season.
Navajo Lake: Fishing pressure was light and fishing was slow for all species. This is a good time of year for light-line trolling for big browns here. Bundle up, give it a try and let us know how you do.
San Juan: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 266 cfs and expected to stay around 250 cfs as long as the flows are up on the Animas. Fishing in the Quality Water section was good using Oregon cheese egg patterns, red larvae, brown copper John Barrs, parachute adams and black and grey midge emergers. Fishing through the bait waters was good using, wax worms, salmon eggs, copper John Barrs and small spoons.
Santa Cruz Lake: The lake has totally iced over and is closed to fishing at this time.
Tingley Beach: Trout fishing at the Children's Pond and the Central Pond was good using corn, salmon eggs, wax worms, garlic cheese. Big fish this past week from the Children's Pond was caught by Chelsea Lopez of Albuquerque. She was using corn and caught a 15.5-inch rainbow. Fishing at the Catch and Release Pond was slow to fair for anglers using red annelids, small copper John Barrs, San Juan worms and red annelids.
Southwest
Bear Canyon: The thin layer of ice that appeared on the lake last week has broken up and the lake is once again open for fishing. Trout fishing was fair to good using homemade dough baits, Pistol Petes and salmon eggs.
Bill Evans Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, homemade dough bait and worms. We had no reports on other species.
Caballo Lake: All boat ramps have been closed and will remain closed until such time as water levels rise and it is safe for launching. Fishing pressure remains very light and fishing was slow for all species.
Elephant Butte: The Monticello, Dam Site and Rock Canyon boat ramps remain closed due to low water conditions.
Escondida Lake: Trout fishing was good using salmon eggs, Power Bait and homemade dough baits.
Gila River: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 63 cfs.
Glenwood Pond: Fishing was good using salmon eggs and Power Bait.
Lake Roberts: The lake is once again free of ice and open to fishing. Fishing was good using Power Bait, worms and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species. The Department of Game and Fish plans to stock 150 15- to 16-inch Gila trout in the lake between Thursday and Monday.
Percha Dam: The water was low and fishing was slow for all species.
Quemado Lake: The lake was covered with a layer of ice which was unsafe for fishing.
Rio Grande: Water flow below Elephant Butte as of Monday was .86 cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.
Southeast
Bataan Lake: Trout fishing was slow to fair for anglers using Power Bait, salmon eggs and worms. We had no reports on other species.
Black River: As of Monday stream flow above Malaga was 7 cfs.
Blue Hole Park Pond: Trout fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, salmon eggs and small spinners.
Bonito Lake: Closed.
Bosque Redondo: Trout fishing was slow but there were a few taken on Power Bait and salmon eggs.
Brantley Lake: Anglers are to practice catch-and-release for all fish here as high levels of DDT were found in several fish.
Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait, worms, homemade dough bait and salmon eggs.
Greene Acres Lake: Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait and salmon eggs.
Green Meadow Lake: Trout fishing was fair using worms, Power Bait and homemade dough bait. We had no reports on other species.
Grindstone Reservoir: The lake has iced over and is closed to fishing at the present time.
Lake Van: Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait, homemade dough bait, salmon eggs, worms and Pistol Petes. We had no reports on other species.
Oasis Park Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good using Power Bait and salmon eggs.
Pecos River: Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 20 cfs. Trout fishing was fair to good using garlic scented Power Bait, homemade dough bait and worms. We had no reports on other species.
Ruidoso River: Water flow at Hollywood on Monday was 2.8 cfs.
Santa Rosa Lake: Warm weather and wind took care of any ice problem and anglers fishing from the bank caught several walleye over the weekend. Best baits were minnows and jig and minnow combinations.
Sumner Lake: Fishing pressure was light and fishing was slow for all species. The Violation Canyon boat ramp remains open at this time and will remain open as long as lake levels permit.