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 tell us about your latest New Mexico fishing experience, send it to us at [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 but there were a few walleye taken by anglers using jig and grub combinations. We had no reports on other species. Anglers who wish to do so can still launch boats from the Cannon Cove area.
Coyote Creek: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Eagle Nest Lake: Ice thickness over the weekend was reported at 24 inches. Fishing was slow to fair using ice jigs tipped with worms or wax worms for perch. Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait, ice jigs and homemade dough bait. We had no reports of northern pike.
Lake Maloya: Ice thickness over the weekend was about 13 inches. Fishing was good using homemade dough baits, Power Bait, ice jigs and salmon eggs for trout.
Los Pinos: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Manzano Lake: Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait, salmon eggs and homemade dough bait.
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.
Pecos River: Trout fishing was fair to good using small Panther Martin spinners, salmon eggs and Power Bait. The best action was reported by anglers fishing in the Villanueva area.
Red River: Water flow below the hatchery was 14 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Red River City Ponds: Closed for the season.
Rio Grande: Water flow Monday at the Taos Junction Bridge was 399 cfs. Trout fishing was slow to fair using spinners, streamers, San Juan worms and Power Bait. We had no reports on other species.
Rio Hondo: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Rio Mora: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Santa Barbara: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Springer Lake: We had no reports from anglers.
Storrie Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. For updated ice 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 again this past week. Fishing was slow but there were a few walleye taken by anglers using jig and grub combinations and jigging spoons. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp ranged from the high 30s to the low 40s.
Northwest
Abiquiu Lake: As of Monday there was ice on the boat ramp and along the shoreline. We had no reports from anglers.
Animas River: Monday morning water flow at Aztec was 250cfs. Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait, spinners, egg patterns and San Juan worms.
Albuquerque Area Drains: Trout fishing on the drains was good for anglers using Power Bait, salmon eggs, corn salmon egg combinations, parachute adams, egg patterns and San Juan worms. Best reports were from the Albuquerque Drain, Bernalillo, Peralta and Belen Drain.
Bluewater Lake: Ice thickness as of Sunday was about 7 inches. Fishing for trout was slow to fair using ice jigs and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species. 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.
Canjilon Lakes: We had no reports from anglers.
Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 155cfs and 57cfs respectively. Trout fishing below Abiquiu was good using copper John Barrs, small spinners and Power Bait. We had no reports from below El Vado.
Cochiti Lake: High winds broke up most of the ice on the main lake and around the boat ramp but we had no reports from anglers.
El Vado Lake: There is a layer of ice on the entire lake and we had no reports from anglers. 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 up here for great ice out fishing in the spring.
Heron Lake: Ice thickness over the weekend was reported at 9 to 12 inches in the Willow Creek and La Laja areas. Fishing this past week was reported as slow for all species. For updated ice conditions contact the State Park office at 575-588-7470.
Jackson Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Jemez Waters: Water flow on the Jemez River as of Monday morning was 23cfs. Trout fishing was slow but there were a few fish taken on copper John Barrs and salmon eggs.
Laguna del Campo: Closed for the season.
Lake Farmington: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Navajo Lake: Fishing was slow but there were a few northern pike caught by anglers using swim baits and jerk baits. We had no reports on other species. Fishing pressure was very light.
Ramah Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
San Juan: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 340cfs and expected to be reduced to 250cfs. This lower release was made in collaboration with the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program for a project taking place at the PNM diversion dam. The release will be increased as required to resume meeting downstream target base flows starting at 7:00 a.m. on Friday February 15, 2013. Fishing in the Quality Water section was quite good using San Juan worms, red annelids, wooly buggers, streamers, copper John Barrs, chocolate emergers and leeches. Fishing through the bait waters was fair to good using salmon eggs, worms, copper John Barrs, spinners 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 very good using corn, salmon eggs, marshmallows, homemade dough baits, wax worms and garlic cheese. A few fish were also taken on Pistol Petes. Fishing at the Catch and Release Pond was fair using zebra midges, leeches, red annelids and Pistol Petes.
Southwest
Bear Canyon: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait, salmon eggs, worms and Pistol Petes.
Bill Evans Lake: Trout fishing was very good using small spinners, Pistol Petes, Power Bait, homemade dough bait and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species.
Caballo Lake: The west-side main boat ramp has reopened and is expected to remain open as the water level is rising. The east-side ramp remains closed. Fishing was slow but there were a few catfish and a walleye caught this past week. The catfish were taken on worms while the walleye hit a jig and grub combination.
Elephant Butte: Fishing was slow with just a few white bass and black bass reported. Best baits were grubs and slab spoons. The Monticello, Dam Site and Rock Canyon boat ramps remain closed due to low water conditions.
Escondida Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Gila River: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 116cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Glenwood Pond: Fishing was good using Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout. Give your favorite spinner or fly a try here as the weeds are cleared out at this time.
Lake Roberts: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait, salmon egg corn combinations, garlic cheese, homemade dough baits and spinners. We had no reports on other species.
Percha Dam: The water was low and fishing was slow for all species.
Quemado Lake: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait. Anglers doing best were fishing the open water right along the edge of the ice. We had no reports on other species.
Rio Grande: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Southeast
Bataan Lake: Trout fishing was good using small spoons, worms, Power Bait and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species.
Black River: As of Monday stream flow above Malaga was 5.2cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Blue Hole Park Pond: Trout fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, salmon eggs and Pistol Petes.
Bonito Lake: Closed.
Bosque Redondo: Trout fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, Pistol Petes and salmon eggs.
Bottomless Lakes: Fishing pressure has been very light and we have no reports from anglers.
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 to good using Power Bait, homemade dough bait and salmon eggs.
El Rito Creek: Trout fishing was good using salmon eggs.
Greene Acres Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good using Power Bait and salmon eggs.
Green Meadow Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good using worms, Power Bait, homemade dough bait and Pistol Petes. We had no reports on other species.
Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing was very good using salmon peach Power Bait, salmon egg corn combinations, salmon eggs and homemade dough baits.
Jal Lake: Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait and salmon eggs.
Lake Van: Trout fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, Pistol Petes under a bubble, homemade dough bait, worms and small spinners. We had no reports on other species.
Oasis Park Lake: Trout fishing was good using Pistol Petes and salmon peach Power Bait.
Pecos River: Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 20cfs. Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait and homemade dough bait. We had no reports on other species.
Perch Lake: Trout fishing was fair using salmon eggs, Power Bait and Pistol Petes.
Ruidoso River: Water flow at Hollywood on Monday was 3.2cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Santa Rosa Lake: Walleye fishing was reported as fair to good by anglers fishing from the bank and using green and white curly tail grubs. Those doing best were fishing in the boat dock area. We had no reports on other species. The lake is closed to boating at this time.
Sumner Lake: Fishing pressure was extremely light and fishing was slow for all species. If you're looking for winter crappie, this has been a good lake in the past. Give it a try with minnows and grubs. The Violation Canyon boat ramp remains open at this time and will remain open as long as lake levels permit.