This fishing report, provided by the Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers, anglers, guides and local businesses. Conditions may vary as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.
Northwest
- Animas River — The flow is 270 cfs. The river is reported as good for trout using various bead-headed nymphs, spinners and worms. The river was stocked with 475 rainbow trout last week.
- Chama River — Upper section flow is 61 cfs. Below El Vado, the flow is 98 cfs and the flow below Abiquiu is 102 cfs. The upper Chama flowing downstream to the village of Chama and into El Vado reservoir is fair to good. Some big browns have been taken from the wildlife area. The river below El Vado is fishing good to excellent. The water is at a perfect flow. All methods are catching fish with limits of rainbows being taken. Some brown trout up to 20 inches are also reported being landed using black and gold Panther Martins. The river was stocked below Abiquiu Lake with 445 rainbow trout last week and fishing there is reported as fair.
- San Juan River: Upper section — Catch and Release flow is 499 cfs. Midges are hatching all day long. At the moment they are very small, midge pupa and larvae, size 22 to 28, gray, black, chocolate, cream and olive have been my best. The hatch is strongest from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Try fishing BWO's from 1 to 5 p.m. Dark or light gray, brown and olive have been the best colors in a size 20 and 22. Both dry and wet patterns. Back to midges in the evenings.
- Abiquiu Lake — Special Kokanee salmon snagging season Oct. 1-Dec. 31. Not much has changed at the lake and conditions remain the same. Fishing is slow for all species including walleye with smaller-sized fish being caught. No report on salmon or other species.
- El Vado Lake — Trout fishing is reported as slow to fair with better reports from the Chama River inlet and the dam. Fish are being landed with worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait and spinners. The main boat ramp is open but the primitive ramps are closed due to low water. Special Kokanee salmon snagging season Oct. 1-Dec. 31. Salmon snagging is continues to be fair to good on the north side of the lake. Park at the gate just below the Stone House Lodge and walk down to the dirt boat ramp for the best access.
- Heron Lake — Kokanee salmon snagging is prohibited Oct. 1 - Nov. 10 at Heron Lake and Willow Creek. It is unlawful to possess kokanee salmon at Heron Lake and Willow Creek during that time. Snagging season will open at Heron Lake and Willow Creek from Nov. 11-Dec. 31. Reports of trout and lake trout are good from shore when using roe sacks. Trout are also fishing good with spinners and worms. If you hook into a salmon be sure to release it.
- Jackson Lake — Trout fishing is reported as fair using Power Bait, salmon eggs and worms from shore. Spinners and black wooly buggers are reported working well on the back side of the lake.
- Lake Farmington — Trout fishing is reported as good using Power Bait, salmon eggs and worms. Best success is reported close to the dam.
- Morgan Lake — Fishing is slow for bass with very little traffic at the lake.
- Navajo Lake — Special Kokanee salmon snagging season Oct. 1-Dec. 31. Salmon snagging is reported as good at Simms Marina and at the dam. No reports on other species.
Northeast
- Cimarron River — The flow below Eagle Nest Dam is 26 cfs and 26 cfs near Cimarron. Flows are good for now but the release will go back down for the winter soon. Check the flows before you go. Releases below 25 cfs makes for slow fishing. Bead headed nymphs are working well in the specialty waters. Worms, Power Bait and spinners are working in the open waters down stream.
- Costilla Creek — The flow is 7.4 cfs near the town of Costilla. Fishing is reported as slow below the Valle Vidal boundary. Anglers are having success with dry droppers and various bed headed nymphs close to the banks. Check the flows before you go, water levels are very low and fish are spooky. Red River - Flows are 12 cfs near Questa and 42 cfs below the hatchery. Fishing for trout is reported as fair to good with better fishing on the lower stretches. Fish are being caught with all methods working.
- Rio Grande — Flows are 278 cfs near Cerro and 416 cfs below the Taos Junction Bridge. Trout fishing is fair to good while weather holds. Bead headed nymphs, worms and spinners are all working. Pike fishing is reported as off and on, with some success using red and white lures. No report on bass.
- Rio Hondo — The flow is 16 cfs and fishing is reported as fair from mile marker 8 up to mile marker 16 when using dry flies, small spinners and worms.
- Rio Pueblo — The flow is 8.7 cfs. The fishing is fair for trout when using flies, small spinners and worms.
- Cabresto Lake — The lake is closed for repairs to the dam.
- Charette Lakes — Fishing is good in the mornings and evenings. Perch are fair using small lures and worms. The lake closes for the season Oct. 31 and will reopen next spring.
- Clayton Lake — No report. The lake closes for the season Oct. 31 and will reopen next spring.
- Eagle Nest Lake — Fishing continues to be good. The perch are reported as good from shore and better from anchored boats. Trolling is great for trout using lightweight tackle. Trout fishing is good when trolling top water gear and hit and miss from the bank using Power Bait. Special Kokanee salmon snagging season Oct. 1-Dec. 31. No reports on salmon snagging yet.
- Lake Alice and Lake Maloya — Fishing is good on Lake Maloya for trout. Fish are being landed using Power Bait and salmon eggs from shore. Fly fishing is reported as good in the early mornings and late evenings. Lake Alice has been effected by runoff from the fire and no fishing is reported there.
- Maxwell Lakes — No report. The lakes close for the season Oct. 31 and will reopen next spring.
- Shuree Ponds — The water level on the upper pond is reported to quite low. Not much traffic to get a good picture of the fishing conditions. The fish are pooled up and very spooky.
- Springer Lakes — Fishing is reported as slow. Water levels are dropping due to irrigation so water levels are low. As a side note Springer Lake is closed to ice fishing.
West-Central, including the Jemez Mountains
- Jemez River, East Fork, Guadalupe and San Antonio — The Jemez River was stocked with rainbow trout Monday — the first stocking since the Las Conchas Fire. Flow on the Jemez River is 16 cfs. Fishing in the Cebolla or the Rio de las Vacas/Guadalupe watershed is slow with some fish being landed on nymphs, spinners and worms.
- Metro Drainages — Stocking will start up soon, no report as of yet.
- Bluewater Lake — Fishing for trout is reported as fair to good. Some anglers are reporting success with most methods working. The tiger muskies are fishing good for the smaller juvenile fish. The fish reported were caught on rattletraps while trolling and jerk baits from shore. Catfish are reported as fair with several landed using stink baits and chicken liver.
- Cochiti Lake — Reports of a few catfish and bluegill being taken, but traffic is light. According to sources water quality is still an issue. Water clarity is also a problem with the ash from the fire being swept into the lake by runoff from rain.
- Fenton Lake — Fishing for trout is reported as fair to good with worms and Power Bait. Tingley Beach Trout fishing in the Tingley Beach Children's and Central Ponds has been good. Best reports are from anglers using lures. No reports from fly-rod anglers at the South/Catch and Release Pond. The catch and keep waters were stocked with 1,502 triploid rainbow trout last week.
East–Central, including the Pecos River
- Coyote Creek — The flow is .63 cfs. No report. Pecos River – The flow is 34 cfs. Warmer weather has improved the fishing on the Pecos. Blue winged olives are really the only dry fly game left on the Pecos. If fish aren't coming up try a dry dropper rig, a flashback pheasant tail or a tungsten micro may. Also, Spinners, worms and Power Bait are also catching fish.
- Conchas Lake — Fishing is reported as slow overall. North Dock reports that white bass are being taken in 40 to 45 feet of water when suspended at 15 feet with jigs and slabs and when trolling. No report on other species.
- Morphy Lake — No fishing report this week. The lake closes for the season Oct. 31 and will reopen next spring.
- Santa Rosa Lake — No report.
- Storrie Lake — Fishing is fair to good for trout using Power Bait, cheese balls and worms.
- Sumner Lake — The lake is being drained to accommodate downstream irrigation demands. A special salvage order for fish in the lake has been canceled. State Parks closed the boat ramp.
- Ute Lake — The main lake is clear and the river arms are lightly stained. White bass are fishing good on the main lake when using slabs in 25 to 30 feet of water. Large and smal mouth bass are reported as slow. Walleye are fishing slow with reports of catching one here and there, but still scattered. Some fish are being picked up when trolling vibrating blades and slabs. Channel catfish are reported as excellent with stink baits and chicken liver fished near brush in 8 to 12 feet of water.
Southwest
- Gila River — The flow is 27 cfs and fishing is slow with the best success in the upper reaches of the river on the West, East and Middle forks.
- Rio Grande — The flow is 0.00 cfs below Elephant Butte Dam. No report.
- Bill Evans Lake — No report.
- Caballo Lake — Fishing is slow. Water levels are very low. Best bet is below spillway on the Rio Grande at Percha State Park.
- Elephant Butte Lake — Fishing for white bass is reported as fair in 20-25 feet of water. White bass are reported as hit and miss. Anglers that are catching fish are having success with shiners, slabs and spinners. No report on stripped bass. Catfish are report as good on the north end of the lake on trot lines baited with liver and stink bait. No report on other species.
- Glenwood Ponds — Fishing is fair for trout when using Pistol Pete's, worms and Power Bait.
- Lake Roberts — Fishing is reported as good for catfish with liver and worms. Trout fishing is reported as fair with worms. No report on other species.
- Quemado Lake — Trout fishing is reported as fair. Anglers are having success using green Power Bait. No report on the tiger muskies.
- Southeast
- Rio Ruidoso — Flow is 0.02 cfs in town and 2.1 cfs at Hollywood. Fishing is reported as fair to good on the lower stretches of the river where the flows are a bit higher. Best bet is to fish the deeper holes were fish will be holding in the low water conditions.
- Bonito Lake — Trout fishing continues to be good in the mornings and evenings. Green and yellow Power Bait, spinners and black woolly boogers our reported working well. The lake closes for the season Nov. 30.
- Bottomless Lakes — No report. Stocking will resume soon.
- Brantley Reservoir — There has been light pressure and no current report. A mandatory catch and release is in place at Brantley Lake because pesticides have been found in the fish. Do not keep or eat them.
- Grindstone Reservoir — Fishing is reported as good for trout using worms, Power Bait and Pistol Petes.
