New Mexico fishing report — Dec. 19

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.

Northeast

Charette Lakes: Closed for the season. Cimarron River: Keep this water on your list for spring. Low water conditions this time of year make for some tough fishing. Clayton Lake: Closed for the season. Conchas Lake: The shallow and steep boat ramps on the north side of the lake are now open along with the Cove campground ramp. We had no reports from anglers this week. Coyote Creek: There was a good amount of ice along the creek this past week and fishing pressure was nonexistent. Eagle Rock Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Eagle Nest Lake: As of Monday, the lake was covered with a thin layer of ice and closed to ice fishing. For updated information, contact the State Park office at 575-377-1594. Hopewell Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Lagunitas Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week. Lake Alice: The lake is covered with a thin layer of ice and there is no fishing at present. Lake Maloya: As of Monday morning there was a layer of ice on the lake with several thin spots and the lake was closed to ice fishing. For updates, contact the State Park office at 575-445-5607. Los Pinos: We had no reports from anglers this week. Manzano Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Maxwell Lakes: Closed for the season. Monastery Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. The lake is closed to ice fishing. Morphy Lake: Closed for the season. Nutrias Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week. Pecos River: Water flow near the town of Pecos on Monday was 33 cfs. The Mora and Jamie Koch fishing and recreation areas have reopened. The Bert Clancy and Terrero campgrounds remain closed. With a good amount of ice on the upper river most of the fishing action this past week was in the Villanueva State Park area. Anglers rated fishing as fair and those having the best luck were using green and yellow Power Bait, salmon eggs and copper John Barrs. Red River: Water flow near the hatchery on Monday was 40 cfs. Trout fishing was very good over the past weekend. Josh Hanson of Albuquerque caught and released a total of 15 fish. It was a mixed bag of browns and rainbows caught on a variety flies. He was using egg patterns, copper John Barrs and wooly buggers. Rio Grande: Water flow near the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday was 411 cfs. Fishing was slow with just a few trout caught by anglers using streamers. We had no reports on other species. Rio Hondo: We had no reports from anglers. Rio Mora: Water flow near Terrero on Monday was 4.8 cfs.We had no reports from anglers this week. Rio Pueblo: We had no reports from anglers this week. Santa Barbara: We had no reports from anglers this week. Shuree Ponds: We had no reports from anglers. Springer Lake: We had no reports from anglers. Storrie Lake: There was a thin layer of ice on the lake as of Monday and it is currently closed to fishing. For updates, contact the State Park office at 505-425-7278. Ute Lake: Fishing picked up a bit this past week as weather improved for a day or two and allowed anglers to get out on the lake. It took a while to find the fish but those that did caught limits of walleye and white bass. They were fishing at depths of 45 to 50-feet and using slab spoons and blade baits. We had no reports on other species.

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing pressure was extremely light and fishing was slow for all species. Animas River: Water flow near Aztec on Monday morning was 302 cfs.We had no reports from anglers this week.Albuquerque Area Drains: Fishing was good using small midge patterns, San Juan worms, bead-head pheasant tails, Power Bait and salmon eggs. The best reports this past week came from anglers fishing the Belen, Peralta, Corrales, Albuquerque and Albuquerque South drains. Bluewater Lake: As of Monday the lake was closed to fishing due to thin ice conditions. For updates contact the State Park office at 505-876-2391. Anglers should be aware that it is illegal to use bait fish at this lake. Brazos River: We had no reports from anglers this week. Canjilon Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week. Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 348 cfs and 77 cfs respectively. Fishing below El Vado was good using night crawlers for a mixed bag of browns and rainbows. Fishing pressure was light. Trout fishing below Abiquiu was good for anglers using small midge patterns, copper John Barrs and blue wing olives. Cochiti Lake: As of Monday the main lake was free of ice and the main boat ramp was open. The Tetilla Peak area and the day use area are closed for the season but other areas are open for bank fishing. The weather should improve conditions this week so give this lake a try and let us know how you do. El Vado Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. The main area of the State Park has closed until March 31 but there is still fishing access and open water near the dam. Fenton Lake: A layer of ice has formed on the lake and it is closed to fishing. For updated conditions, contact the State Park office at 575-829-3630. Heron Lake: The only boat ramp open is the primitive ramp in the Ridge Rock area. Boaters are able to launch but advised to use caution. Launching with four wheel drive vehicles is recommended. Kokanee snagging was reported as very slow as one large group only managed seven fish over the weekend. Earlier in the week, bank fishing for rainbow trout was fair for anglers using roe sacs and corn. We had no reports on lake trout. Jackson Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Jemez Waters: The Jemez River was flowing at 17 cfs on Monday. Trout fishing on the lower section of the Jemez was slow with light pressure. A few trout were caught by anglers using salmon eggs, midge patterns and copper John Barrs. We had no reports from the Guadalupe, Cebolla, East Fork, San Antonio or Rio Las Vacas. The Valles Caldera has been closed to fishing for the winter but should be back up and running next spring. Laguna del Campo: Closed for the season. Lake Farmington: We had no reports from anglers this week. Navajo Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Fishing pressure was very light. San Gregorio: We had no reports from anglers this week. San Juan River: Water flow below Navajo Dam on Monday was 243 cfs. Weather was the big story again this past week as there was only light pressure from anglers. Fishing through the Quality Waters was fair to good small midge patterns bead-head pheasant tails, small copper John Barrs and wooly buggers. Fishing through the bait waters was fair using salmon eggs, Power Bait and wooly buggers. Santa Cruz Lake: Closed to ice fishing. Seven Springs Brood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week. Tingley Beach: Trout fishing continued to be very good this past week. Anglers did well using garlic scented Power Bait, salmon eggs, homemade dough bait and Pistol Petes at the Central and Youth Ponds. Anglers fishing the Catch and Release Pond did well using wooly buggers, midges, egg patterns, small streamers and bunny leeches.

Southwest

Bear Canyon: We had no reports from anglers this week. Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for trout was good using Power Bait, salmon eggs and Pistol Petes under a bubble. We had no reports on other species. Caballo Lake: Fishing pressure was very light and fishing was slow for all species Elephant Butte: Fishing was generally slow but there were a few white bass caught by anglers using jigging spoons and working main lake points. We had no reports on other species. The Marina del Sur, Rock Canyon and Dam Site boat ramps are now open. The Monticello ramp remains closed due to low water conditions. Escondida Lake: Fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, salmon eggs, marshmallow salmon egg combinations and homemade dough bait. We had no reports on other species. Gila River: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 94 cfs. We had no reports again this past week from the main river or from the Forks. Glenwood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.Lake Roberts: A construction project to improve the dam has begun and falling lake levels may make it increasingly difficult to fish. The project is expected to continue into next summer. Percha Dam: We had no reports from anglers this week. Quemado Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Rio Grande: We had no reports from anglers this week. Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Young Pond: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using Power Bait and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species.

Southeast

Bataan Lake: Trout fishing was slow to fair for anglers using salmon eggs and Power Bait. We had no reports on other species. Black River: Stream flow at Malaga on Monday was 18 cfs. Trout fishing was slow to fair using salmon eggs and copper John Barrs. Blue Hole Park Pond: Trout fishing was fair to good using salmon eggs and garlic scented Power Bait. Bonito Lake: Closed. Bosque Redondo: Trout fishing was good using garlic scented Power Bait, salmon eggs and small spoons. We had no reports on other species. Bottomless Lakes: Trout fishing at the Devil’s Inkwell was good this past week. Anglers did well using Power Bait and Z Rays. 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 good using salmon eggs, Power Bait and small spinners. Chaparral Park Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good for anglers using worms, Power Bait and salmon eggs. El Rito Creek: We had no reports from anglers this week. Eunice Lake: Trout fishing was good using salmon eggs and Power Bait. Green Meadow Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good using worms, Power Bait and salmon eggs. A few fish were also caught by anglers using spinners. Greene Acres Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good using salmon peach, green and rainbow Power Bait and salmon eggs. Grindstone Reservoir: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait, small Kastmasters and salmon eggs. Jal Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good using salmon eggs and Power Bait. Lake Van: Fishing was fair using Power Bait and salmon eggs. Oasis Park Lake: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait, salmon eggs and Pistol Petes. Pecos River: Stream flow below Sumner Lake on Monday was 15 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week. Perch Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Ruidoso River: Stream flow at Ruidoso on Monday was 5.1 cfs. Trout fishing was slow. Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing was slow for all species and fishing pressure was extremely light. The water was still murky but clearing. Sumner Lake: Fishing pressure was extremely light and fishing was slow for all species. The Alamo boat ramp and the main boat ramp are the only ramps open.