Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

New Mexico fishing report — May 1

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: Trout fishing was fair to good using spinners, worms and Power Bait. We had no reports on perch. Cimarron River: Stream flow below Eagle Nest on Monday was 2.2 cfs. We had no reports from anglers on the river but trout fishing at the Gravel Pit Lakes was good using Power Bait, Pistol Petes and salmon eggs. Clayton Lake: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait from the bank and trolling gold spoons from boats. We had no reports on other species. Conchas Lake: Walleye fishing was rated as slow but there were a few limits caught by anglers using spinner-night crawler rigs and crank baits. Fishing was slow to fair using minnows and small jigs for crappie. Fishing was slow to fair using tubes, senkos and jerk baits for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. We had no reports on other species. Coyote Creek: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait, salmon eggs, worms and small wet flies. Eagle Rock Lake: Fishing was very good using Kastmasters, Daredevles and Power Bait for trout. Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing from the bank was fair using Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species. The main boat ramp is open but there is no boat dock in the water at this time. Lake Alice: We had no reports from anglers this week. Lake Maloya: Hot spot for trout: Trout fishing was excellent using Power Bait, salmon eggs, corn, worms, Panther Martins, Daredevles and Pistol Petes. The fish ranged in size from 10 to 20 inches. Los Pinos: We had no reports from anglers this week. Manzano Lake: Fishing was fair using Power Bait, salmon eggs and Pistol Petes for trout. Maxwell Lake 13: Trout fishing was very good using Power Bait, salmon eggs, Kastmasters, Super Dupers and worms. We had no reports on other species. Monastery Lake: Fishing was fair using Power Bait, Pistol Petes, worms and salmon eggs. Morphy Lake: Fishing was very good using Power Bait, salmon eggs, worms, homemade dough bait, Pistol Petes and small Daredevles for trout. The boat ramp remains closed due to low water conditions. Pecos River: Water flow near the town of Pecos on Monday was 99 cfs. The Bert Clancy and Terrero campgrounds are now open. Trout fishing was rated fair to good using worms. Red River: Water flow near the hatchery on Monday was 95 cfs. The water was off-color and fishing was slow. Rio Costilla: We had no reports from anglers this week. Rio Grande: Water flow near the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday was 470 cfs. Trout fishing was slow but there were a few fish caught by anglers using spinners and weighted wooly buggers. We had no reports on other species. Rio Hondo: Stream flow near Valdez on Monday was 39 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week. Rio Mora: Stream flow near Terrero on Monday was 31 cfs. Trout fishing was slow to fair using worms. Rio Pueblo: Stream flow near Penasco on Monday was 93 cfs. Fishing was slow due to the high flows. Santa Barbara: We had no reports from anglers this week. Shuree Ponds: Closed for the season. Springer Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Storrie Lake: Fishing was slow and fishing pressure was very light due to strong wind conditions for most of the week. Ute Lake: Fishing was fair to good using jig-and-minnow and spinner-night crawler rigs for walleye. Fishing was good trolling crank baits for white bass. Fishing was fair using chigger craws and tubes for largemouth bass. Fishing was slow to fair using minnows for crappie. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the mid-50s.

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: Strong winds kept anglers off the lake for most of the past week. We had no reports. Animas River: Water flow near Aztec on Monday morning was 1,210 cfs.We had no reports from anglers this week. Albuquerque Area Drains: Fishing on the Albuquerque South drain was fair to good using worms for trout. We had no reports on other species or from other drains. Bluewater Lake: Fishing was fair using hot dogs, spoons and jerk baits for tiger musky. Fishing for all other species was slow. Anglers should be aware that it is illegal to use bait fish at this lake. Brazos River: Trout fishing was fair using copper John Barrs and worms. Canjilon Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week. Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 300 cfs and 451 cfs respectively. Fishing below El Vado was fair using worms and salmon eggs. We had no reports from below Abiquiu. Cochiti Lake: Before the strong winds arrived, fishing was fair using crank baits and jerk baits for smallmouth bass and walleye. Fishing was fair to good using liver and night crawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species. El Vado Lake: The State Park and the boat ramp are now open. We had no reports from anglers. Fenton Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, worms, wooly buggers and Pistol Petes. Heron Lake: Fishing continued to be a bit slow for lake trout with just a few caught by anglers using jigs tipped with white tubes and cut bait. Anglers fishing from the bank and using Power Bait and others trolling spinners picked up a few rainbow trout. We had no reports on other species. The lake level continues to rise but four wheel drive was still recommended for launching at the primitive ramp. Jackson Lake: Fishing was good using spinners, Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species. Jemez Waters: Stream flow on the Jemez as of Monday was 46 cfs. Fishing was slow with just a few trout caught by anglers using worms. Fishing on the Cebolla was slow to fair using worms and grasshoppers. We had no reports from the other Jemez streams. The East Fork on the Valles Caldera has opened for weekend fishing and the full fishing schedule for the East Fork and the San Antonio will begin May 16. For additional information and reservations call 1-866-382-5537. Laguna del Campo: Opens for the season May 1. Open during daylight hours from 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. Open to anglers 14 years of age or younger and up to two parents or guardians directly supervising young anglers. Open to anglers 65 and older or anglers/individuals with disabilities with a handicap fishing license. No boats or floating devices allowed. Lake Farmington: Fishing was fair using Power Bait, salmon eggs, Panther Martins and Super Dupers for trout. We had no reports on other species. Navajo Lake: Fishing was good using minnows, chartreuse grubs, tubes and jigs for crappie. Anglers are finding the crappie in the backs of side canyons. Fishing for all other species was slow. The surface water temp was in the low 50s. San Gregorio: We had no reports from anglers this week. San Juan River: Water flow below Navajo Dam on Monday was 255 cfs. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters was good using RS2s, Johnny Flashes, Crystal Flash midge patterns, red larva and comparaduns. Dry fly action was spotty at best. Fishing through the bait waters was good using Yozuri pins minnows, copper John Barrs, salmon eggs, night crawlers and San Juan worms. Santa Cruz Lake: Trout fishing was slow to fair for anglers using Power Bait, Kastmasters, Z Rays, salmon eggs and worms. Fishing pressure was light due to strong winds in the area. Seven Springs Brood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week. This pond was recently stocked and is a great place to take the youngsters. Tingley Beach: Fishing at the Youth and Central Ponds was fair using Power Bait, worms and Pistol Petes for trout. We had no reports from the Catch and Release Pond.

Southwest

Bear Canyon: Fishing was fair to good using worms, Power Bait, Pistol Petes and salmon eggs for trout. Fishing was fair using night crawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species. Bill Evans Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Caballo Lake: Fishing was fair to good using grubs, jerk baits and crank baits for white bass. Fishing was fair using night crawlers and liver for catfish. Fishing for all other species was slow. Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using senkos, sweet beavers, tubes, crank baits and spinner baits for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Fishing was fair to good using crank baits, jerk baits and Flicker Shad for white bass. Anglers using crank baits also picked up a few walleye. Fishing for crappie was slow but there were a few caught by anglers using minnows and small jigs. Fishing was fair using hot dogs, liver and night crawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species. The Marina Del Sur, Rock Canyon and Dam Site marinas are open. The surface temp was in the low 60s during the past week but dropped 4 degrees over the weekend. Escondida Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Gila River: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 62 cfs. We had no reports from anglers. Glenwood Pond: Trout fishing was fair to good using Power Bait. Lake Roberts: A construction project to improve the dam has begun and extremely low lake levels make it increasingly difficult to fish. The project is expected to continue into the summer. The lake is still open to bank fishing but we had no reports from anglers this week. Percha Dam: We had no reports from anglers this week. Quemado Lake: Fishing was good using worms, Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on tiger musky. Rio Grande: Water flow below Elephant Butte on Monday was 1.7 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week. Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Young Pond: Fishing was slow to fair using worms, corn, salmon eggs and Power Bait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Southeast

Bataan Lake: Fishing was fair using small spoons, wooly buggers, worms and Power Bait for trout. We had no reports on other species. Black River: Stream flow at Malaga on Monday was 6.1 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week. Blue Hole Park Pond: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait and salmon eggs. Bonito Lake: Closed. Bosque Redondo: Fishing was slow for all species. Bottomless Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week. Brantley Lake: Anglers are to practice catch-and-release for all fish here as high levels of DDT were found in several fish. We had no reports from anglers this week. Carlsbad Municipal Lake: The water level has been lowered for shoreline and dock work. The winter trout stocking has been diverted to Bataan Lake. Chaparral Park Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. El Rito Creek: Trout fishing was fair using worms, homemade dough bait and Power Bait. Eunice Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Green Meadow Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Greene Acres Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Grindstone Reservoir: Trout fishing was very good for anglers using Power Bait, salmon eggs, Power eggs and small spoons. We had no reports on other species. Jal Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using Kastmasters, Super Dupers and homemade dough bait for trout. We had no reports on other species. Lake Van: We had no reports from anglers this week. Oasis Park Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Pecos River: Stream flow below Sumner Lake on Monday was 1,520 cfs. The water release from Sumner Lake that began last Wednesday was expected to last for 15 days. The area below Sumner Lake will be closed during the release. We had no reports from anglers. Perch Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Ruidoso River: Stream flow at Hollywood on Monday was 6.2 cfs. Trout fishing was fair to good using worms and salmon eggs. Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing continued to be very slow for all species. The lake level was dropping as the result of a water release that started last Wednesday.

Sumner Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Fishing pressure was extremely light. A water release began last Wednesday and was expected to run for 15 days.