Fishing report - Aug. 24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, AUG. 24, 2010: NEW MEXICO FISHING REPORT

This fishing report, provided by the Department of Game and Fish and thefishphone.com, 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.

Northeast

Cimarron River - The flows are 42 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam and 39 cfs near Cimarron. Fishing is good in the mornings with olive or cinnamon caddis, tricos, or Parachute Adams. Nymphs or bead head flash back Hare’s Ears are working well throughout the day. Panther Martins, salmon eggs or worms are always a good bet.

Costilla Creek – The flows are 59 cfs below the dam and 72 cfs near the town of Costilla. Fishing is very good with small bead head nymphs, BWO emergers or Barr’s emergers. Dry fly fishing is good with attractors, yellow sallies, caddis or hoppers. 360 trout were stocked last week.

Red River - Flows at Questa are 29 cfs, and 69 cfs below the hatchery. Stocker-size trout are good with yellow grasshoppers or rubber leg sparrow nymphs. Bait fishermen might try salmon eggs or Power Bait. Last week, 632 rainbows were stocked below Questa and 1,800 triploid rainbows were stocked above Questa.

Rio Grande - Flows are 69 cfs near Cerro and 224 cfs below the Taos Junction Bridge. The water is murky and trout are fair in the mornings and evenings with hopper-dropper set-ups most successful. No reports on other species.

Rio Hondo – The upper and lower Hondo are fishing well with dries. 1,800 trout were stocked in the lower Hondo last week.

Rio Pueblo - Flow is 46 cfs. The water is clear and fishing is good with attractor dry flies and bead head nymphs.

Cabresto Lake – Fishing is slow.

Charette Lakes – The water level is good and 14-18 inch rainbows are reported as good trolling cowbell-worm combos and fishing from shore with Power Bait, worms, or floating grasshoppers. Perch are good with worms.

Clayton Lake –There has been light pressure and fishing is slow. A few channel catfish have been caught on night crawlers. Look for fishing to pick up in the next few weeks.

Eagle Nest Lake – An algae bloom is in progress and fishing is slow. A few trout have been picked up at the south end of the lake trolling Platte River Specials. Salmon are deep and trolling is slow with Christmas tree rigs or double whammies. Perch are slow to fair with small woolly buggers or worms.

Lake Alice and Lake Maloya – Lake Alice reports are poor. Trout are fair at Maloya in the early mornings and evenings with Pistol Petes, salmon eggs or Power Bait.

Maxwell Lakes – Fishing in the mornings or evenings is fair to good for 18-21 inch rainbows with Power Bait.

Santa Cruz Lake – No report this week. 3,498 trout were stocked last week.

Shuree Ponds – Fishing is reported as good from float tubes and shore. All methods are catching fish.

Springer Lakes – 24-26 inch pike are fair with large lures or minnows. No reports on other species.

Southeast

Black River - Flow is 11 cfs. There is no fishing report.

Bonito Creek - Trout are good on salmon eggs and worms.

Rio Ruidoso - Flow is at 4.7 cfs. Trout are reported as good with Pistol Petes, worms or salmon eggs.

Bonito Lake - Fishing is fair in the evenings with Pistol Petes, salmon eggs or worms.

Bottomless Lakes — Winter trout waters – There will be no more reports until stocking resumes in the fall.

Brantley Reservoir – There has been no pressure and no fishing report. A mandatory catch and release is in place at Brantley Lake from the dept. of Game and Fish. Pesticides, DDT’s have been found in the fish, do not keep or eat them.

Grindstone Reservoir – Trout are fair to good with Pistol Petes, Power Bait, salmon eggs or worms. No reports on catfish.

Lake Van — Winter trout waters – Catfish are reported as slow at night on chicken liver.

Northwest

Animas River - The flow is 393 cfs. The water is lower but still murky and fishing is slow.

Chama River - Upper section flow is 43 cfs and dry fly fishing is good above the town of Chama with caddis, PMD’s, and grasshoppers. 1,128 rainbows were stocked above El Vado last week. Below El Vado Dam, the flow is 927 cfs and the water is green and murky. Fishing is fair with woolly buggers, Panther Martins or night crawlers. A couple 18-19 inch browns and an 18-inch rainbow were caught last Friday on night crawlers. 450 rainbows were stocked below El Vado last week.

San Juan River - Upper section-Catch and Release flow is 769 cfs and visibility is 3 feet. The flows are back up since the Animas flows have declined. Trout are good and best patterns have been gray Johnny flashes, cream UFO’s, #18 red midge larva, and black jujubees. Some anglers are having success with red San Juan worms and pink micro eggs. Dry fly fishing is good from Simon Canyon downstream with Griffith gnats, Parachute Adams, Parachute BWOs, and PMD comparaduns.

Lower section – Open waters, fishing is good for stocker-size rainbows with lime green lures, mealworms, salmon eggs and the same flies as for the upper section.

Abiquiu Lake – Fishing is slow for all species.

El Vado Lake – There has been light pressure and there is no report on trout or Kokanee.

Heron Lake – Trolling for 12-15 inch Kokanee has been good with many limits reported. Most success has been in the early mornings at 34-47 feet with orange or red spinners or bladed lures tipped with white corn. Shore fishing for rainbows is poor with little pressure.

Jackson Lake - Trout are reported as slow with spinners or Power Bait.

Lake Farmington – Trout are slow with worms, spinners or Power Bait.

Morgan Lake – Catfish are fair at night with chicken or stink bait.

Navajo Lake – There has been light pressure and fishing is slow for most species. A few pike have been caught with spinners, Rapalas or crank baits. Kokanee are fair trolling Arnie’s lures or double whammies. No reports on other species.

West-Central, including the Jemez Mountains

Jemez River, East Fork, Guadalupe and San Antonio - Flow on the Jemez River is 14 cfs. There hasn’t been any rain in the past week and the streams are low and clear. Dry fly action is good in the upper streams with black ants, hoppers or yellow stimulators. The lower shaded areas are good with bead head nymphs, copper johns, Panther Martins, Power Bait or worms.

Metro Drainages – No report this week.

Bluewater Lake – A few tiger muskies have been caught on spoons, but there are no reports of any large enough to keep. Trout and catfish are slow.

Cochiti Lake – The water is murky and there has been light pressure. Catfish are good using worms or chicken liver and bluegills are good with worms. No reports on other species.

Fenton Lake – The algae has cleared and fishing is good with Power Bait, salmon eggs or worms. 184 cutthroats, 13-15 inches in size, were stocked last week.

Tingley Beach - South Pond catch and release - Trout fishing is poor and won’t improve until the temperatures are cooler. Children's and Central Ponds - Bluegills are excellent with small pieces of bait under a bobber. Catfish are fair in the mornings and evenings using hotdogs. No reports on bass.

East–Central, including the Pecos River

Coyote Creek - Flows are 3.3 cfs. The water is low and fishing is slow.

Pecos River - Flows are 92 cfs near Pecos and 101 cfs below Sumner Dam. Hatches of caddis, yellow sallies and some late golden stones are still ongoing, and fishing is good below Terrero. Best flies have been miracle nymphs, RS2's, wonder baetis, batwing emergers, headlight sallies, never-sink caddis, and parachute pheasant tails. Last week 2,467 rainbows were stocked from Cowles to the village of Pecos.

Conchas Lake – The water is murky and the temperature is about 75 degrees. Walleye are in deep water and are reported as fair to good with minnows, although many are small. Catfish are good at night with chicken liver. No reports on other species.

Morphy Lake – Trout are slow with Power Bait.

Santa Rosa Lake – Largemouth and smallmouth bass are good with crank baits, white curly tails or other white plastics. Catfish are good on cut bait or chicken liver. No reports on other species.

Storrie Lake – Many limits of trout are being caught in the Gallinas River with fireballs and Power Bait working best. In the lake, 10-15 pound catfish are good at night on shrimp or chicken liver. No reports on other species.

Sumner Lake - Winter trout waters, stilling basin – Pressure has been light and fishing is slow for all species. There are reports of a few catfish being caught below the dam with chicken liver or worms.

Ute Lake – The main lake is clear and the river arms are stained. Catfish are good at 4-8 feet with stink bait or chicken liver. White bass are fair at 30 feet with jigging spoons. No reports on other species.

Southwest

Gila River - The flow is 78 cfs and fishing is slow in the lower streams. Reports are good for the upper Middle and East Forks, but anglers will need to hike in or go by horseback.

Rio Grande - The flow is 2,180 cfs below Elephant Butte Dam. No fishing report.

Bill Evans Lake — Winter trout waters – Trout are slow with fireballs, salmon eggs or worms. No reports on other species.

Caballo Lake – White bass are fair casting minnows or worms around the brush in the shady areas and trolling by the dam with bombers, Kastmasters or sassy shad. Catfish are good with chicken liver. No reports on other species.

Elephant Butte Lake – Fishing for white bass is very good with shiners or sassy shad. Striped bass, in the 15–20 pound range, are good at the south end of the lake trolling live bait. Catfish are good with liver or shrimp. Crappie are fair on minnows. No reports on other species.

Glenwood Ponds – Stocker-size trout are good with worms or salmon eggs.

Lake Roberts – Pressure has been light and trout are slow to fair near the spillway with Power Bait, salmon eggs or worms. Catfish are reported as good with worms or chicken liver. No reports on bass.

Quemado Lake – Trout are good with Power Bait or worms. Last week, a 30-inch rainbow was caught from the bank on a spinner. Tiger muskies are good with Z-rays, spinners or worms. A 42-inch muskie was caught last week and several other keeper-size muskies were caught and released.

Snow Lake – No report.

Tune in to New Mexico Game and Fish TV: “New Mexico Wildlife”