Fishing report - Oct. 20

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, OCT. 20, 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 29 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam and 29 cfs near Cimarron. Fishing is good with dry dropper set-ups or midge pupa during the day. Dry fly action is good with blue-wing olives, Parachute Adams or caddis in the evenings. Salmon eggs or worms are always a good bet for bait fishermen.

Costilla Creek – The flows are .52 cfs below the dam and 8.5 cfs near the town of Costilla. Trout fishing is reported as slow to fair due to very low water levels. Best bet is dry dropper rigs and spinners.

Red River - Flows at Questa are 16 cfs, and 44 cfs below the hatchery. Fishing is fair for rainbows up to 16 inches with bead head nymphs, copper johns, red micro mayflies and a dry dropper rig with caddis and a trailing blue-wing olive emergers. Bait fishermen might try salmon eggs or Power Bait. The section below Questa was stocked last week with 429 Triploid Rainbow Trout.

Rio Grande - Flows are 65 cfs near Cerro and 219 cfs below the Taos Junction Bridge. The low flows in the Wild Rivers area is offering opportunities to access the stretches of river in the upper canyon. This is a great time of year to fish Little and Big Arsenic or Sheep's Crossing. The water is murky with visibility about 3 feet. Trout are good in the mornings and evenings with bead head nymphs, stonefly nymphs, caddis larva and white or olive streamers. Smallmouth bass are fair using streamers. No reports on other species. The Middle Rio Grande was stocked with 3,160 Triploid Rainbow Trout last week.

Rio Hondo –The water is low but fishable with flows at 14 cfs. Trout are slow to fair with hoppers, elk hair caddis or stimulators.

Rio Pueblo - Flow is 15 cfs and there is no report this week.

Cabresto Lake – No report this week.

Charette Lakes – Trout are fair from shore with Power Bait fished off the bottom and worms and hoppers fished from a bubble on top. Fish are averaging 14 - 20 inches. No reports on other species. The lake closes Oct. 31 and re-opens next March.

Clayton Lake –There has been light pressure and fishing is slow for all species. The lake closes Oct. 31 and re-opens next March.

Eagle Nest Lake – Trout are good trolling Platte River Specials. Shore fishing and fishing from boats anchored for rainbows is reported as good with olive woolly buggers, Power Bait and worms. Kokanee snagging season started as of Oct. 1 and will run till Dec. 31. Reports are still slow for snagging at this time. Perch are good on worms.

Lake Alice and Lake Maloya – Trout are reported as good in both lakes with woolly buggers, Pistol Petes, dough baits and Power Bait. Both lakes were stocked last week; Lake Alice with 400 Triploid Rainbow Trout and Lake Maloya with 2,399 Triploid Rainbow Trout.

Maxwell Lakes – Lake #13 is experiencing a turn over and water clarity is poor. No report on the other lakes. The lakes close Oct. 31 and re-open next March.

Santa Cruz Lake – The water level is very low and fishing is poor from the bank. The boat ramp closed on Sept. 25 because of low water.

Shuree Ponds – Fishing is reported as good from shore and from a float tube for trout averaging from 14 - 20 inches. Best success is reported with spinners and various bead headed nymphs. The ponds close Dec. 31 and re-open next July.

Springer Lakes – Water levels are low and there has been light pressure.

Southeast

Black River - Flow is 8.8 cfs. There is no fishing report.

Bonito Creek – There is a little more water in the creek but there is no fishing report.

Rio Ruidoso - Flow is 5.7 cfs. The water is low and trout are fair to good with worms or salmon eggs.

Bonito Lake - Fishing is good using with Pistol Petes, spinners, spoons, salmon eggs or Power Bait. Lots of nice sized fish being landed. The lake closes for the season Nov. 30 and reopens next April.

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

Brantley Reservoir – There has been light pressure. Catfish are reported as fair at night with night crawlers. 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 fishing is good, limits reported taken with marshmallows and Power Bait. Also reported best near the dam on worms ,salmon eggs and Power Bait.

Lake Van - Winter trout waters – No report.

Northwest

Animas River - The flow is 151 cfs. Fishing in and around Aztec is reported as slow overall. River was stocked last week with 400 Triploid Rainbow Trout.

Chama River - Upper section flow is 34 cfs and dry fly fishing is good above the town of Chama with caddis, blue-wing olives, and grasshoppers. Brown Trout are entering spawning stages, please respect these fish during this time. Below El Vado Dam, the flow is 275 cfs and the water is off color. Conditions remain the same, fishing is good for browns averaging 14 -18 inches. Anglers are having success using black and gold Panther Martins or night crawlers. 11-14 inch rainbows are fair to good using Power Bait, night crawlers or salmon eggs. Wooly buggers and bead headed nymphs are reported working for both species.

San Juan River - Upper section-Catch and Release flow is 611 cfs and visibility is 2 and 1/2 feet. Fishing is good for rainbows and browns. The best fishing in the morning will be with midge pupa and larvae, size 24 and 26. You can find fish eating dark midges in black, brown, dark gray and olive. Try fishing blue-wing olive's from 11:00 am to about 5:00 pm. Dark gray and olive been the best colors in a size 22 and 24. Back to midges in the evenings.

Lower section – Open waters, fishing is good with night crawlers, salmon eggs and the same flies as for the upper section.

Abiquiu Lake - Fishing pressure continues to be light and fishing has improved a bit with the cooler temperatures. A few smallmouth bass have been caught in the coves with top water lures and fishing is good with worms or salmon eggs.

El Vado Lake – Salmon snagging season is reported as fair to good with some limits being taken. Kokanee snagging season started as of Oct. 1 and will run till Dec. 31.

Heron Lake – Sept. 30 marked the end of Kokanee fishing, and the lake will be closed to snagging from Oct. 1 to Nov. 11. Salmon snagging season is open from Nov. 12 through Dec 31. Shore fishing for trout is reported as good with roe collected from salmon caught at El Vado Lake. Worms and Power Bait are also working.

Jackson Lake – The lake was stocked with 1,599 Triploid Rainbow Trout so fishing should be picking up at the lake but no reports have been received.

Lake Farmington – Trout fishing is reported as fair, some anglers are having luck trolling in deep water with streamers.

Morgan Lake – Bass fishing is picking up with cooler temperatures. 5 - 6 inch Strike King Plastic worms in dark colors are reported catching the fish.

Navajo Lake – Fishing pressure has been light. Salmon snagging is being reported as fair to good. This year the season continues to deliver, still a ways off from peak but looking like a strong year for Kokanee. Kokanee snagging season started as of Oct. 1 and will run till Dec. 31. 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. The streams are low and clear. Dry fly action remains good in the upper streams with caddis, terrestrials, or yellow stimulators. Panther Martins, Power Bait or worms will also work. The Jemez River was stocked with 800 Triploid Rainbow Trout.

Metro Drainages – No report this week.

Bluewater Lake – No report.

Cochiti Lake – Slow for all species.

Fenton Lake – The water is clear and fishing is good from shore with Power Bait. Better fishing is reported from float tubes and boats with green or black woolly buggers or green Pistol Petes. The lake was Stocked with 1,599 Triploid Rainbow Trout.

Tingley Beach - South Pond catch and release - Trout fishing is poor. Look for this pond to be stocked in late October. Children's and Central Ponds – Bluegills are good with worms under a bobber. Catfish are good before noon and in the early evenings using homemade baits. No report on bass.

East–Central, including the Pecos River

Coyote Creek - Flow is 4.1 cfs. The water is low and fishing is slow.

Pecos River - Flows are 35 cfs near Pecos and 88 cfs below Sumner Dam. Fishing has not changed much, Hatches of caddis, yellow sallies and blue - wing olives are ongoing and fishing is good. Low levels and clear water require a stealthy approach when fishing this time of year.

Conchas Lake – Fishing is improving as temperatures cool down. White bass are fair, all methods are working with a few big fish reported. Catfish are good with chicken liver. A few small walleye and a few large crappie have been caught on worms or minnows.

Morphy Lake – Reports are fair to good for trout using Power Baits, salmon eggs or worms. The lake closes Oct. 31 and re-opens next April.

Santa Rosa Lake – Water release has stopped but fishing remains slow for all species.

Storrie Lake – There has been light pressure and trout are fair. Catfish are fair at night with chicken liver.

Sumner Lake - Winter trout waters, stilling basin – Pressure has been light and fishing is slow for all species. Fishing has picked up some, now that the water has cooled off a little. One angler caught a 3.5 lb Largemouth Bass from the shoreline on a Hula popper. There were some reports of Small Mouth bass being caught over the weekend, but most were small. Silver Cast masters and jigging with grubs was working best. Fair to good for catfish below the dam with chicken livers.

Ute Lake – Walleye are fair to good, trolling deep divers at 25 feet near main channel and with night crawlers on the bottom in 25 - 30 feet of water. White bass are fair to good trolling deep divers in the main channel at 25 feet. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are slow. Catfish are good with stink bait, chicken liver or night crawlers in 4 - 15 feet of water.

Southwest

Gila River - The flow is 55 cfs and fishing is slow.

Rio Grande - The flow is 34 cfs below Elephant Butte Dam. A few walleye and a few white bass are still being caught on worms below Caballo Dam.

Bill Evans Lake — Winter trout waters – No report.

Caballo Lake – Fishing is generally slow with light pressure. Lake levels are low but gates have been closed and levels are rising. Catfish are good at the mouth of the river with chicken liver, worms or shrimp.

Elephant Butte Lake – Fishing pressure has been light and conditions remain unchanged from last week. White bass, many over 14 inches, are fair with shiners or white jigging spoons. Striped bass are very slow. Catfish are good with liver, minnows or shrimp. No reports on other species.

Glenwood Ponds – Fishing has been slow with light pressure. The ponds were stocked with 221 Triploid Rainbow Trout last week

Lake Roberts – Trout are fair on worms and catfish are good with worms or hot dogs.

Quemado Lake – Trout are slow with Power Bait or worms. Tiger Muskies are reported as slow to fair using Z-rays or Rapalas.

Snow Lake – No report.

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