Dec. 3 — 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 0.70 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam and 14 cfs near Cimarron. Fishing conditions have changed to slow due to water levels and cold weather. Conditions will are not likely to improve much until spring when warmer weather and flows come back.

Costilla Creek – The flow is 2.8 cfs near the town of Costilla. No report due to ice and low flows.

Red River - Flows at Questa not read due to ice and 35 cfs below the hatchery. Fishing is fair for rainbows below the hatchery with bead head nymphs and various flies. Bait fishermen might try spinners, salmon eggs or Power Bait.

Rio Grande - Flows are 330 cfs near Cerro and 334 cfs below the Taos Junction Bridge. Fishing is slow to fair at Pilar. Trout are fair with bead head nymphs and streamers. Best bet is to fish edges and eddies. Some pike have been taken on large spinners and red and white whisters.

Rio Hondo – Flows not read due to ice. Lower section at confluence with Rio Grande is where the only opportunities are until spring. Trout are slow to fair with various flies, spinners and worms.

Rio Pueblo - Flow is 11 cfs and there is no report this week.

Cabresto Lake – Frozen over.

Charette Lakes – The lake closed Oct. 31 and re-opens next March.

Clayton Lake – The lake closed Oct. 31 and re-opens next March.

Eagle Nest Lake – Fishing has slowed due to weather. The lake is starting to freeze up and boat ramps are closed for the season. Shore fishing for rainbows is reported as fair when ice is thawed off in the warmer afternoons with gold Cast Masters, olive woolly buggers, Power Bait and worms. Kokanee snagging season will run through Dec. 31. Snagging for salmon is reported as off and on around the boat ramp, the south part of the lake and on the Northeast side. Perch are good on worms.

Lake Alice and Lake Maloya – Trout are reported as good in Lake Maloya using woolly buggers, Pistol Petes, dough baits and Power Bait. Lake Alice is frozen over.

Maxwell Lakes – The lakes closed Oct. 31 and re-open next March.

Santa Cruz Lake – No report.

Shuree Ponds – Frozen over.

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

Southeast

Black River - Flow is 13 cfs. No report.

Bonito Creek – No report.

Rio Ruidoso - Flow is .02 cfs. The water is low and trout are slow with worms or salmon eggs.

Bonito Lake - The lake closed for the season Nov. 30 and reopens next April.

Bottomless Lakes: Winter trout waters – Fair to good for trout when using worms, spinners, power bait and salmon eggs.

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. Pesticides, DDTs have been found in the fish, do not keep or eat them.

Grindstone Reservoir – Fishing is reported as excellent for trout using spinners, Marshmallows, worms, power bait and salmon eggs.

Lake Van: Winter trout waters – Fair to good for trout when using worms, spinners, power bait and salmon eggs.

Northwest

Animas River - The flow is 351 cfs. Fishing is reported as slow with little pressure.

Chama River - Upper section flow is 142 cfs, no report on the fishing there. Below El Vado Dam, the flow is 79 cfs and the water is off color. The fishing continues to be 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 also reported as good using Power Bait, night crawlers or salmon eggs. Wooly buggers and bead headed nymphs are reported working for both species. The river was stocked with 384 rainbow trout last week.

San Juan River - Upper section-Catch and Release flow is 487 cfs and visibility is 5 feet. Fishing is good for rainbows and browns. The midge hatch has been epic in the morning! The best fishing will be with midge pupa and larvae, size 24 and 26, clusters are working as well. You can find fish eating midges of all colors, dark midges have been best, black, brown, dark gray and olive. Some fish have been eating cream as well. Try fishing BWO's from 11 a.m. to about 3 p.m. Dark gray and olive have been the best colors in a size 22 and 24. Back to midges in the evenings. Black and brown have been producing the best results.

Lower section – Open waters, fishing is good with night crawlers, salmon eggs and the same flies as for the upper section. The lower section below quality waters was stocked with 1,361 rainbow trout last week.

Abiquiu Lake - Fishing is very slow. The Army Corps of Engineers have switched over to winter staffing and all but a few primitive sites are closed for the season. There was very little pressure and fishing is reported as very slow.

El Vado Lake – No report due to weather and light pressure.

Heron Lake – Cold weather has kept most anglers away from the lake and ice is starting to form around the edges of the lake. Salmon snagging season is open through Dec 31. Snagging along the shore from Piedra Cove to the east side of the dam was reported as slow. Shore fishing for trout has also slowed down; best bet is to use spinners, worms and Power Bait.

Jackson Lake – Lots of bird hunters on the lake and very little fishing pressure.

Lake Farmington – Trout fishing is reported as slow to fair; some anglers are having luck trolling in deep water with streamers and woolly buggers.

Morgan Lake – Bass fishing is good. 5 - 6 inch Strike King Plastics and Finesse worms in dark colors with bright colored bellies are reported catching the fish.

Navajo Lake – Kokanee snagging has run its cycle at Navajo Lake. The fish have ended their spawning and are dying off. Northern pike, smallmouth and largemouth bass are reported as slow and infrequent with the best chance of success in the Frances and La Jara Canyons using tubes and crank baits. Also, worms and spinners are working for the bass. No report on other species.