Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

N.M. fishing report — Aug. 14

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 slow to fair using Power Bait, worms, Pistol Petes and spinners. We had no reports on perch. Cimarron River: Stream flow below Eagle Nest on Monday was 6.6cfs. Trout was fair to good using tricos, hoppers, stimulators, ants, salmon eggs and worms. Fishing at the Gravel Pit Lakes was slow to fair using hoppers, Pistol Petes and salmon eggs. Clayton Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait in the evening hours for trout. We had no reports on other species. Fishing pressure was light Conchas Lake: Fishing was fair trolling crank baits for white bass and an occasional walleye. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was slow but there were a few caught by anglers using jerk baits, tubes and top water lures. We had no reports on other species. Coyote Creek: We had no reports from anglers this week. Eagle Rock Lake: Trout fishing was very good using worms, Power Bait and spinners. Eagle Nest Lake: Hot spot for perch: Fishing was excellent using worms from shore and from anchored boats for perch. Fishing was fair to good in the early morning hours using Platte River specials and Power Bait on light tackle for rainbow trout and an occasional kokanee. Fishing was slow to fair using night crawlers, spoons and Rapalas for northern pike. Gallinas River: We had no reports from anglers this week. Hopewell Lake: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait and worms. Lake Alice: We had no reports from anglers this week. Lake Maloya: Trout fishing was good using Pistol Petes, worms, homemade dough bait and Power Bait. Los Pinos: We had no reports from anglers this week. Manzano Lake: Len Lo Presto of Las Cruces had a great time here this past week. He caught trout on dry flies and smallmouth bass on spinners and Kastmasters. The key for the trout was to wade out about 15 feet from shore at the southwest corner of the lake and use small (size 22 midge pattern). He caught numerous small trout just off the edge of the weed line. In addition, he caught smallmouth bass while using white Kastmasters and Mepps spinners with a white blade and white body. Anglers fishing with bait and other lures had no luck. Maxwell Lake 13: Fishing was slow for all species. Monastery Lake: Trout fishing was very good using garlic Power Bait, salmon eggs and worms. A few fish were also taken on Pistol Petes. Morphy Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Pecos River: Water flow near the town of Pecos on Monday was 74cfs. Trout fishing was fair to good using worms and salmon eggs for stocked rainbow trout. Fishing was fair using elk hair caddis and worms for brown trout. We had no reports on catfish. Red River: Water flow near the hatchery on Monday was 53cfs. The river was blown out over the weekend and fishing was slow. Fishing at the hatchery pond was good using salmon eggs and Power Bait. Rio Costilla: Water flow below the dam as of Monday morning was 44cfs. Trout fishing was good using PMDs, stimulators and small hopper patterns. Rio Grande: Water flow near the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday was 434cfs. Fishing was slow for all species. Rio Hondo: Stream flow near Valdez on Monday was 24cfs. Fishing on the upper Hondo was very good using attractor dry flies and nymphs in the deeper holes. Rio Mora: Stream flow near Terrero on Monday was 18cfs. Trout fishing was fair to good using worms, salmon eggs and stimulators. Rio Pueblo: Stream flow near Penasco on Monday was 14cfs. Fishing was good using parachute Adams and moth patterns. Santa Barbara: We had no reports from anglers this week. Shuree Ponds: The water level is extremely low and the pH level is high. The ponds are not being stocked at present. Springer Lake: Fishing was fair using cut bait and chicken liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species. Storrie Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. The water level has risen about four feet in the past week. Ute Lake: Fishing was good trolling crank baits and jigging slab spoons for white bass. Fishing for all other species was slow with just a few smallmouth bass caught by anglers using top water lures early in the day. Fishing for bluegill was fair using worms. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the middle 70s.

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing was good using jerk baits, spinner night crawler rigs and orange aggravators on sinking line for walleye. Fishing was fair using jerk baits and crank baits for smallmouth bass. We had no reports on other species. Animas River: Water flow near Aztec on Monday morning was 253cfs.We had no reports from anglers this week. Albuquerque Area Drains: We had no reports from anglers this week. Bluewater Lake: Fishing was fair to good using crank baits, top water lures and swim 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: We had no reports from anglers this week. Canjilon Lakes: Fishing on the upper lake was fair to good using salmon eggs, Pistol Petes and Power Bait for trout. Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 290cfs and 244cfs respectively. Fishing below El Vado was fair to good using worms, Power Bait and salmon eggs for rainbow trout. A few browns were caught by anglers using Panther Martins. We had no reports from below Abiquiu.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing was fair using crank baits, jerk baits and top water lures for white bass. Fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass was slow but there were a few caught by anglers using jigs, chigger craws and jerk baits. Fishing was very good using hot dogs and liver for catfish. El Vado Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Fenton Lake: Trout fishing was very slow. Heron Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Jackson Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Jemez Waters: Stream flow on the Jemez as of Monday was 27cfs. Fishing on the Rio Cebolla was fair to good using elk hair caddis, small copper John Barrs, worms and salmon eggs. We had no reports from anglers on the Las Vacas, East Fork, San Antonio or Jemez. Austin Wetsch fly fished the Rio Guadalupe over the past weekend and had no luck at all. He reported that the water was quite warm and the fish were inactive. Laguna Del Campo: Fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait, hoppers and Pistol Petes for trout. Lake Farmington: Fishing was slow for all species. Navajo Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using top water lures, jerk baits, swim baits and Rooster Tails for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was fair using night crawlers and liver for catfish. Fishing for northern pike was slow but there were a few caught by anglers using jerk baits and top water lures. We had no reports on other species. San Gregorio: We had no reports from anglers this week. San Juan: Water flow below Navajo on Monday was 604cfs.Trout fishing through the Quality Waters was good using RS2s, small parachute Adams, Griffith’s gnats, red larva, small midge patterns and foam wing emergers. Fishing through the bait waters was good using Gulp eggs, wooly buggers, night crawlers and Power Bait. Santa Cruz Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Seven Springs Brood Pond: Trout fishing was good using an assortment of flies, salmon eggs and Power Bait. Elijah and Zachary Martinez of Santa Fe had a great time here over the weekend. They caught a nice stringer of rainbows while using size 16 parachute Adams. Tingley Beach: Fishing at the Youth Pond and Central Pond was slow to fair using shrimp, worms, homemade dough bait and liver for catfish. Fishing at the Bob Gerding Catch and Release Pond was slow. Trout Lakes: Fishing was good using worms, Power Bait and elk hair caddis for trout.

Southwest

Bear Canyon: Fishing was slow for all species. Bill Evans Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Fishing pressure was very light. Caballo Lake: Fishing was generally slow for all species but there were a few catfish caught by anglers fishing from the bank and using night crawlers and hot dogs. Anglers trolling crank baits picked up a few white bass. Elephant Butte Lake: Night fishing was good using shiners, shrimp, hot dogs, chicken liver and night crawlers for catfish. Fishing was fair using jerk baits, crank baits and Pop Rs for a mix of white bass and largemouth bass. The best white bass reports came from anglers trolling crank baits. We had no reports on other species. The Marina Del Sur, Rock Canyon and Dam Site marinas are open. Escondida Lake: Fishing was fair using hot dogs, shrimp and night crawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species. Gila River: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 114cfs. Fishing was slow. Glenwood Pond: Fishing was fair to good using Power Bait for stocked rainbow trout. Lake Roberts: We had no reports from anglers this week. Percha Dam: Fishing was fair using night crawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species. Quemado Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Rio Grande: Water flow below Elephant Butte on Monday was 32cfs. Before the flows were reduced, fishing was fair to good using night crawlers under a bobber for catfish. We had no reports on other species. Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Young Pond: Fishing was slow to fair using hot dogs for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

Southeast

Bataan Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Black River: Stream flow at Malaga on Monday was 14cfs. We had no reports from anglers. Blue Hole Park Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week. Bonito Lake: Closed. Bosque Redondo: Fishing was slow. A few channel catfish were caught by anglers using night crawlers and liver. 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: We had no reports from anglers this week. Chaparral Park Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using night crawlers and homemade dough bait for catfish. We had no reports on other species. El Rito Creek: Fishing was slow. Eunice Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Green Meadow Lake: Fishing for catfish was slow to fair using liver and night crawlers. We had no reports on other species. Greene Acres Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using hot dogs, night crawlers and liver for catfish. Grindstone Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week. Jal Lake: Fishing was fair to good using worms and liver for catfish. 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 91cfs. Fishing was slow to fair using liver and night crawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species. Perch Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using night crawlers and chicken liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species. Ruidoso River: Stream flow at Hollywood on Monday was 38cfs. Fishing was slow. Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing was slow but there were a few walleye caught by anglers dragging spinner night crawler rigs. Sumner Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.