New Mexico Fishing Report

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: Fishing was slow with just a few rainbows caught by anglers using Power Bait and worms under a bobber. Launching boats was a bit challenging due to low water conditions.

Clayton Lake: Fishing was good using Power Bait from boats and from the bank for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Conchas Lake: Fishing was fair using crank baits and jerk baits for white bass and an occasional smallmouth bass. Fishing was slow to fair using suspending jerk baits for walleye. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the low to mid 50s.

Eagle Rock Lake: Closed through next fall. The closure will allow Chevron Mining to dredge the lake and reconstruct the area.

Eagle Nest Lake: Closed to fishing due to thin ice conditions. With warmer weather, the lake could open to shore fishing by next weekend. For updated conditions contact the State Park office at (575) 377-1594.

Lake Alice: Fishing was very good using Joe’s flies, Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout. March 11, Jerry Trujillo of Raton caught an 18-inch rainbow while using a Mepps spinner. Kerry Medina was here on the 11th and 12th and had a great time catching and releasing a limit of trout in a 40-minute time span the first night and repeating the effort the next evening while using a Joe’s Flies Super Striker.

Lake Maloya: Closed to ice fishing due to thin ice conditions. As of Sunday, there was no open water for shoreline fishing. Contact the State Park office at (575) 445-5607 for updated conditions.

Manzano Lake: Trout fishing was good using salmon eggs, homemade dough bait and garlic-scented Power Bait. We had no reports on other species.

Maxwell Lake 13: Fishing was very good using corn and Power Bait for trout up to 18 inches.

Monastery Lake: Trout fishing was very good using Power Bait, salmon eggs, roe sacs, homemade dough bait and Pistol Petes.

Morphy Lake: Closed for the season.

Pecos River: Stream flow Monday was 48 cfs. Trout fishing was good using San Juan worms, copper John Barrs and salmon eggs.

Red River: Water flow near the hatchery on Monday was 40 cfs.

Rio Grande: Stream flow on Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 759 cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: This water remains closed to boating and fishing while the Bureau of Land Management renovates the north lake campground, boat launch, picnic area and main access road. The plan is to have all work completed by the end of July. The only fishing access at this time is walk-in from the overlook area. We will provide progress updates as we receive them.

Shuree Ponds: Closed for the season.

Storrie Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

Ute Lake: Fishing was good using suspending jerk baits and grubs for walleye. Fishing in Ute Creek was good using crank baits and jerk baits for white bass. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was slow but there were a few caught by anglers using jerk baits. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the high 50s.

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: There were a few anglers on the lake this past week but we had no reports of success.

Animas River: Water flow near Aztec on Monday morning was 397 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains: Fishing on the Albuquerque Drain, Belen Drain and the Corrales Drain was good using salmon eggs, wax worms, bead-head pheasant tails and egg patterns for trout. We had no reports on other species or from the other drains.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing was good using hot dogs, musky flies, swim baits and jerk baits for tiger musky. We had no reports on other species. Anglers should be aware that it is illegal to use bait fish at this lake.

Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 50 cfs and 97 cfs respectively. Fishing below Abiquiu was fair for anglers using small midge patterns, copper John Barrs and wooly buggers for trout. Fishing below El Vado was slow to fair with a few brown trout caught by anglers using wooly buggers.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing was slow but there were a few northern pike caught by anglers using Rapala husky jerks.

El Vado Lake: As of Monday there was still a thin layer of ice on the lake and it was closed to fishing. Contact the State Park office at (575) 588-7247 for updated ice conditions.

Fenton Lake: Open to fishing and very crowded over the weekend. Fishing was very good using Blue Fox spinners, Kastmasters, wooly buggers and corn yellow Power Bait for trout. A few were also caught on Pistol Petes and Panther Martins.

Heron Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait, salmon eggs and spinners for brown trout and small lake trout. We had no reports on other species.

Jackson Lake: Trout fishing was good using salmon eggs, Power Bait and spinners. We had no reports on other species.

Jemez Waters: Stream flow near Jemez on Monday morning was 112 cfs and a bit murky. Fishing on the Jemez was fair using salmon eggs and copper John Barrs for trout. The best reports came from below Battleship Rock. We had no reports on other area waters.

Laguna Del Campo: Closed for the season.

Lake Farmington: This lake was recently stocked with trout and should provide some fun fishing. Give it a try and let us know how you do.

Navajo Lake: Fishing was slow with just a few northern pike caught by anglers using swim baits and jerk baits. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp ranged from the high 40s to the low 50s.

San Juan River: Water flow below Navajo Lake on Monday morning was 366 cfs. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters was good using bunny leeches, black and olive wooly buggers, San Juan worms, red larva and bead-head pheasant tails. Fishing through the bait waters was good using salmon eggs, Power Bait, San Juan worms, small jerk baits and wooly buggers.

Tingley Beach: Fishing at the Central Pond was very good using Power Bait, salmon eggs, Berkley power worms, Kastmasters and Pistol Petes. Fishing at the Youth Pond was very good using salmon eggs and Pistol Petes. Fishing at the Bob Gerding Catch and Release Pond was fair to good using egg patterns and leeches.

Southwest

Alumni Pond: Fishing was very good using Pistol Petes, salmon eggs and Power Bait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing was good using salmon eggs, homemade dough bait, Power Bait, Kastmasters and spinners for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Caballo Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Fishing pressure was light. The surface water temp was in the mid 50s in the morning hours.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing was fair to good using minnows, crank baits and jig and grub combinations for white bass. Anglers using minnows also caught a few crappie and largemouth bass. Fishing was fair using jerk baits, crank baits, tubes and jigs for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Fishing was fair to good using cut bait and liver for catfish. Night fishing should be good for the blue catfish. Try using bad-smelling stink bait or live or dead minnows for bait. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the high 50s in the afternoon hours.

Escondida Lake: Fishing was fair to good using homemade dough bait, salmon eggs, marshmallows and Power Bait for trout. A few trout were also caught by anglers using wooly buggers and Pistol Petes. We had no reports on other species.

Gila River: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 156 cfs. Fishing for catfish was fair to good using liver. We had no reports on trout.

Glenwood Pond: Fishing was very good using Power Bait for trout.

Lake Roberts: Construction update: Modifications to the dam and spillway have been completed. Now awaiting approval for the engineers specifications to fix the outlet pipe. Will provide additional updates as they become available.

Rio Grande: Stream flow below Elephant Butte on Monday morning was .57 cfs.

Young Pond: Eric Marta reported excellent fishing this past week as he and friends caught limits of trout in a very short time and also had good luck with perch and catfish. Best baits were corn, Power Bait and worms. A few trout were also caught by anglers using Pistol Petes.

Southeast

Bataan Lake: Fishing was fair using salmon eggs and Power Bait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Black River: Stream flow at Malaga on Monday was 15 cfs.

Bonito Lake: Closed.

Bosque Redondo: Fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, salmon eggs and Pistol Petes for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Bottomless Lakes: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait, salmon eggs and Super Dupers.

Brantley Lake: Anglers are to practice catch-and-release for all fish here as high levels of DDT were found in several fish.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing was fair using spinners and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Chaparral Park Lake: Fishing was fair using salmon eggs for trout.

El Rito Creek: Fishing was very good using salmon eggs, Power Bait and homemade dough bait for trout.

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing was good using salmon eggs and homemade dough bait for trout.

Greene Acres Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing was good using salmon eggs, marshmallows and garlic-scented Power Bait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Lake Van: Fishing was very good using salmon eggs, Power Bait, Pistol Petes and Kastmasters for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Oasis Park Lake: Fishing was very good using Power Bait, Pistol Petes and assorted bead-head nymphs for trout. We had no reports on other species. The State Park will be hosting the 6th Annual Spring Trout Derby March 28 and 29. For more information call (575) 356-5331.

Pecos River: Stream flow below Sumner on Monday was 92 cfs. Trout fishing was fair to good using salmon eggs, Power Bait and homemade dough bait. We had no reports on other species.

Ruidoso River: Stream flow at Hollywood on Monday was 22 cfs. Trout fishing was slow to fair using salmon eggs.

Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing was slow but there were a few walleye caught by anglers using crank baits and grubs. The surface water temp this past Saturday was in the low 50s.

Sumner Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. The surface water temp was in the mid 50s.