N.M. Fishing Report — April 2

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 for trout was slow to fair for anglers using Power Bait and salmon eggs.

Cimarron River: Stream flow below Eagle Nest was .42 cfs and 22 cfs near Cimarron. Trout fishing in the lower canyon below Clear Creek was fair using copper John Barrs and San Juan worms. We had no reports from the Gravel Pit Lakes.

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

Conchas Lake: Fishing was good using minnows over submerged trees for crappie. Fishing was good using crank baits, jerk baits, swim baits, worms and tubes for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was very good using crank baits, jerk baits, swim baits and grubs for big white bass. Fishing was slow to fair using stink bait for catfish. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the mid to high 50s.

Coyote Creek: Fishing was slow.

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

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using in line spinners for northern pike. Fishing was fair using Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species. For updated conditions contact the State Park office at (575) 377-1594.

Lake Maloya: Fishing was very good using orange Power Bait, Pistol Petes, Kastmasters and homemade dough bait for trout up to 13 inches.

Manzano Lake: Fishing was good using leech patterns, Pistol Petes and Power Bait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Maxwell Lake 13: Fishing was good using Kastmasters, homemade dough bait and Power Bait for trout.

Monastery Lake: Trout fishing was slow to fair using worms, salmon eggs, homemade dough bait and Pistol Petes.

Morphy Lake: Fishing slowed from the previous week but there were some trout caught by anglers using Power Bait, salmon eggs and Pistol Petes. The boat ramp is closed but the lake is accessible with canoes and kayaks.

Pecos River: Stream flow on Monday was 145 cfs. Trout fishing was fair using wooly buggers and worms.

Red River: Water flow near the hatchery on Monday was 71 cfs.

Rio Grande: Stream flow on Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 1,210 cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

Rio Hondo: Stream flow near Valdez was 32 cfs.

Rio Pueblo: Stream flow near Penasco was 86 cfs.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: This water remains closed to boating and fishing while the Bureau of Land Management renovates the north lake camp ground, 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. Anglers have to traverse steep banks to access fishing. Trout fishing was good using Fisher Chick spinners, Panther Martins, Kastmasters, wooly buggers, Pistol Petes and Power Bait.

Shuree Ponds: Closed for the season.

Storrie Lake: Fishing was fair to good using salmon eggs, Power Bait and corn for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Ute Lake: Fishing was very good using crank baits, jerk baits and swim baits for white bass. The white bass were found at about 10 feet over 20 feet of water. Fishing was slow to fair using jerk baits for smallmouth bass. Walleye fishing tapered off and just a few males were caught by anglers fishing at night and using jerk baits. Fishing was fair to good using stink bait for catfish in about 4 feet of water. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the mid to high 50s.

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing at the lower end of the lake was fair using crank baits and swim baits for walleye. Fishing was fair using Power Bait and crank baits for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Animas River: Water flow near Aztec on Monday morning was 761 cfs.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing was good using big musky flies, swim baits, jerk baits and in line spinners 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 119 cfs respectively. Fishing below Abiquiu was slow to fair using bead head pheasant tails, copper John Barrs and San Juan worms for trout. Fishing below El Vado was slow to fair using wooly buggers and salmon eggs for trout.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing was fair using crank baits and jerk baits for northern pike, walleye and smallmouth bass. A few catfish were also caught by anglers using stink bait. We had no reports on other species.

El Vado Lake: There is no more ice on the lake and the boat ramp will open April 1. Good time to look for big brown trout. Give it a try and let us know how you do.

Fenton Lake: Before the weekend, fishing was very good using Kastmasters, olive wooly buggers, Pistol Petes, salmon eggs and garlic scented Power Bait for trout. The action slowed quite a bit on Sunday.

Heron Lake: Bank fishing was fair to good using sucker cut bait, Power Bait, Panther Martins and Daredevles for a mixed bag of lake trout, rainbow trout and brown trout.

Jemez Waters: Stream flow near Jemez on Monday morning was 183 cfs and a bit murky. Fishing on the Jemez was slow with high water conditions. Fishing on the Cebolla was fair using salmon eggs and bead head pheasant tails for rainbow trout. We had no reports from other area waters.

Laguna Del Campo: Closed for the season.

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

Navajo Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using swim baits and jerk baits for northern pike. Fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass was slow but there were a few caught by anglers using jerk bait, tubes and jigs. Fishing was slow to fair using crank baits and Power Bait for trout. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the low 50s.

San Gregorio Lake: We had no reports from anglers.

San Juan River: Water flow below Navajo Lake on Monday morning was 380 cfs. Visibility was a little over a foot. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters was good using princess nymphs, zebra midges, scintillas, desert storms, red and cream larva and bead-head pheasant tails. Fishing through the bait waters was good using salmon eggs, San Juan worms, small jerk baits and wooly buggers.

Tingley Beach: Fishing at the Central Pond was good using Power Bait, salmon eggs, Kastmasters, Blue Fox spinners and Pistol Petes. Fishing at the Youth Pond was good using salmon eggs, garlic-scented Power Bait and Pistol Petes. Fishing at the Bob Gerding Catch and Release Pond was fair to good using leech patterns, streamers and San Juan worms.

Southwest

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

Bear Canyon: Fishing was very good using salmon eggs, Power Bait and Pistol Petes for trout. A few were also caught by anglers using spinners.

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

Caballo Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using crank baits, jerk baits and minnows near the dam and at the north end of the lake for a mixed bag of walleye and white bass. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the mid to high 50s.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing was good using minnows, crank baits, spinner baits, jerk baits and curly tail grubs for white bass. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was fair using tubes, senkos, small plastic worms, swim baits, jerk baits and crank baits for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Steve Dail of Las Cruces caught a nice 2-pound smallmouth while fishing near Horse Island. Fishing was fair to good using minnows for crappie. Fishing was fair to good using stink bait and dead minnows for catfish. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the mid to high 50s.

Gila River: Stream flow as of Monday morning was 185 cfs.

Glenwood Pond: Fishing was good using Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout.

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

Quemado Lake: Fishing pressure was heavy but fishing was very slow for all species. The water level is quite low. Mike Burwash and Thomas Conwell sent in almost identical reports of very slow fishing for them as well as all the anglers around them.

Rio Grande: Stream flow below Elephant Butte on Monday morning was .86 cfs.

Young Pond: Fishing was fair to good using Pistol Petes, corn, Power Bait and worms. A few trout were also caught by anglers using Pistol Petes.

Southeast

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

Black River: Stream flow at Malaga on Monday was 28 cfs.

Blue Hole Park Pond: Fishing was fair using salmon eggs for trout.

Bonito Lake: Closed.

Bosque Redondo: Fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, salmon eggs and Pistol Petes for trout. A few catfish were caught by anglers using stink bait. Fishing pressure was light.

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

Brantley Lake: Fishing continued to be slow for all species. 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 good using Kastmasters, Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Chaparral Park Lake: Fishing was fair to good using salmon eggs, Power Bait and Pistol Petes for trout.

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing was fair to good using gold bead pheasant tails, wooly buggers, small crank baits, jig and craw combinations, tubes, homemade dough baits and Power Bait for a mixed bag of bass, sunfish, crappie and trout. Greene Acres Lake:

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

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

Oasis Park Lake: Trout fishing was very good with several limits reported over the weekend Anglers did well using Kastmasters, Super Dupers, Pistol Petes, Power Bait, wooly buggers and pheasant tail nymphs for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Pecos River: Stream flow below Sumner Lake on Monday was 89 cfs. Trout fishing was fair using salmon eggs, Power Bait and homemade dough bait. We had no reports on other species.

Perch Lake: Fishing was good using Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout.

Ruidoso River: Stream flow at Hollywood on Monday was 44 cfs. Trout fishing was fair to good using wooly buggers, copper John Barrs and salmon eggs.

Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. The surface water temp was in the low to mid 50s.

Sumner Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.