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NM Fishing & Stocking Report

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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.

Check out the latest stocking report.

Matthew Deeds

Catches of the week

 Elephant Butte Lake: Scott Perkins, 16, of El Paso, Texas, caught his first white bass Nov. 4. He was fishing from shore by the Dam Site Marina and using a silver spoon. Tim LeMaster of Rio Rancho caught and released a 4.30-pound largemouth bass Nov.5. He was using a senko.
  • Rio Grande River: Waylon Lowe, 9, of Albuquerque, caught a carp while fishing at the Alameda Bridge in Albuquerque. He was using a night crawler.
  • Ute Lake: Stephen White of Dalhart, Texas caught and released a 6.42-pound largemouth bass Nov. 6. Tabatha Wieberger of Clovis caught and released a 4.64-pound smallmouth bass.
The following reports came in late but deserve a mention:
  • Bluewater Lake: John Gibbs of Tijeras caught a 42-inch tiger muskie Oct. 29. He was using a 4-inch split back Rapala.
  • Chama River: Matthew Deeds, 11, of Albuquerque caught an 18.5-inch brown trout Oct. 28. He was fishing below El Vado and using a spinner.
  • Elephant Butte Lake: Lloyd White of Las Cruces caught a 21-pound striped bass Oct. 29. He was fishing just south of Kettle Top and using a white Bomber crank bait.
If you have a catch of the week story or just want to tell us about your latest New Mexico fishing experience, send it to us at fishforfun2@hotmail.com. We may include your story in our next report.
For catches of the week, include name, age, hometown, date, and location, type of fish, length and weight if possible and bait, lure or fly used.
John Gibbs

Nov. 7

Northeast

Charette Lakes: Closed for the season.
Clayton Lake:  Closed for the season.
Cimarron River: Stream flow near Cimarron on Monday was 1.74 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Conchas Lake: Fishing was slow to fairusing jig and minnow combinations, spoons and blade baits for walleye and white bass. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was slow with a few caught by anglers using jigs, senkos and creature baits. We had no other reports.
Costilla Creek: Stream flow on Monday below Costilla Dam was 1.23 cfs. Check this one out next spring.
Cowles Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Coyote Creek: Fishing was slow to fair using Fire Balls for trout.
Eagle Rock Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using worms, PowerBait and Fire Balls for trout.
Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait for rainbow trout. Anglers using spinners also caught a few. Hunter Pritchett-Armijo and Val Armijo of Albuquerque caught several rainbow trout in the 15 to 18 inch range this past week. They were fishing from the bank and using PowerBait. Fishing was good using worms for perch. Fishing was good using large streamers, spinners and spoons for northern pike. Kokanee snagging was slow. Fishing pressure was light due to windy conditions.
Gallinas River: Fishing was slow to fair using salmon eggs and worms for trout.
Hopewell Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Alice: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Maloya: Trout fishing was fair to good using PowerBait, Pistol Petes and wooly buggers.
Los Pinos River: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Maxwell Lake 13: Closed for the season.
Monastery Lake: Fishing was good using PowerBait, marshmallows and salmon eggs for trout.
Morphy Lake:  Closed for the season.
Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos on Monday was 58.5 cfs. Fishing was fair to good using copper John Barrs, prince nymphs, San Juan worms, PowerBait, salmon eggs and worms for brown and rainbow trout.
Red River: Stream flow below the hatchery on Monday was 60.8 cfs. Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait, worms, salmon eggs, copper John Barrs and wooly buggers for trout.
Red River City Ponds: Large pond closed to fishing.
Rio Grande: Stream flow on Monday at the Taos Junction Bridge was 423 cfs. Fishing was very good using prince nymphs, crane flies, wooly buggers, small mayfly nymphs, Panther Martins, Kastmasters and salmon eggs for brown and rainbow trout. We had no reports on other species.
Rio Hondo: Stream flow near Valdez on Monday was 17.2 cfsWe had no reports from anglers.
Rio Mora: As of Monday, stream flow near Terrero was 16.4 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Rio Pueblo: Stream flow near Penasco on Monday was 19.6 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Santa Cruz Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Shuree Ponds:  Fishing was fair to good using Pistol Petes under a bubble for trout.
Springer Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Storrie Lake: Fishing was fair using PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout. We had no other reports.
Stubblefield Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Ute Lake: Fishing for walleye was good for anglers using blade baits and spoons at 30 to 45 feet. Fishing for white bass was a bit sporadic but we did receive some good reports from anglers using jigging spoons and blade baits at 30 to 35 feet. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was fair for anglers using creature baits, Ned rigs, senkos and crank baits. We had no other reports. The surface water temp was in the high 50s and the water was murky.

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing was fair using jigging spoons and blade baits at 15 to 30 feet for walleye. Anglers using crank baits also caught a few. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair to good using tubes, senkos and shakey head jigs in 15 to 20 feet of water. We had no other reports.
Animas River: Water flow below Aztec on Monday morning was 260 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Albuquerque Area Drains: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskies was slow for some but good for others this past week. Anglers did best using large streamers, chatter baits, swim baits and crank baits. We had no other reports.
Brazos River: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Canjilon Lakes: Closed by the U.S. Forest Service until further notice.
Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 396 cfs and 480 cfs respectively. Fishing below El Vado was fair using bead-head wooly buggers, spinners, night crawlers and Fire Balls for brown and rainbow trout. Fishing below Abiquiu was slow. NEW SPECIAL TROUT WATER: The river from the USGS gauging station to the confluence of the Rio Nutrias is now catch and release only using single barbless hook artificial flies and lures. The kokanee snagging season opened October 1 from El Vado Lake to the west boundary of the Rio Chama Wildlife and Fishing Area. 
Cochiti Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using crank baits, senkos, plastic worms and jigs for smallmouth bass. We had no other reports.
El Vado Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.  
Fenton Lake: Fishing was slow with just a few trout caught by anglers using Panther Martin spinners and PowerBait.
Heron Lake: Fishing was fair to good using Fire Balls and PowerBait from the bank for rainbow trout. We had no other reports. The lake and Willow Creek are closed to kokanee snagging October 1-November 9 and no kokanee may be in possession while fishing during this period.
Jackson Lake: Fishing was fair using PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout. We had no other reports.
Jemez Waters: Stream flow on the Jemez River near Jemez Springs on Monday morning was 24.0 cfs. Fishing on the Jemez was slow to fair using salmon eggs and copper John Barrs for trout. We had no other reports.
Laguna del Campo: Closed for the season.
Lagunitas Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Farmington: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Manzano Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Navajo Lake: Fishing was fair using creature baits, jigs, spinners, tubes, plastic worms and senkos for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was fair using swim baits, chatter baits and crank baits for northern pike. Fishing was fair using worms and grubs for perch. Kokanee snagging was slow. We had no other reports. The surface water temp ranged from the mid 50s to the low 60s.
San Gregorio Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
San Juan River: Stream flow on Monday morning was 540 cfs and will be reduced to 400 cfs on Wednesday, November 8 as a result of higher flows in the San Juan river basin. Fly fishing action through the Quality waters was good for anglers using fore and afts, comparaduns, foam wing emergers, red larva, small zebra midges, dead chickens, parachute adams and small bead-head pheasant tail nymphs. There were some decent midge and BWO hatches coming off from mid-morning through early afternoon hours. Trout fishing through the bait waters was fair to good using PowerBait, wooly worms, parachute adams, copper John Barrs, bead-head pheasant tail nymphs and jerk baits.
Seven Springs Brood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Tingley Beach: Fishing at the Youth and Central ponds was very good using PowerBait, salmon eggs, worms, Pistol Petes and bead-head nymphs for trout. Lalo Lopez of Albuquerque reported excellent trout fishing this past week at the Central Pond. He was using rainbow PowerBait, white power worms and white jigs. We had no other reports.
Trout Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Southwest

Alumni Pond: Fishing was good using PowerBait for trout. We had no other reports.
Bear Canyon Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Bill Evans Lake: Fishing was good using PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout. We had no other reports.
Caballo Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing was good using crank baits, jigging spoons, blade baits and live bait for white bass and an occasional walleye and striped bass. Fishing was fair using live bait, jigs, senkos, tubes and creature baits for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Fishing was good using night crawlers, liver and homemade dough baits for catfish. We had no other reports. The surface water temp was in the low to mid 60s.
Escondida Lake: Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait, salmon eggs and homemade baits for trout. We had no other reports.
Gila River: Stream flow on Monday morning was 46.0 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Glenwood Pond: Fishing was good using PowerBait and Fire Balls for trout.
Lake Roberts: Fishing was fair using PowerBait, worms and salmon eggs for trout. We had no other reports.
Percha Dam: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Quemado Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
Rancho Grande Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Rio Grande: Stream flow below Elephant Butte Monday morning was 0.00 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Young Pond: Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout.

Southeast

Alto Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Bataan Lake: Fishing was good using PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout. We had no other reports.
Black River: Stream flow at Malaga on Monday was 15.8 cfs. Fishing was good using PowerBait, salmon eggs and copper John Barrs for trout. We had no other reports.
Blue Hole Park Pond: Fishing was slow to fair using PowerBait and Fire Balls for trout. We had no other reports.
Bonito Lake: Closed until further notice by the city of Alamogordo due to fire damage.
Bosque Redondo Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Bottomless Lakes: Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait for trout.
Brantley Lake: Anglers are required to catch and release all fish here as high levels of pesticides have been found in some fish. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait, salmon eggs and worms for trout. Anglers using worms also caught a few panfish.
Chaparral Park Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
El Rito Creek: Fishing was fair to good using Fire Balls and PowerBait for trout. We had no other reports.
Eunice Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Green Meadow Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
Greene Acres Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing was fair to good using Fire Balls, worms and PowerBait for rainbow trout. We had no reports on other species.
Jal Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Van: Fishing was fair using PowerBait, Fire Balls and Pistol Petes under a bubble for trout. We had no other reports.
Oasis Park Lake: Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait for trout. We had no other reports.
Pecos River: Stream flow below Sumner Lake on Monday was 0.36 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Perch Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Ruidoso River: Stream flow at Hollywood was 7.14 cfs. Trout fishing was slow.
Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing continued to be slow for all species with just a few smallmouth and largemouth bass caught by anglers using jigs and creature baits. The surface water temp ranged from the high 50s to the low 60s.
Sumner Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

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