Chama River: Jerome Royal of El Duende caught a 19.5-inch rainbow trout using salmon eggs Feb. 3.

Escondida Lake: Xander Turtle, age 6, of Roswell caught his limit of trout using PowerBait Feb. 6. Evangeline Ortiz, age 3, of Albuquerque caught her first fish, a rainbow trout, using pink shrimp Balls O’ Fire and purple nymph scented Powerbait Feb. 7.

Santa Rosa Lake: Anthony DuPree of Albuquerque caught a 23-inch walleye using a waterdog Feb. 6. Jusiah Estrada, age 11, of Las Vegas caught and released a 25-inch channel catfish using cut bait Feb. 1. George Torres of Stanley caught a limit of five walleye with the largest 24-inches 4.2-pounds using cut bait from the shore Jan. 31.

Tingley Beach: Hannah Lambie, age 11, of Albuquerque caught a 16-inch rainbow trout using a brown Pistol Pete fly Feb. 3.

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

Animas River: Water flow below Aztec Monday morning was 171 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains: Fishing for trout was fair to good using dough bait and salmon eggs. Anglers reported locating trout near the bridges in Albuquerque.

Bluewater Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. Closed to boating and ice-fishing due to recent weather conditions that have led to unsafe lake surface conditions. The lake is currently closed to all watercraft, including canoes, kayaks, inflatables and all types of motorboats.

Brazos River: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Canjilon Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Chama River: Monday morning flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 105 cfs and 31.6 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was good using black balanced leeches, orange zebra midges, Warden’s Worry flies and salmon eggs.

Cochiti Lake: Reopened for day use. Visitors to the lake will need to make a reservation by purchasing a ticket at least 24 hours in advance through www.recreation.gov. Anglers reported that the lake was mostly iced over.

El Vado Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. El Vado Lake is open only at the Dam Day use area.

Fenton Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. The lake was closed to ice fishing due to deteriorating ice conditions. Fishing the river in the State Park for trout was good using salmon eggs and flies.

Heron Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. ​Heron Lake is open for ice fishing.

Jemez Waters: Stream flow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez Monday morning was 17.9 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using salmon eggs and nymph flies.

Laguna del Campo: Closed for the season, scheduled to open May 1, 2021.

Lagunitas Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Manzano Lake: Closed until further notice.

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

Navajo Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information.

Rio Grande: We had no reports from anglers this week.

San Gregorio Lake: Anglers reported that the lake is frozen.

San Juan River: Stream flow Monday morning was 392 cfs. In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good using size 24 black foam wing emergers, size 20 black zebra midges, size 22 crystal midges, midge cluster dry flies and red annelids.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Closed due to COVID-19 health concerns. Check the Department’s Alerts page for future updates.

Tingley Beach: Fishing for trout was good using brown Pistol Pete’s and fair using green PowerBait.

Trout Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Alumni Pond: Fishing for trout was fair using marshmallows.

Bear Canyon Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for trout was good trolling small floating Rapala lures from a kayak and bank fishing was good using PowerBait.

Caballo Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information.

Elephant Butte Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. Fishing for white bass and walleye was slow. Fishing for catfish was fair to good using cut bait and shad.

Escondida Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good using pink shrimp Balls O’ Fire and purple nymph scented PowerBait.

Gila River: Stream flow Monday morning was 63.9 cfs.

Glenwood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Percha Dam: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information.

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

Rancho Grande Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Grande: Stream flow below Elephant Butte Monday morning was .25 cfs.

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

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

Young Pond: Fishing for trout was good using corn, nymph scented PowerBait, garlic-scented PowerBait and miniature marshmallows.

Alto Lake: We had no fishing reports from anglers this week.

Bataan Lake: Fishing for trout was good using dough bait and PowerBait.

Black River: Stream flow at Malaga Monday morning was 3.97 cfs.

Blue Hole Park Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bonito Lake: Closed until further notice by the city of Alamogordo due to fire damage. It appears now that the lake will be out of commission until 2022.

Bosque Redondo Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bottomless Lakes: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information.

Brantley Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. Fishing for bass was fair to good using jerkbaits.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing for trout was good using corn and PowerBait.

Chaparral Park Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good using dough bait, earthworms and PowerBait.

Corona Pond: Anglers reported that the lake was frozen.

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

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing for trout was good using Gulp meal worms dipped in Hatchery Dust.

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

Grindstone Reservoir: We had no fishing reports from anglers this week.

Jal Lake: Fishing for trout was good using yellow PowerBait.

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

Oasis Park Lake In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information.

Pecos River: Stream flow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 16.3 cfs.

Perch Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good using yellow and orange PowerBait.

Ruidoso River: Stream flow Monday morning at Hollywood was 3.87 cfs.

Santa Rosa Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information. Fishing for walleye and catfish was fair using cut bait and water dogs.

Sumner Lake: In accordance with the Public Health Order, effective Jan. 29, NM State Parks are open to New Mexico residents for day-use only. Please check the State Parks’ website for more information.

As the weather begins to warm and the water temps reach and stay in the high 40s to low 50s, the bass will start moving out of the deeper winter holding areas where they are relating to migration routes of large schools of bait such as shad. Main lake and secondary points with chunk rock or pea gravel banks as well as shallower pockets off the main lake will begin to hold groups of fish. Water depths between 5- and 15-feet will be the key. The fish will be willing to chase down lipless and medium depth crankbaits, spinnerbaits and vibrating jigs. Cliff banks with larger boulders in direct sunlight will be great areas to pitch a 1/2-ounce jig as the crayfish begin to emerge. If you come across clear water with 3- to 4-feet visibility and you are marking suspended bass in 10 to 15-feet of water, the deep-diving suspending jerkbait fished on light line will be hard to beat.

As the water temperatures begin to rise and stay in the mid to high 50s, look for calm and protected coves with a pea gravel bottom. These spawning coves and the points or channels near them will begin to load up with fish preparing for the spawn. Smaller males, also known as “buck bass,” will be much easier to catch in the shallower water on moving baits as they aggressively feed up for the spawn.

If you are a bass fisherman with any tips and tricks to share with your fellow anglers, please email us at funfishingnm@gmail.com and let us help the next generation of anglers find success.

All the best!