New Mexico fishing report

Bluewater Lake: Adrian Toscano of Los Lunas caught a 40-inch tiger muskie using a spoon July 25.

Elephant Butte Lake: Zoe Anderson-Amaro, age 8, of Silver City caught a 2-pound largemouth bass using a topwater lure Aug. 2. Logan Reed, age 11, of Silver City caught a 13-inch white bass using a topwater lure Aug. 1. Keith Rogers of Silver City caught a 5-pound, 4-ounce largemouth bass using a Whopper Plopper July 28. Zander Brandt, age 14, of Rio Rancho caught and released a 3.5-pound smallmouth bass using a crankbait July 27. Gavin Connell and Justin Trussell of Albuquerque caught a 44-pound blue catfish using cut bait July 25.

Hopewell Lake: Ben Jones, age 17, of Albuquerque caught a 22-inch rainbow trout using a 3-inch green-pumpkin Senko worm July 24.

Jemez Waters: Cielo DeVargas, age 6, of Albuquerque caught her first fish, a 12-inch rainbow trout using worms near San Antonio Campgrounds July 27.

Lake Maloya: Mia Martinez of Rio Rancho caught a 15.5-inch rainbow trout using salmon peach PowerBait July 24.

Latir Creek (near Questa): Sam Richardson of Red River caught and released a 14-inch cutbow using a gold and brown nymph fly July 28.

Navajo Lake: Charlie Korczynski, age 6, of Uvalde, Texas caught a 14-inch kokanee salmon using a pink squid with a pink dodger July 28. Andre’ Makarski of Rio Rancho caught a 16-inch smallmouth bass using a crankbait July 25.

Pecos River: Jerome Buenviaje of Santa Fe caught a 17-inch brown trout using a Blue Fox spinner near the Dalton Canyon area July 27.

Rio Grande: Seth Hardy of Red River caught and released a 17-inch brown trout near the Wild Rivers Recreation Area using a black and white Barely Legal fly July 30.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Temperance and Romie Perez, ages 7 and 8, of Rio Rancho each caught their first fish, a 17.5-inch rainbow trout and a 12-inch rainbow trout, using yellow PowerBait July 27. Exander Garcia, age 3, of Albuquerque caught a 21-inch rainbow trout using salmon eggs July 27.

Shuree Ponds: Liam Yardman, age 9, of Santa Fe caught a 17-inch rainbow trout using Berkley Power Worms July 28.

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 funfishingnm@gmail.com. We may include your story in our next report.

For catches of the week, include name, age, hometown, date, location, type of fish, length, and weight if possible, and bait, lure or fly used.

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

Charette Lakes: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using salmon peach PowerBait.

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was 26.6 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was fair when using beadhead nymphs and worms.

Clayton Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using PowerBait. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using chicken liver.

Conchas Lake: Conchas Lake State Park has closed access to all boat ramps due to dropping water levels. The boat ramps on the south side of the lake managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are open. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair when using curly tail grubs.

Costilla Creek: Fishing for trout was good when using caddis dry flies. The Department has implemented the final phase of a project to expand Rio Grande cutthroat trout in 120 miles of the Costilla watershed in northern New Mexico. The final phase involved removal of fish within a designated area (Rio Costilla from Costilla Dam downstream to the Valle Vidal Boundary including all tributaries and Comanche Creek from the road culvert crossing on FR 1950 downstream to its confluence with Rio Costilla and all tributaries) with a tentative restocking of Rio Grande cutthroat in spring 2022. Places to fish nearby include Costilla Creek below the fish barrier, Upper Comanche Creek, Shuree Ponds, Middle Ponil Creek, Upper Powderhouse Creek, Little Costilla Creek, Vidal Creek and McCrystal Creek. The Department anticipates completion of this final phase in the fall of 2021. Please check the Department website for additional information on the project and to identify alternative angling opportunities in the interim.

Cowles Ponds: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait.

Coyote Creek: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using spinners. Fishing for pike was fair when using streamers and perch swim baits.

Eagle Rock Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using salmon eggs and PowerBait.

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

Gallinas River: Fishing for trout was good when using dry flies with dropper nymph rigs.

Hopewell Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using 3-inch green-pumpkin Senko worms.

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

Lake Maloya: Fishing for trout was good when using dry and nymph flies, Pistol Pete spinner flies and salmon peach PowerBait.

Los Pinos River: Fishing for trout was slow.

Maxwell Lake 13: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Monastery Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using spoons and Parachute Adam dry flies.

Morphy Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using garlic PowerBait and salmon peach PowerBait.

Pecos River: Streamflow near the town of Pecos Monday morning was 245 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using flies, worms and white grubs.

Red River: Streamflow below the hatchery Monday morning was 78.0 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using stimulator dry flies with a beadhead Hare’s Ear nymph dropper fly.

Rio Grande: Streamflow at the Taos Junction Bridge Monday morning was 359 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using black and white Barely Legal flies and Rooster Tail spinners.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow Monday morning near Valdez was 38.0 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using attractor dry flies.

Rio Mora: Streamflow Monday morning near Tererro was 121 cfs.

Rio Pueblo: Streamflow near Peñasco Monday morning was 51.7 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair when using attractor flies and bead-head nymphs.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Fishing for trout was slow when using PowerBait.

Shuree Ponds: Fishing for trout was good when using Berkley Power Worms.

Springer Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using chicken hotdogs and liver.

Storrie Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using chicken liver.

Stubblefield Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using chicken liver.

Ute Lake: Fishing for white bass was fair when using topwater lures and vertical jigging with blades and slabs. Fishing for walleye was slow when using nightcrawler harness rigs, bottom bouncing in 20 to 25 feet of water. Fishing for bass was slow when using drop-shot rigs and Texas rigged Senko worms. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using punch bait and cut bait. Fishing for crappie was slow. The water surface temperature was in the upper 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the main lake color was stained.

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

Animas River: Waterflow below Aztec Monday morning was 675 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskie was good when using spoons, Whopper Ploppers, gray shad Rapala lures and swimbaits.

Brazos River: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using black and gold Panther Martin spinners.

Canjilon Lakes: Fishing for trout was good when using dry flies and Pistol Pete spinner flies.

Chama River: Monday-morningflows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 99.4 cfs and 396 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was fair to good when using nightcrawlers and PowerBait. Please remember, from the river-crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiquiu upstream 7 miles to the base of Abiquiu Dam is special trout waters with a bag limit of two trout only.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using worms, cut bait and chicken liver. Fishing for crappie was fair when using small jigs. Fishing for pike was fair when using green pumpkin Senko worms. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair when using Ned Rigs and crankbaits.

El Vado Lake: Fishing for bass, perch and trout was fair to good when using spinners, worms and PowerBait. El Vado Lake Dam Day Use area is open. The main lake area, boat launch and campground opened April 1. Camping by reservation only.

Fenton Lake: Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using nightcrawler worms. Please remember, only two cutthroat trout are allowed to be harvested per day within the regular five-fish limit.

Heron Lake: Fishing from a boat for rainbow trout, lake trout and kokanee salmon was fair to good when using Panther Martin spinners, Rooster Tail spinners and Kokanee Killers trolled 20 to 30 feet deep. Fishing from shore for rainbow trout was fair to good when using garlic PowerBait, salmon peach PowerBait and homemade cheese baits. Sierra Vista and La Laja boat ramps are both open due to rising water levels.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez Monday morning was 26.9 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using worms and flashback nymph flies.

Laguna del Campo: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

McGaffey Lake: Due to extremely low water levels and unstable ground conditions, stocking efforts have been suspended. Lake conditions will be monitored and stockings will resume once conditions improve.

Navajo Lake: Fishing for bass was good when using crankbaits, Ned Rigs and topwater poppers. Fishing for pike was good when using crankbaits and jerkbaits. Fishing for kokanee salmon was good when using pink squid with a pink dodger.

Rio Grande: Fishing for catfish was good when using worms and chicken liver near Albuquerque.

San Gregorio Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

San Juan River: Streamflow Monday morning was 387 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good when using PMD flies, annelid flies, RS2s, leech pattern flies and midge pattern flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good when using worms and spinners.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using salmon eggs, worms and garlic PowerBait.

Tingley Beach: Fishing for catfish was fair when using nightcrawler worms and hotdogs.

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

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

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing for crappie was good when using X-Caddis flies.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for all species was slow.

Caballo Lake: Fishing for largemouth bass was good when using peppered lime green artificial grubs, lizard imitation lures, shallow diving crankbaits and crawdad imitation lures. Fishing for white bass was fair when using live shad and white swimbaits. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using cut carp bait, beef liver and live shad. Fishing for freshwater drum was good when using live shad.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for white bass was good when using topwater lures, white and chartreuse swim baits, Kastmaster lures and clear and cream colored 3-inch grubs with black specs. Fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good when using 6-inch shad imitation lures, Whopper Ploppers and wacky rigged green Senko worms. Fishing for walleye was fair when using bottom bouncers with nightcrawler harness rigs. Fishing for crappie was fair to good when using live minnows. Fishing for catfish was good when using beef liver, cut-carp, homemade dough bait, cheese bait and shad.

Escondida Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using nightcrawler worms.

Gila River: Streamflow Monday morning was 117 cfs.

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

Lake Roberts: Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using silver spinners. Fishing for catfish was slow to fair when using nightcrawlers.

Percha Dam: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Quemado Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using worms and floating minnow lures.

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

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Monday morning was 1,030 cfs. Fishing for catfish was good when using cut bait and night crawlers. Fishing for catfish near Hatch was fair to good when using worms.

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

Trees Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using live worms.

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

Avid angler Dave DiBartolomeo says the topwater white bass fishing at Elephant Butte Lake is on fire! Dave and several other anglers reported catching well over 100 fish per day this past week.

Here are a few tips from Dave to help you get in on the action.

The white bass are schooled up and chasing shad, cornering them in shallow water and against rocky points. Once the white bass have corralled the shad, the feeding frenzy known as “boiling” begins. Anglers call the feeding frenzy “boiling” because there are so many fish feeding ferociously at the water’s surface that it appears as if the water is boiling.

To find the boil, look for rocky main lake points. Also, look for flocks of birds feeding on the water’s surface. Seagulls are often a dead giveaway as to where a boil is taking place. You will see birds flying around in a concentrated area and diving into the water below.

Cast into the boil. Some lures that anglers are having success using are sassy shad, Poppers, white and chartreuse swim baits, buzz baits and Whopper Ploppers.

Share your tips and tricks with your fellow anglers by emailing us at funfishingnm@gmail.comand let’s help the next generation of anglers find success.

Thanks for reading and supporting our angling community!