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Fishing Report

By NM Game and Fish

Catches of the week

Catch of the Week

Bluewater Lake: Robert Gutierrez of Sandia Park caught a 32-inch tiger muskie using a green and yellow crankbait Sept. 19. Eric Baros of Los Lunas caught and released a 41-inch tiger muskie using a silver spoon Sept. 18. Maria Baros of Albuquerque caught and released a 32-inch tiger muskie using a waterdog Sept. 18.

Fenton Lake: Ernesto Pena of Jemez Springs caught an 18-inch rainbow trout using a black and yellow Stillerz by Character Lures Sept. 19.

Navajo Lake: Michael Brown, age 5, of Rio Rancho caught a bluegill using his Spiderman rod with a green grub Sept. 17. Jim McDonald of El Paso, Texas caught a 38-inch, 15-pound pike using a crankbait in 20 feet of water Sept. 12.

Pecos River: Carter Gallegos, age 6, of Santa Rosa caught a 16-inch rainbow trout using a piece of bread Sept. 19.

Rio Grande: Seth Hardy of Red River caught a 17-inch cutbow trout using a hand-tied white and grey streamer fly near Questa Sept. 18. Sergio Prieto of El Paso, Texas caught a 24.5-pound catfish south of Caballo Lake using fresh-cut shad bait Sept. 17.

San Juan River: Ashlyn Johnson of Aztec caught a 16-inch brown trout using a red annelid fly Sept. 12.

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.


Northeast Fishing Report

Northeast

Cabresto Lake: Fishing for brook trout was good when using small dry flies.

Charette Lakes: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using homemade dough bait and PowerBait.

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was 42.3 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was fair when using orange PowerBait.

Clayton Lake: Fishing for trout was fair when using PowerBait. Fishing for catfish was fair 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 catfish was fair to good when using yellow tube baits.

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 fair to good when using chartreuse PowerBait.

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

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using silver spoons and streamer flies. Fishing for pike was good when using jerkbaits and large Dardevle spoons.

Eagle Rock Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using rainbow and pink PowerBait.

Gallinas River: Fishing for trout was good when using stimulator dry flies and dragon fly pattern dry flies.

Hopewell Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using olive Pistol Pete spinner flies.

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

Lake Maloya: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Pistol Pete spinner flies, PowerBait and dry flies.

Los Pinos River: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Monastery Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using copper-colored spinners and black dry flies.

Morphy Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Pistol Pete spinner flies and purple nymph PowerBait.

Pecos River: Streamflow near the town of Pecos Monday morning was 45.5 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair when using nightcrawler worms, PowerBait and salmon eggs.

Red River: Streamflow below the hatchery Monday morning was 20.6 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using dry fly with dropper nymph fly setups.

Rio Grande: Streamflow at the Taos Junction Bridge Monday morning was 216 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using tungsten beadhead nymph flies sizes 14-18.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow Monday morning near Valdez was 13.9 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using attractor dry flies during mid-day.

Rio Mora: Streamflow Monday morning near Tererro was 13.3 cfs.

Rio Pueblo: Streamflow near Peñasco Monday morning was 7.01 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Copper John nymph flies.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Shuree Ponds: Fishing for trout was good when using Parachute Adams dry flies.

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

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

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

Ute Lake: Fishing for white bass was fair when using slab spoons targeting fish 30-feet deep. Fishing for walleye and crappie was slow. Fishing for bass was fair when using drop shot or Ned rigs in 15 to 20 feet of water on main lake points. Fishing for catfish was fair. The water surface temperature was in the mid-70 degrees Fahrenheit and the main lake color was clear.


Northwest Fishing Report

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair when using nightcrawler worms and shrimp. Fishing for carp was fair when using corn.

Animas River: Waterflow below Aztec Monday morning was 37.5 cfs.

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

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskie was good when using green and yellow crankbait lures, waterdogs and silver spoons.

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

Canjilon Lakes: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using garlic-scented PowerBait and dry flies.

Chama River: Monday-morning flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 102 cfs and 120 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was good when using nightcrawler worms and streamer flies. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was fair to good when using beadhead nymph flies. 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 good when using cut bait and chicken liver on the east side of the lake.

El Vado Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good using PowerBait at the North El Vado Day Use Area off State Road 95. Fishing for smallmouth bass, perch and trout was fair to good near the Dam Day Use Area.

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

Heron Lake: Willow, Sierra Vista and La Laja boat launches are closed. The primitive boat launch is open. Shoreline fishing is available between Sierra Vista and the spillway or in Rincon. Fishing for trout was slow. The Quality Waters of the Rio Chama can be accessed at the Rio Chama Trailhead. The stairs are closed so use the road to the spillway. Non-quality waters can be accessed at the North El Vado Day Use Area located on State Road 95, 13 miles west of U.S. Highway 84.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez Monday morning was 3.78. Fishing for trout was good on the Valles Caldera when using grasshopper dry fly patterns.

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 fair to good when using crankbait lures and 5-inch green pumpkin Senko worms. Fishing for pike was good when using crankbait lures. Fishing for kokanee salmon was good when using Fire Tiger spinners, pink squid and orange spinners tipped with corn.

Rio Grande: Fishing for catfish was fair when using worms and shrimp near Albuquerque.

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

San Juan River: Streamflow Monday morning was 968 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good when using red annelid flies, black midge pattern flies, midge cluster flies, Griffiths Gnat flies and white leech pattern flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good when using Rapala lures and nightcrawler worms.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using worms and green PowerBait.

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

Trout Lakes: Fishing for trout was slow.


Southwest Fishing Report

Southwest

Alumni Pond: Fishing for catfish was fair when using cut carp bait and hotdogs. Fishing for bluegill was good when using worms.

Bear Canyon Lake: The water level is extremely low and will remain low through October for dam repairs.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for all species was slow.

Caballo Lake: Fishing for white bass was good when using 3-inch chartreuse curly tail grubs, live minnows, crankbaits and spinners. Fishing for catfish was good when using nightcrawler worms, chicken liver, shrimp and shad.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for white bass was good when using topwater lures, Whopper Ploppers, white slab spoons and chartreuse slab spoons. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was fair to good when using topwater lures, swimbaits, crankbaits and joined lures. Fishing for walleye was slow. Fishing for crappie was fair to good when using small spoons and live minnows. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using dough bait, cut carp, beef liver and shad.

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

Gila River: Streamflow Monday morning was 34.3 cfs. Fishing for catfish was fair when using cut bait.

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

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

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

Quemado Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using yellow PowerBait.

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

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Monday morning was 0.03 cfs. Fishing for catfish north of Elephant Butte Lake was good when using cut bait.

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

Trees Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using worms and cut bluegill bait.

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


Southeast Fishing Report

Alto Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using nightcrawler worms. Fishing for bass was good when using nightcrawler worms.

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

Berrendo Creek: Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on this property. Fishing for bass was fair to good when using Texas-rigged white paddle tail swimbaits and white creature baits.

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Monday morning was 3.77 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 that the lake will be out of commission until 2022.

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

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

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

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using stink bait.

Chaparral Park Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using shrimp and hotdogs.

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

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

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing for largemouth bass was fair when using watermelon red flake Senko worms.

Greene Acres Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using red hotdogs and shrimp.

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using nightcrawler worms and garlic PowerBait. Fishing for catfish was good when using shrimp, nightcrawler worms and hotdogs.

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

Lake Van: Fishing for catfish was good when using worms.

Oasis Park Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using a combination of cut bait and worms.

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 100 cfs. Fishing for white bass was good when using live shiners south of Malaga. Fishing for catfish was good when using cut carp bait south of Malaga.

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

Ruidoso River: Streamflow Monday morning at Hollywood was 12.8 cfs.

Santa Rosa Lake: The boat ramp has opened as water levels have increased due to recent rains. Due to low lake levels, Santa Rosa Lake State Park will operate as a no-wake lake until conditions improve.

Sumner Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using chicken liver and cut bait.


Tips and Tricks – Small Jemez Mountain Streams and Topwater Flies

Tips and Tricks 1

The Valles Caldera in the Jemez Mountains is host to some excellent high-mountain meadow streams and breath-taking scenery. In these high-mountain streams are thousands of hungry trout lurking under the grassy banks waiting for unsuspecting insects to land on the water’s surface. This past weekend, these fish were aggressively hitting small grasshopper pattern dry flies.

When fishing for these spooky trout in the wide-open meadows, an angler’s stealth greatly improves one’s success. Approach the stream cautiously and avoid standing on the stream bank above where you are fishing. Peek over the grass bank and softly present your fly as naturally as possible.

Tips and Tricks 2

A bonus to fishing the Valles Caldera this time of year is the fantastic elk viewing opportunities. Elk rutting activity is high in late September and bugling bulls can be heard echoing across the canyons. It is not uncommon to see hundreds of elk in the mornings and evenings.

All waters within the Valles Caldera preserve fall under NMDGF’s designation of “Special Trout Waters.” For information on accessing the Valles Caldera and obtaining proper permits and licensing please visit Fishing – Valles Caldera National Preserve (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).

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

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