Berrendo Creek: Miguel Barrera of Clovis caught a 3-pound largemouth bass using a wacky rigged watermelon Senko Oct. 10.

Bluewater Lake: Robert Gutierrez of Sandia Park caught a 32-inch tiger muskie using a green and yellow crankbait Oct. 24.

Eagle Nest Lake: Adrian Toscano of Los Lunas caught a 24.5-inch rainbow trout using PowerBait Oct. 31.

Elephant Butte Lake: Brandon Christner of Las Cruces caught a 4-pound smallmouth bass using a shad-colored squarebill crankbait Oct. 30. Chris Johnson of Albuquerque caught a 5.2-pound largemouth bass using The Deal swimbait on a Ned rig Oct. 24.

Fenton Lake: Richard Candelaria of Albuquerque caught a 17-inch rainbow trout using red PowerBait Oct. 25.

Grindstone Reservoir: Adrian Kison of Las Cruces caught a 17.5-inch rainbow trout using a natural-colored Trout Magnet Oct. 30. Mikey Mora of El Paso, Texas caught a 23-inch rainbow trout using worms Oct. 29.

San Juan River: Mike and John Thomason of Albuquerque and Bend, Ore. caught two 20-inch rainbow trout using size 26 chocolate foam-back emerger flies and size 26 zebra midge flies Oct. 30.

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.

Abiquiu Lake: The boat ramp is closed for improvements.

Animas River: Waterflow below Aztec Monday morning was 399 cfs.

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

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskie was fair to good when using green and yellow crankbaits.

Brazos River: Fishing for trout was good when using beadhead nymph flies.

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

Chama River: Monday-morning flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 35.4 cfs and 51.3 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was good when using nightcrawler worms and Panther Martin spinners. 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 pike was good when using shad jerkbaits and white and silver spinnerbaits. Fishing for white was good when using shad pattern lures.

El Vado Lake: Kokanee salmon snagging season is from Oct. 1. through Dec. 31.

Fenton Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Woolly Bugger flies, spinners, worms and red PowerBait. 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. Possession of kokanee salmon is prohibited from Oct. 1. through Nov. 12. Kokanee salmon snagging season is from Nov. 13. through Dec. 31. 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 15.8 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using worms and grub imitation nymph flies.

Laguna del Campo: Closed for the season. The lake will reopen in May 2022.

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 pike was good when using big streamer flies, Rumble Monster lures and blue Super Ciscos. Fishing for kokanee salmon was good when using snagging hooks near the dam.

Rio Grande: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using nightcrawler worms near Albuquerque.

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

San Juan River: Streamflow Monday morning was 377 cfs. In response to decreasing irrigation and increasing flows in the critical habitat reach, the Bureau of Reclamation has scheduled a decrease in the release from Navajo Dam from 350 cfs to 300 cfs Nov. 2. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good when using size 26 chocolate foam-back emerger flies and size 26 zebra midge 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 green PowerBait and worms.

Tingley Beach: Fishing for trout was fair when using PowerBait.

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

Alumni Pond: Fishing for catfish was slow when using nightcrawler worms.

Bear Canyon Lake: Repairs to the dam have been completed, but water levels remain low as the lake refills. Fishing for all species was slow.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for catfish was slow to fair when using cut carp bait.

Caballo Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using live minnows.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for white bass was fair when using crankbaits. Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair to good when using Ned rigs, shad-colored squarebill crankbaits and swimbaits. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using cut carp bait, live worms and dough bait.

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

Gila River: Streamflow Monday morning was 51.2 cfs. Fishing for Gila trout was good when using orange nymph flies.

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

Lake Roberts: Fishing for trout was good when using dry flies during the middle of the day and live worms in the evening.

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

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

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

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Monday morning was 0.59 cfs. Fishing for catfish south of Hatch was fair when using live worms.

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

Trees Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using live red worms and dry flies.

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

Alto Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using purple PowerBait.

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 wacky rigged watermelon Senko worms.

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Monday morning was 3.10 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: Fishing for bass was fair to good when using crankbaits and Mepps spinners.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Chaparral Park Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Eunice Lake: Fishing for all species was slow.

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair when using nightcrawler worms.

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

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good when using natural-colored Trout Margents and worms.

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

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

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

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was .42 cfs.

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

Ruidoso River: Streamflow Monday morning at Hollywood was 5.55 cfs.

Santa Rosa Lake: Due to low lake levels, Santa Rosa Lake State Park will operate as a no-wake lake until conditions improve.

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

By Bruce Atencio, archery education coordinator with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish

My Dad is 90 years old. I was out fishing the other weekend by myself, and memories of him flooded my thoughts as I first approached the water and dipped my line. My senses heightened as I felt that first nibble. It came quickly; I knew it was going to be a good day.

I must give all the credit to my Dad. Growing up, summers were reserved for camping and fishing. It was his love of fishing that has, over time, trickled down to me. My Dad never had all the high-tech gear, just a simple basic fly rod, a Martin automatic fly-fishing reel, a green canvas creel and worms. I never saw him try salmon eggs or other types of bait. He would say, “worms are all you need.”

My Dad also liked hiking and fishing small mountain streams. I can remember him getting me out of my sleeping bag at the crack of dawn and we would start the VERY long walk upstream. He enjoyed the scenery and the adventure of finding the perfect fishing hole. He liked fishing the hard stuff. His pole and line would easily glide through the willow bushes, while mine somehow would end up in a tangled mess. He would drop down steep slopes to get to a good hole and I would follow, knocking rocks into the water. I would lose one hook after another; he would patiently repair my line.

He taught me how to pick the perfect nightcrawler and how to expertly weave it onto the hook. He taught me how to sneak up to the water so you don’t scare the fish away. He would show me where the fish were hiding and how to gently cast my line and magically, I would catch one. I always wondered just how he knew where the fish were. It would still be early in the day when we made it back to camp. Breakfast would always be fried fish with Crisco and flour. We had to eat our catch so we could do it again that evening.

We had great times together. I learned to keep things simple, have patience with others and always fish for the good things in life. Fifty years later, I haven’t changed much myself. I still take long hikes in the mountains, worms rule and I enjoy the serenity of nature just like my Dad.

When I got home from fishing that weekend, he was the first one I called. He is still giving advice. Yes, Dad, “Size 7 hooks?” Check. “Nightcrawlers?” Check. Some things never change. Thanks, Dad!

Let us know how your fishing trip goes! 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.

Thanks for reading and supporting our angling community!