Fishing Report

Chama River: Justin Martinez of Albuquerque caught a 21-inch brown trout below El Vado Lake using a holographic Panther Martin spinner Nov. 16. Nico Lujan of Santa Fe caught a 27-inch lake trout using a streamer fly Nov. 13.

Rio Grande: Seth Hardy of Red River caught a 24-inch brown trout using a homemade white and grey streamer fly Nov. 21.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Elias Mathew Gabaldon, age 9, of Los Lunas caught his limit of rainbow trout using PowerBait Nov. 20.

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: Closed for the season. The lake will reopen in March 2022.

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was 4.86 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Clayton Lake: Closed for the season. The lake will reopen in March 2022.

Conchas Lake: New winter season hours – open for day-use access only Thursday-Sundayfrom 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Please contact State Parks at 1-888-667-2757with any questions.

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. Please check the Department website for additional information on the project and to identify alternative angling opportunities in the interim.

Cowles Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Eagle Nest Lake: New winter season hours – open for day-use access only Thursday-Sundayfrom 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The Moreno and Six Mile free access areas for New Mexico licensed anglers and hunters at Eagle Nest will remain open for day-use daily. Please contact State Parks at 1-888-667-2757 with any questions. Fishing for trout was slow when using peach PowerBait. Fishing for pike was fair to good when using streamer flies and swimbaits. Fishing for perch was fair when using worms.

Eagle Rock Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using pink PowerBait.

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

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

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

Lake Maloya: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using pink PowerBait and homemade dough bait.

Los Pinos River: Fishing for trout was fair when using small beadhead nymph flies.

Maxwell Lake 13: Closed for the season. The lake will reopen in March 2022.

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

Morphy Lake: Closed for the season. The lake will reopen in March 2022.

Pecos River: Streamflow near the town of Pecos Monday morning was 16.9 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using worms, salmon eggs and pheasant tail beadhead nymph flies.

Red River: Streamflow below the hatchery Monday morning was 34.0 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using salmon eggs and gold Panther Martin spinners.

Rio Grande: Streamflow at the Taos Junction Bridge Monday morning was 399 cfs. Fishing for trout near Wild Rivers Recreation Area was fair to good when using white and grey streamer flies.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow Monday morning near Valdez was 4.20 cfs.

Rio Mora: Streamflow Monday morning near Tererro was 5.41 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using earthworms.

Rio Pueblo: Streamflow near Peñasco Monday morning was 3.15 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using beadhead nymph flies beneath a stimulator dry fly.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using small silver spinners and Rapala lures.

Shuree Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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 to good when using vertical jigging blade baits in 25 feet of water. Fishing for walleye was fair to good when using vertical jigging blade baits and Berkley Gulp minnows in 20 to 30 feet of water. The water surface temperature was in the mid 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the water’s color was stained.

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

Animas River: Waterflow below Aztec Monday morning was 236 cfs.

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

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskie was fair to good when using streamer flies and green and orange jerkbaits.

Brazos River: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using brown Woolly Bugger flies.

Canjilon Lakes: Fishing for trout was fair when using worms and PowerBait.

Chama River: Monday-morningflows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 103 cfs and 58.4 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was good when using holographic Panther Martin spinners. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was good when using Woolly Bugger and leech pattern 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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Fenton Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using nymph flies, salmon eggs, Woolly Bugger flies and green PowerBait. Please remember, only two cutthroat trout are allowed to be harvested per day within the regular five-fish limit.

Heron Lake: All boat ramps are closed. Fishing for kokanee salmon was fair to good off the ledges at Ridge Rock and at the corners of the dam when using snagging hooks.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez Monday morning was 16.4 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using worms.

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 kokanee salmon was good when using snagging hooks near the dam.

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

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

San Juan River: Streamflow Monday morning was 297 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good when using hare’s ear nymph flies, size 22 chocolate foamback midge emerger flies and size 26 black crystal flash midge flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good when using worms, salmon eggs and brown and yellow streamer flies.

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

Tingley Beach: Fishing for trout was good when using white PowerBait Power Eggs, salmon eggs and garlic PowerBait.

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

Sometimes fish will chase your spinner but not commit to striking it. When this happens, try adding a little scent to entice those fish to commit.

I’ve had good success fishing for trout and kokanee salmon using spinners tipped with either corn, PowerBait, worms or salmon eggs.

Sometimes the fish just need a little extra motivation!

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!