Fishing Report

Alumni Pond: Dmitri Hewitt, age 5, of Las Cruces caught an 11-inch rainbow trout using marshmallows Dec. 17.

Elephant Butte Lake: Alana Bostick, age 17, of Alamogordo caught a 3-pound blue catfish using cut bait Dec. 19. Tim Molina of Albuquerque caught a 14-pound blue catfish using cut bait Dec. 19.

Glenwood Pond: Joseph Uresti, age 12, and his dad of Bayard caught their limits of trout using salmon peach PowerBait, spoons and spinners Dec. 20.

Grindstone Reservoir: Emilio Hernandez of Roswell caught and released a 20-inch rainbow trout using a nightcrawler worm Dec. 19.

Pecos River: Josh Cde Baca of Santa Fe caught a 17-inch rainbow trout using Fireball salmon eggs Dec. 16. Rachel Lovato of Santa Fe caught a 23.5-inch rainbow trout using red PowerBait near Tererro Nov. 28.

Rio Grande: Tom Chrobocinski of Ojo Caliente caught a 20-inch brown trout using a pink and blue Mepps Spinner near Pilar Dec. 11.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Elias Mathew Gabaldon, age 9, of Los Lunas caught a 23-inch trout using PowerBait Dec. 18.

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 26.6 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was fair when using small worms and grey nymph flies.

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. For updated lake conditions visit the park’s webpage at https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/find-a-park/conchas-lake-state-park/ or call the park office at (575) 868-2270.

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: The State Parks Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department has temporarily closed Eagle Nest Lake to boating and ice-fishing due to recent winter weather conditions that created unsafe lake surface conditions. The lake is currently closed to all watercraft, including canoes, kayaks, inflatables and all types of motorboats. Park staff will continue to monitor ice conditions for ice fishing. While boat ramp access is closed, the park is open for day-use access. Hiking trails remain open at the park. For updated lake conditions visit the park’s webpage at https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/find-a-park/eagle-nest-lake-state-park/ or call the park office at (575) 377-1594.

Eagle Rock Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

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

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

Pecos River: Streamflow near the town of Pecos Monday morning was not measured due to ice. Fishing for trout was good when using trout pattern Panther Martin spinners, salmon eggs, red PowerBait and worms.

Red River: Streamflow below the hatchery Monday morning was 24.2 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair when using worms and salmon eggs.

Rio Grande: Streamflow at the Taos Junction Bridge Monday morning was 296 cfs. Fishing for trout near Pilar and the John Dunn Bridge was good when using pink and blue Mepps spinners and brown Rooster Tail spinners.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow Monday morning near Valdez was not measured due to ice.

Rio Mora: Streamflow Monday morning near Tererro was not measured due to ice.

Rio Pueblo: Streamflow near Peñasco Monday morning was not measured due to ice.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Fishing for trout was slow.

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 all species was slow. The water surface temperature was in the upper 40 to lower 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

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

Animas River: Waterflow below Aztec Monday morning was 154 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains:Fishing for trout was fair to good when using salmon eggs.

Bluewater Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. The State Parks Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department has temporarily closed Bluewater Lake to boating and ice-fishing due to recent winter weather conditions that created unsafe lake surface conditions. The lake is currently closed to all watercraft, including canoes, kayaks, inflatables and all types of motorboats. Park staff will continue to monitor ice conditions for ice fishing. While boat ramp access is closed, the park is open for day-use access. Hiking trails remain open at the park. For updated lake conditions visit the park’s webpage at https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/find-a-park/bluewater-lake-state-park/or call the park office at (505) 876-2391.

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 97.3 cfs and 68.1 cfs, respectively. We had no reports this week from below El Vado Lake or from below Abiquiu Lake. 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: A release of water from the El Vado dam has begun to lower the lake in preparation for dam reconstruction. Kokanee salmon snagging is allowed between the Heron Lake release to the El Vado Lake dam. Snagging is prohibited in the quality waters upstream from the Heron Lake release as it violates quality waters rules.

Fenton Lake: There was no fishing due to thin ice covering the lake. 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 currently closed. Small watercraft such as kayaks and paddleboards can launch from the shoreline. Fishing for kokanee salmon was fair to good when using snagging hooks near Sierra Vista boat launch at Ridge Rock and at the bottom corner of the dam at Ridge Rock.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez Monday morning was 13.0 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using pheasant tail nymph flies and pink annelid flies. Fishing the Rio San Antonio for trout was fair when using beadhead 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 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 268 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good when using egg pattern flies, leech pattern flies, Griffith gnat flies, midge cluster flies and size 22-26 black, grey and olive midge pattern flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good when using worms.

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

Tingley Beach: Fishing for trout was good when using salmon eggs, garlic PowerBait and homemade dough bait.

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

Alumni Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using corn, salmon peach PowerBait and marshmallows.

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing for all species was slow.

Bill Evans Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using cut carp bait and shad.

Escondida Lake: Fishing for trout was fair when using PowerBait, worms and salmon eggs.

Gila River: Streamflow Monday morning was 57.3 cfs. Fishing for Gila trout was fair when using live worms at Whitewater Creek.

Glenwood Pond: Fishing for trout was very good when using salmon peach PowerBait, spoons and spinners.

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

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

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

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

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Monday morning was 0.02 cfs.

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

Trees Lake: Fishing for trout was very good when using garlic PowerBait and shrimp.

Young Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using garlic-scented lime green PowerBait, mosquito pattern dry flies, gnat pattern dry flies, Velveeta cheese and green and white streamer flies.

Alto Lake: Fishing for trout was fair when using salmon peach PowerBait and 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.

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Monday morning was 12.6 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 trout was fair when using marshmallows and PowerBait.

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

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 trout was fair to good when using Panther Martin spinners.

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

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good when using nightcrawler worms and garlic PowerBait.

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

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

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

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 15.9 cfs.

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

Ruidoso River: Streamflow Monday morning at Hollywood was 3.87 cfs.

Santa Rosa Lake: The lake is open to boating, but due to low lake levels, Santa Rosa Lake State Park will operate as a no-wake lake until conditions improve. Fishing for all species was slow. For updated lake conditions visit the park’s webpage at https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/find-a-park/santa-rosa-lake-state-park or call the park office at (575) 472-3110.

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

Small midge flies consistently hatch during the winter and can be a great fly pattern to use for catching winter trout. As a rule of thumb, midge will hatch during the afternoon.

Before noon, midge start out as larvae. As they begin to hatch, they are referred to as emergers. They are emerging from their aquatic body casing and hatching into an airborne insect.

Before noon, try using midge larvae and emerger pattern flies. After noon, try using emerger and dry fly patterns.

Choosing the correct fly pattern color and size is best achieved by closely studying the flies that are hatching on that particular day. Do your best to match the hatch size and color.

Colors usually range from grey, black or olive to brown. Size typically ranges from 22 to 26.

 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!