Fishing Report

Elephant Butte Lake: Javier Rubio, age 17, of El Paso, Texascaught and released a 25-pound striper and a 10-pound largemouth bass using live bait and jigs, respectively, March 8.

Morphy Lake: Justin Estrada of Las Vegas caught and released an 18-inch cutthroat trout using a homemade tungsten beadhead prince nymph fly March 13.

Ned Houk Park: Isaac Aranda Jr., age 10, of Clovis caught a 13-inch rainbow trout using yellow corn March 12.

Storrie Lake: Mike Schroetke of Rociada caught a 20.5-inch rainbow trout using homemade stink bait March 7.

Tingley Beach: Harmony Garcia, age 11, Serenity Garcia, age 9, Honesty Garcia, age 7, and Sebastian Barron, age 3, all of Albuquerque caught their limits of trout using garlic PowerBait March 12. Zayden Garcia, age 9, of Laguna Pueblo caught a 13.5-inch rainbow trout using homemade dough bait March 7.

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 good when using garlic PowerBait, salmon peach PowerBait and black spinners.

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was not measured due to ice.

Clayton Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait.

Conchas Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. For updated lake conditions visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at (575) 868-2270.

Costilla Creek: The Department is implementing 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 involves 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 2023. 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: Temporarily closed to ice fishing due to unsafe ice conditions. For updated lake conditions visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at (575) 377-1594.

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

Gallinas River: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using black crystal flash beadhead leech pattern flies.

Hopewell Lake: Anglers reported the lake was frozen and the entrance gates are locked until spring.

Lake Alice: Temporarily closed due to unsafe ice conditions. For updated lake conditions visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at (575) 445-5607.

Lake Maloya: Temporarily closed due to unsafe ice conditions. For updated lake conditions visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at (575) 445-5607.

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

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

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

Morphy Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using tungsten beadhead prince nymph flies.

Pecos River: Streamflow near the town of Pecos Monday morning was not measured due to ice. Fishing for trout was good when using orange egg pattern flies and salmon eggs.

Red River: Streamflow below the hatchery Monday morning was 38.7 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was fair to good when using spinners and zebra midge flies.

Rio Grande: Streamflow at the Taos Junction Bridge Monday morning was 471 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using streamer flies and silver 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 fair to good when using garlic PowerBait and Rapala lures.

Shuree Ponds: Closed for the season. The ponds will reopen in July.

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

Storrie Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using homemade stink bait and garlic glitter PowerBait.

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

Ute Lake: Fishing for walleye was fair to good when using bottom bouncers with nightcrawler harness rigs, live minnows, jigs and swimbaits in 10 to 15 feet of water. Fishing for bass was slow to fair. The main lake water surface temperature was in the mid 40-degrees Fahrenheit and the water clarity was clear.

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

Animas River: Waterflow below Aztec Monday morning was 201 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains:Fishing for trout was fair to good when using beadhead nymph flies and homemade dough bait.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskie was fair to good using black and orange spinners.

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

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

Chama River: Monday-morningflows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 97.3 cfs and 52.0 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was fair when using nightcrawler worms and beadhead nymph flies. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was fair 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 nightcrawler worms and shrimp.

El Vado Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez Monday morning was 25.1 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using Rooster Tail spinners.

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

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

Lake Farmington: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait.

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 fair using Rapala lures and large streamer flies.

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 392 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good when using midge nymph and dry pattern flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was fair to good when using nightcrawler worms.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week. Parking is limited and 4-wheel drive vehicles are recommended due to snow.

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

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

Alumni Pond: Fishing for trout was slow when using lime green PowerBait and garlic PowerBait.

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing for trout was slow.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using streamer flies, Flicker Shad lures, garlic PowerBait, PowerBait worms and live worms.

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

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using cut shad bait and live minnows. Fishing for largemouth bass was fair when using jigs and plastic worms. Fishing for striped bass was slow to fair when using live bait. Fishing for crappie was fair to good when using small jigs and live minnows.

Escondida Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using corn and rainbow PowerBait.

Gila River: Streamflow Monday morning was 63.9 cfs. Fishing for Gila trout was fair when using Rooster Tail spinners and black copper john flies.

Glenwood Pond: Fishing for trout was slow.

Lake Roberts: Fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good when using maroon colored plastic worms and silver spoons. Fishing for trout was fair when using dry flies.

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

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

Rancho Grande Ponds: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using garlic PowerBait.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Monday morning was 0.0 cfs.

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

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

Young Pond: Fishing for trout was fair when using lime green egg pattern flies, cheese PowerBait and Velveeta cheese.

Alto Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using silver Kastmaster lures and 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.

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Monday morning was 5.06 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 later this year.

Bosque Redondo Lake: Fishing for trout was fair when using hare’s ear nymph flies and Trout Magnet lures.

Bottomless Lakes: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using yellow PowerBait.

Brantley Lake: Fishing for bass was fair to good using black and silver 2-inch grubs, pumpkin brown and black pepper plastic worms and crawdad imitation lures.

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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using salmon peach PowerBait. Fishing for bass was fair when using spoons.

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

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good when using salmon peach PowerBait.

Jal Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using floating dough bait.

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

Ned Houk Park: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using yellow corn.

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

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 50.3 cfs.

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

Ruidoso River: Streamflow Monday morning at Hollywood was 5.28 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.

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

This past week, I saw the first really big bass of the year get caught by a young angler named Javier Rubio. He caught and released a 10-pound largemouth bass at Elephant Butte Lake using an artificial jig with a grub. Speaking with many bass anglers across the state, I understand how important it is to them to educate fellow anglers on some best practice catch and release tips – especially with the big bass, which are the brood stock for future generations. So here are a few catch-and-release tips, followed by a short clip of the 10-pounder being released.

1. Use artificial lures to avoid gut hooking fish. Furthermore, you can use single-hook lures instead of treble-hooked lures to reduce the severity of injury to the fish during catching.
2. Net your fish as quickly as possible using a rubber landing net. Playing your fish until it is exhausted increases the likelihood of the fish not being able to recuperate. Using rubber landing nets helps reduces the negative impact to the fish’s protective outer layering (slime).
3. Don’t squeeze your fish or put your fingers in its gills. The gills are the fish’s lungs and very fragile.
4. Before taking your fish out of the water, have your camera ready. You only want to take your fish out of the water for a few seconds, with a release occurring as quickly as possible. Fish can not breathe out of water, so it is very important to make a clean and quick release.

The CPR (Catch Photo Release) method has become popular amongst many avid anglers and is one way to preserve high-quality angling opportunities for the future.

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!