Fishing Report

Bear Canyon Lake: Aria and Gabriella Jaquez, ages 6 and 9, of Las Cruces caught their limit of rainbow trout using salmon eggs and yellow PowerBait March 29.

Cochiti Lake: Baudie Balliett of Cochiti Lake caught a 20.5-inch, 5-pound, 14-ounce largemouth bass using a crank bait April 3.

Elephant Butte Lake: Jim Hill of Elephant Butte caught a 39.5-inch, 53-pound catfish using chicken March 31. Steven Castillo of Los Lunas caught a 15-inch white bass using a sassy shad March 27.

Fenton Lake: Dawn C’deBaca and Sharlene Sanchez of Albuquerque caught their limit of trout using a variety of colored PowerBaits and salmon eggs April 3.

Green Meadow Lake: Terri Keele of Hobbs caught a 16.5-inch rainbow trout using a Thomas buoyant Colorado spoon March 31.

Morphy Lake: Sutton Faught, age 7, and Emmett Garcia, age 8, both of Tucumcari caught and released 10 trout each using a Pistol Pete spinner fly with a water bubble April 2.

Red River: Alex Morton of Santa Fe caught a 14-inch rainbow trout below the Red River Hatchery using a size 14 green beadhead caddis nymph fly March 28.

San Juan River: Donna Brubach of Albuquerque caught a 15-inch brown trout using a black foam wing midge emerger fly April 3. Alex Martinez, age 10, of Farmington caught a 15-inch rainbow trout using garlic PowerBait March 27.

Sumner Lake: Renee Herrera of Juan Tomas caught a 22-inch, 4-pound catfish using worms below the dam April 2.

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 fair to good when using salmon peach PowerBait.

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was 6.96 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Clayton Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using various PowerBaits and nightcrawler worms.

Conchas Lake: Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair to good when using shallow diving jerkbaits. Fishing for walleye was fair when using crankbaits and curly tail grubs. Fishing for white bass was good when using Bomber and Rat-L-Trap crankbaits.

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: Closed to ice fishing due to deteriorating 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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Lake Alice: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using corn.

Lake Maloya: Fishing for trout from the bank was good when using green PowerBait. The lake is temporarily closed to boating due to some remaining ice. 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: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using orange PowerBait.

Morphy Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Pistol Pete spinner flies with a water bubble.

Pecos River: Streamflow near the town of Pecos Monday morning was 72.3 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using beadhead pheasant tail nymph flies, PowerBait and salmon eggs.

Red River: Streamflow below the hatchery Monday morning was 42.4 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using green beadhead caddis nymph flies.

Rio Grande: Streamflow at the Taos Junction Bridge Monday morning was 503 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using Blue Wing Olive dry flies.

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 good when using garlic PowerBait, Rapala lures and red or chartreuse spoons.

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

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 walleye was fair to good when using suspending jerkbaits and jigging live minnows in 5 to 12 feet of water. Fishing for white bass was fair when using small spinners and grubs. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass was fair when using jerkbaits, jigs, Senko style baits and square bill crankbaits in 6 to 12 feet of water. Fishing for catfish was slow to fair when using trot lines. The main lake water surface temperature was in the low to mid 50-degrees Fahrenheit and the water clarity was stained.

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

Animas River: Waterflow below Aztec Monday morning was 299 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains:Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait. Fishing for bass was fair when using jigs and swimbaits.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskie was fair when using jointed Rapala lures.

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 100 cfs and 200 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was fair when using beadhead nymph flies. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was fair when using beadhead Woolly Bugger 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 small jerkbaits. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass was fair to good when using crankbaits and jigs. Fishing for catfish was good when using cut bait and nightcrawler worms.

El Vado Lake: The State Park isopen for day use and can be accessed at the Main Park area, North El Vado Day Use Area off State Road 95 and Hargroves Day Use Area off of State Road 322.

Fenton Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using a variety of colored PowerBaits and salmon eggs. Please remember, only two cutthroat trout are allowed to be harvested per day within the regular five-fish limit.

Heron Lake: The lake is free of ice and open to bank fishing or fishing from paddle craft and small boats that can be launched from the shoreline.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez Monday morning was 65.8 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using orange PowerBait and red worms.

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 pink and yellow rainbow original scent 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 when using crankbait lures. Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using trout pattern lures. Fishing for smallmouth bass was slow using crankbaits.

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 333 cfs. The Bureau of Reclamation has scheduled a decrease in the release from Navajo Dam from 350 cfs to 300 cfs for Tuesday, April 5. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good when using black zebra midge pattern flies and black foam wing midge pattern flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was fair to good when using garlic PowerBait and worms.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using orange PowerBait.

Tingley Beach: Fishing for trout was good when using salmon eggs, flies, pink Berkley Gulp trout bait and garlic PowerBait.

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

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

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using salmon eggs and yellow PowerBait.

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

Caballo Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair when using hot dogs and nightcrawler worms.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using chicken and cut shad bait. Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair when using swimbaits, jigs and plastic worms. Fishing for white bass was fair to good when using white crankbaits. Fishing for crappie was good when using small jigs and live minnows.

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

Gila River: Streamflow Monday morning was 68.1 cfs. Fishing for trout on Whitewater Creek was fair to good when using beadhead prince nymph flies and worms.

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

Lake Roberts: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using streamer flies and dry flies.

Percha Dam: Water levels are very low.

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 0.10 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 slow to fair when using garlic PowerBait hare’s ear nymph flies.

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 4.16 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 orange 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: Fishing for trout was good when using orange and garlic PowerBait.

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Thomas buoyant Colorado spoons.

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

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

Jal Lake: Fishing for trout was fair when using homemade dough bait.

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

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

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 60.2 cfs. Fihsing for catfish was fair to good when using worms.

Perch Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using yellow and orange PowerBait.

Ruidoso River: Streamflow Monday morning at Hollywood was 6.99 cfs.

Santa Rosa Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Sumner Lake: Fishing for catfish below the dam was fair to good when using worms.

Matt Quintana and his friend Armando Armendariz recently had an epic day fishing with their kids Madelyn, Matteo and Nico on the San Juan River. This week, Matt shares with us his lethal fly-fishing setup that produced excellent fish catching action.

“Fish were hitting red annelids early in the morning and a small chocolate midge emerger in the afternoon,” Matt said. “After a small rainstorm, the water started boiling with fish action and very few people were fishing. We used almost the same rig but with a size 1 split shot. We fish with a red annelid, and 12 inches down from that fly, we used a Yong Special or a crystal flash emerger.

“All the flies we used were fished under an indicator. The total length of the rig was about 7 feet, but many of the fish were biting not far below the water’s surface. There were also two other gentlemen that were catching good fish stripping a size 12 Woolly Bugger fly.”

Let us know how your fishing trip goes! Share your tips and tricks with your fellow anglers by emailing us atfunfishingnm@gmail.com and let’s help the next generation of anglers find success.

Thanks for reading and supporting our angling community!