Fishing Report

Bluewater Lake: Jesse Martinez of Santa Fe caught and released 37-, 34- and 33-inch tiger muskies using a streamer pattern fly June 7. Branden Perry of Albuquerque caught a 38-inch tiger muskie using PowerBait June 5. Merlyssa Mondragon, age 13, of Ojo Caliente caught a 39-inch tiger muskie using hotdogs June 4. Mark Mondragon of Ojo Caliente caught a 38.5-inch tiger muskie using a yellow and red crankbait June 4.

Navajo Lake: Dane Trujillo of Albuquerque caught a 13-inch kokanee salmon using a pink spinner tipped with corn June 8. Mario Gurule of Rio Rancho caught a 40-inch pike using a chartreuse crankbait June 6.

Ute Lake: Kenzie Rael, age 10, and Junior Rael, age 4, of Tucumcari both caught their first fish, a smallmouth bass and a white bass, using jigs tipped with worms June 4.

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 and salmon peach PowerBait.

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was 34.5 cubic feet per second (cfs). Cimarron Canyon State Park is closed until further notice due to extreme fire danger. For more information, visit the park’s webpage or call (575) 377-6271.

Clayton Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Berkley Trout Nibbles and Berkley Nightcrawlers.

Conchas Lake: Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was good when using 3.5-inch blue tube baits and soft plastic worms. Fishing for walleye was fair to good when using chartreuse crankbaits. Fishing for white bass was good when using white swimbaits. Fishing for crappie was very good when using 3.5-inch tube jigs in 12 feet of water.

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 the 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. All U.S. Forest Service land in the Carson National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure, visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at (505) 758-6200.

Cowles Ponds: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Santa Fe National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at (505) 438-5300.

Coyote Creek: Coyote Creek State Park is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information, visit the park’s webpage or call (575) 387-2328.

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing for rainbow trout was good when using yellow PowerBait, salmon eggs and salmon peach PowerBait. For more information, visit the park’s webpage or call (575) 377-1594.

Eagle Rock Lake: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Carson National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at (505) 758-6200.

Gallinas River: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Santa Fe National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at (505) 438-5300.

Hopewell Lake: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Carson National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at (505) 758-6200.

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

Lake Maloya: Fishing for trout was good when using black Woolly Bugger flies, lime green PowerBait and rainbow PowerBait.

Los Pinos River: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Santa Fe National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at (505) 438-5300.

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

Monastery Lake: The lake is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information,visit the Open Gate webpage.

Morphy Lake: Morphy Lake State Park is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information, visit the park’s webpage or call (575) 387-2328.

Pecos River: Fishing for trout was good when using salmon eggs near the town of Pueblo. All U.S. Forest Service land in the Santa Fe National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns, as is the Pecos Canyon State Park. For more information on the Forest Service closure, visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at (505) 438-5300. For more information on the Pecos Canyon State Park closure, visit the park’s webpage or call (505) 670-8196.

Red River: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using hare’s ear nymph flies and salmon eggs. All U.S. Forest Service land in the Carson National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure, visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at (505) 758-6200.

Rio Grande: Fishing for trout was good when using brown Joe’s Flies and black Pistol Pete spinners near the John Dunn Bridge. Fishing for pike was fair when using Rapala lures near Velarde. All U.S. Forest Service land in the Carson and Santa Fe National Forest districts is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure, visit the Carson National Forest or Santa Fe National Forest webpage. You can also call the call the Carson National Forest office at (505) 758-6200 or the Santa Fe National Forest office at (505) 438-5300.

Rio Hondo: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Carson National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at (505) 758-6200.

Rio Mora: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Santa Fe National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns, as is the Pecos Canyon State Park. For more information on the Forest Service closure, visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at (505) 438-5300. For more information on the Pecos Canyon State Park closure, visit the park’s webpage or call (505) 670-8196.

Rio Pueblo: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Carson National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at (505) 758-6200.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good when using green PowerBait, Berkley Gulp nightcrawlers and yellow garlic PowerBait.

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

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

Storrie Lake: The boat ramp and lake access to all motorized vessels is closed. For more information, visit the park’s webpage or call (505) 425-7278.

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

Ute Lake: Fishing for walleye was good when using Walleye Diver lures and Flicker shad lures. Fishing for white bass was good when using medium and deep diving crankbaits, live minnows and small swimbaits. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass was good when using Ned Rigs, soft plastic drop shots and wacky rigged worms in 6 to 12 feet of water. Fishing for crappie was good when using live minnows and small jigs. Fishing for catfish was fair when using nightcrawler worms, punch bait and chicken liver. The main lake water surface temperature was in the upper 60-degrees Fahrenheit and the water clarity was stained.

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

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

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

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskie was good when using rattle baits, streamer flies, crankbaits, PowerBait and hotdogs.

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

Canjilon Lakes: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Carson National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at (505) 758-6200.

Chama River: Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was fair to good when using nightcrawler worms. 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. All U.S. Forest Service land in the Carson and Santa Fe National Forest districts is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure, visit the Carson National Forest or Santa Fe National Forest webpages. You can also call the call the Carson National Forest office at (505) 758-6200 or the Santa Fe National Forest office at (505) 438-5300.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing for pike was fair when using swimbaits. Fishing for crappie was slow to fair when using swimbaits. Fishing for catfish was good when using cutbait.

El Vado Lake: El Vado Lake can be accessed at Hargroves Day Use Area off State Road 322 and the Main Park area off State Road 112. The Rio Chama River can be accessed at the North El Vado Day Use Area on SR 95, 10 miles west of U.S. Highway 84. Lake levels are steady but expected to drop as crews work on the El Vado Dam. The Dam Day Use Area is closed due to the ongoing construction. State Road 112 over the dam will experience periodic closures. For more information, visit the park’s webpage or call (575) 588-7247.

Fenton Lake: Fenton Lake State Park is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information, visit the park’s webpage or call (575) 829-3630.

Heron Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. For more information, visit the park’s webpage or call (575) 588-7470.

Jemez Waters: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Santa Fe National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at (505) 438-5300.

Laguna del Campo: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait and spinners.

Lagunitas Lakes: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Carson National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at (505) 758-6200.

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

McGaffey Lake: Stocking efforts have been suspended due to extremely low water levels and unstable ground conditions. Lake conditions will be monitored and stockings will resume once conditions improve. All U.S. Forest Service land in the Cibola National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Cibola National Forest webpage or call the Cibola National Forest office at (505) 346-3900.

Navajo Lake: Fishing for pike was fair when using chartreuse crankbaits, crawdad imitation lures and swimbaits. Fishing for smallmouth bass was slow to fair when using tube baits and crankbaits. Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using spinners.

Rio Grande: Fishing for catfish near Albuquerque was good when using chicken liver and cut bait. Fishing for pike was fair to good when using nightcrawler worms north of Bernalillo.

Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1): We had no reports from anglers this week.

San Gregorio Lake: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Santa Fe National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at (505) 438-5300.

San Juan River: Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good when using Griffith gnat flies, leech pattern flies, red annelid flies and midge pattern flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good when using nightcrawler worms.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: The lake is currently closed due to wildfire concerns.

Tiger Park Reservoir: Fishing for rainbow trout was good when using salmon egg scent PowerBait.

Tingley Beach: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using chartreuse PowerBait, chicken liver, nightcrawler worms and shrimp.

Trout Lakes: All U.S. Forest Service land in the Carson National Forest Service district is currently closed due to wildfire concerns. For more information on the Forest Service closure,visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at (505) 758-6200.

Hotdogs are known for being a good bait to use for catching catfish. You will often hear anglers say they are catching catfish using “red hotdogs”. Some of these red hotdogs are made by a company called Coronado. Another way to turn your hotdogs red, while adding fish attracting scent, is to add cherry or strawberry Kool-Aid into the mix.

This simple 3-step catfish bait can be made at home by doing the following:

1. Cut hotdogs into 1-inch long pieces and place in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle cherry or strawberry Kool-Aid over the hotdog pieces. Add garlic powder for additional attractant scent. Mix until all the hotdog pieces are thoroughly covered in a red mixture.
3. Place the hotdog pieces into a Ziploc bag and let marinate at least a few hours.

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!