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Fishing Report

Catches of the week

Catch of the Week

Navajo Lake: Rick Romero and Rick Marino both caught their limits of kokanee salmon using 6/0 snagging hooks Nov. 1.

Rio Grande: Ian Smuczynski of Taos caught and released a 21-inch brown trout using a streamer fly Nov. 2.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Brantley T. Whaler, age 8, of Santo Domingo Pueblo caught a 21-inch brown trout using cheese PowerBait Nov. 13.

Tingley Beach: Gilbert Salas of Albuquerque caught a 15-inch rainbow trout using a Pistol Pete spinner fly Nov. 9.

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 atfunfishingnm@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. Fish weights and measurements are provided by the angler and printed here as received.


Northeast Fishing Report

Northeast

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

Charette Lakes: Closed to boating and fishing until March 2023.

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was 18 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Clayton Lake: Closed to boating and fishing until March 2023.

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

Costilla Creek: The department recently stocked 90,000 Rio Grande cutthroat trout, including 1,000 catchable-sized fish, into Costilla Creek and its tributaries as part of a long-term project to expand the distribution of Rio Grande cutthroat trout in 120 miles of the Costilla watershed in northern New Mexico. The department anticipates stocking Rio Grande cutthroat trout into this area over the next several years to assist with establishing a self-sustaining population of Rio Grande cutthroat trout. The public is reminded of the existing catch and release regulation for streams on the Valle Vidal and to release all fish at their point of capture — do not move fish above waterfalls, culverts or other fish barriers. The Valle Vidal remains open to fishing through Dec. 31.

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

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

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing for rainbow trout was good when using salmon-peach PowerBait and corn.

Eagle Rock Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using garlic PowerBait and salmon-peach PowerBait.

Gallinas River: National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access.Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information.

Hopewell Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using brown, leech-pattern flies and silver Pistol Pete spinner flies.

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

Lake Maloya: Fishing for trout was good when using size 20-22 flies and nightcrawler worms.

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

Maxwell Lake 13: Closed to boating and fishing until March 2023.

Monastery Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using worms and silver and black spinners.

Morphy Lake: Closed to boating and fishing until March 2023.

Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos Monday morning was 63 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using gold beadhead nymph flies.

Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery Monday morning was 63 cfs.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge Monday morning was 563 cfs. Fishing for trout was very good when using small mayfly dry flies, streamer and nymph flies.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow near Valdez Monday morning was 20 cfs.

Rio Mora: Streamflow near Terrero Monday morning was 20 cfs.

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

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Woolly Bugger flies and PowerBait.

Shuree Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week. The Valle Vidal remains open to fishing through Dec. 31.

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 when using blade baits in 20-25 feet of water. Fishing for white bass was fair when using vertical jigging spoons in 30-35 feet of water. The main lake water surface temperature was in the mid 50 F range and the water was dirty.


Northwest Fishing Report

Northwest

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

Animas River: Streamflow below Aztec Monday morning was 322 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains:Fishing for trout was fair when using salmon eggs and small, black and yellow jigs.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskie was good when using Countdown Rapala lures and water dogs.

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

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

Cochiti Lake: We had no reports from angler this week.

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 can be accessed at the North El Vado Day Use Area on State Road 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 El Vado Lake State Park’s webpage or call 575-588-7247.

Fenton Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using nightcrawler worms and garlic-peach PowerBait.

Grants Riverwalk Pond: The city is in the final stages of repairs; stocking will resume soon.

Heron Lake: Fishing for kokanee salmon was very slow when using snagging hooks.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow near Jemez Monday morning was 35 cfs.

Laguna del Campo: Closed to fishing until March 2023.

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

Lake Farmington: Fishing for trout was good when using corn and gold Joe’s Flies.

McGaffey Lake: Stocking efforts have been suspended due to extremely low water levels and unstable ground conditions. Lake conditions will be monitored and stocking will resume once conditions improve.

Navajo Lake: Fishing for pike was good when using streamer flies and orange medium depth diving crankbaits. Fishing for kokanee salmon was good near the dam when using size 6/0 weighted snagging hooks.

Rio Chama: Streamflow below El Vado Lake and below Abiquiu Lake Monday morning was 103 cfs and 116 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was fair when using worms and orange PowerBait. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was good when using Panther Martin spinners with a single barbless hook. 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.

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

Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1): Fishing for trout was fair to good when using spinners and flies.

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

San Juan River: Streamflow near Archuleta Monday morning was 311 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was fair to good when using streamer flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good when using worms and PowerBait.

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

Tiger Park Reservoir: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using spinners and flies.

Tingley Beach: Fishing for trout was good when using Pistol Pete spinner flies, leech pattern flies, green PowerBait, garlic PowerBait and worms. Fishing for trout in the catch-and-release pond was good when using single barbless hook beadhead nymph flies.

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


Southwest Fishing Report

Southwest

Alumni Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using salmon-peach PowerBait, Velveeta cheese and chunky cheese PowerBait. Fishing for catfish was slow to fair when using live worms and beef liver. Fishing for bass was good when using minnow and perch-pattern hard lures.

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using flies and red, orange and black Rooster Tail spinners. Fishing for crappie was fair to good when using flies.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for trout was fair when using yellow and red Panther Martin spinners.

Caballo Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using cut bait. Fishing for walleye was fair when using cut bait.

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

Escondida Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using homemade dough bait and nightcrawler worms.

Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Monday morning was 250 cfs.

Glenwood Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using yellow spinners and brown dry flies.

Lake Roberts: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using chartreuse PowerBait and flies.

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 Dam Monday morning was 0 cfs. Fishing for catfish was good when using cut bait north of Elephant Butte Lake.

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

Trees Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using worms, PowerBait and homemade garlic dough bait.

Young Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using nymph flies, Velveeta cheese, salmon-peach PowerBait and worms. Fishing for bass was good when using 4-inch, perch-pattern diving lures.


Southeast Fishing Report

Southeast

Alto Lake: Fishing for bass was fair to good when using small streamer flies. Fishing for trout was good when using peach PowerBait and copper spoons.

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

Berrendo Creek: We had no reports from anglers this week. Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on this property.

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Monday morning was 8 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.

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 to good when using rainbow 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 yellow PowerBait and purple Pistol Pete spinners.

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

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good when using copper, gold and black, single-barbless Joe’s Flies spinners, Rooster Tail spinners and pink egg pattern flies.

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 0 cfs.

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

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

Rio Ruidoso: Streamflow at Hollywood Monday morning was 14 cfs.

Rock Lake Hatchery Kids’ Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

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


Tips and Tricks – Yellow Perch Fillets

Tips and Tricks

With ice fishing season right around the corner, these fried yellow perch fillets go well served over a bed of rice or with a side of hush puppies.

Here’s what you need:

  • Yellow perch fillets
  • Blue Bird flour
  • Sea salt
  • Cracked pepper
  • Vegetable oil or other oil of your choice
  • Cast-iron skillet

Put half an inch of oil in the cast-iron skillet – deep enough to completely submerge the fillets. There is no egg wash needed; just dip the fillets in flour, sea salt and cracked pepper and deep-fry them in the cast-iron skillet until golden brown. These can be served with Frank’s Red Hot or any other hot sauce of your choice, or with tartar sauce or lemon wedges if you prefer.

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!

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