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Fishing report

Catches of the week

Catch of the Week

Alto Lake: Robert Dodd and Ashley Balke of Moriarty caught their limits of rainbow trout using worms March 8.

Cochiti Lake: Daniel Caricaburu of Anchorage, Alaska, caught a 14.5-inch crappie and several nice pike using homemade swimbaits March 5.

Fenton Lake: Albuquerque’s Mark Chavez; his sons, Nolan and Luke; and his brother, Greg, caught and released 17 trout and kept six for dinner using green-and-white tungsten ice jigs tipped with green PowerBait and wax worms March 4.

Grindstone Reservoir: Rigo Benavides, age 4, of Las Cruces caught his first fish, a 10-inch rainbow trout, using marshmallows March 4.

Jemez Waters: Gerald Trujillo of Los Lunas caught a 31-inch brown trout using a pink Trout Magnet lure above Fenton Lake March 7.

Oasis Park Lake: Monica and Mario Velasco of Portales caught their limits of rainbow trout using PowerBait March 9.

Rio Grande: Justin Kersting of Rio Rancho caught and released a 28-inch walleye using cut bait near Elephant Butte Lake on March 9.

Tingley Beach: Dominic Jaramillo, age 2, of Albuquerque caught his first fish, a 12-inch trout, using homemade dough bait in the kid’s pond March 7. Evadel Garcia of Albuquerque caught a 19-inch rainbow trout using PowerBait on March 4. Mario Sedillo of Albuquerque caught an 18-inch rainbow trout using PowerBait on March 3.

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. 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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Clayton Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using worms and PowerBait.

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

Costilla Creek: The Valle Vidal is closed to fishing until July.

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

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

Eagle Nest Lake: Lake surface is closed to all activities 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: 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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Alice: Closed due to unsafe ice conditions.

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

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

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

Monastery Lake: The lake has been freshly stocked with trout and reopened for fishing. The Benedictine Monastery Lake is part of the Department’s Open Gate Program. Please visit our website for more information about this property.

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

Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos Monday morning was not measured due to ice. Fishing for trout was fair when using olive Wooly Bugger flies.

Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 49 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow when using streamer flies, Woolly Bugger flies and San Juan worm flies. Fishing for trout at the hatchery was slow to fair when using egg-pattern flies and Kastmaster lures.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 570 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using PowerBait and nightcrawler worms.

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

Rio Mora: Streamflow near Terrero Monday morning 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 bright-yellow PowerBait.

Shuree Ponds: Closed to fishing until 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 slow when using jigs and PowerBait MaxScent flatnose minnows. Fishing for white bass was slow when vertical jigging using jigging spoons and Berkley Gulp Minnows. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass was slow when using crankbaits and spinnerbaits. The main lake water surface temperature was in the mid 40 F range, and the water was clear.


Northwest Fishing Report

Northwest

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

Animas River: Streamflow below Aztec Monday morning was 435 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains:Fishing for trout was fair to good when using peach PowerBait.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for all species was slow.

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

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

Cochiti Lake: Fishing for crappie and pike was fair to good when using white swimbaits.

El Vado Lake: Closed due to dam construction project. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Park’s webpage or call 575-588-7247.

Fenton Lake: Due to deteriorating and dangerous ice conditions, Fenton Lake is now closed for ice fishing. Going onto the ice or throwing objects onto the ice is strictly prohibited. The park will remain open for day use and camping. For updated lake conditions, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-829-3630.

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

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

Jemez Waters: Streamflow near Jemez Monday morning was 58 cfs. Fishing for trout above Fenton Lake was fair to good when using pink Trout Magnet lures. Due to the rising popularity of fishing in Valles Caldera National Preserve, the National Park Service will begin charging a fee for its fishing permits starting April 1, 2023 to support the management of its fishing program. The new fee schedule will be $20 for an annual pass ($10 for youth 12-17) and $5 for a 7-day pass ($3 for youth 12-17). A State of New Mexico fishing license is also required to fish within Valles Caldera. For more information visit www.nps.gov/vall.

Laguna del Campo: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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 stocking will resume once conditions improve.

Navajo Lake: Fishing for pike was fair when using large streamer flies and jerkbaits.

Rio Chama: Streamflow below El Vado Lake Monday morning was 123 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Monday morning was 74 cfs. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was good when using midge-pattern 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.

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

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

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

San Juan River: Streamflow near Archuleta Monday morning was 306 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was fair when using midge pattern flies and annelid flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters section was fair to good when using PowerBait and black-and-gold Panther Martin spinners.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Tiger Park Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good when using olive beadhead, streamer flies.

Tingley Beach: Fishing for trout was good when using homemade dough bait and PowerBait. Fishing for trout in the catch-and-release pond was good when using black-and-olive, leech-pattern flies.

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


Southwest Fishing Report

Southwest

Alumni Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using chunky cheese PowerBait, Velveeta cheese, and black Pistol Pete spinner flies. Fishing for bass was fair to good when using gold, gray and green streamer flies.

Bear Canyon Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bill Evans Lake: The department is conducting a boater and angler improvement project at Bill Evans Lake from February to April. Improvements include the installation of a new concrete boat ramp and dock; improvements to the existing boat ramp; the installation of rock, fishing jetties; road improvements; and re-grading the north camping access area. Anglers should expect road and lake closures during construction. For current conditions, contact the department’s Fisheries Management Division at 505-476-8055. Anglers are encouraged to visit surrounding lakes such as Bear Canyon Lake, Lake Roberts and Trees Lake for alternate fishing locations.

Caballo Lake: Fishing for crappie and white bass was fair when using curly tail grubs.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good when using crankbaits and plastic worms. Fishing for white bass was fair to good when using small, chartreuse jig heads with soft plastic baits and white, weighted black streamer flies. Fishing for striped bass was fair when using small swimbaits with a jig head. Fishing for crappie was good when using small, dark-colored jigs and live minnows. Fishing for catfish was good when using live minnows and cut bait.

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

Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Monday morning was 1,260 cfs.

Glenwood Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using salmon eggs and orange PowerBait.

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: Fishing for all species was slow.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Monday morning was 0 cfs. Fishing for walleye was fair to good when using cut bait near Elephant Butte Lake.

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

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

Young Pond: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using corn, midge pattern flies and black-and-white streamer flies.


Southeast Fishing Report

Southeast

Alto Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using 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. Fishing for bass was fair to good when using red-and-black Senko worms.

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Monday morning was 5 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: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using green PowerBait.

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

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using lime green PowerBait.

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 fair to good when using corn-flavored PowerBait.

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using worms fished beneath a bobber.

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

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good when using marshmallows, garlic PowerBait and salmon-peach PowerBait.

Harry McAdams Park Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using homemade dough bait. Fishing for bass was fair to good when using purple plastic worms and creature baits.

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

Oasis Park Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait.

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 57 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 51 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 – Fly Fishing Advice

Tips and Tricks 1

By Chris Ortega

First off, I keep a Rocky Mountain hatch chart next to my fly-tying bench to help identify what types of insects typically hatch during different seasons. That serves as a good general reference, but, as we all know, water temperature and water flow rates routinely change, causing fluctuation in insect behavior.

Typically, I start my day fishing by trying fly patterns that I have had success using in the past, just to see if the fish will take it on instinct.

Oftentimes in places like the San Juan and the Rio Chama, the insect hatch will be in the millions, so it is not terribly hard to identify what insects the fish are primarily feeding on. What is important for the angler to do is to identify what color of fly to use to best match the hatch. Then, the angler must present the fly to the feeding fish in a manner that best replicates how the insects are naturally occurring in the water. This is what anglers are referring to when they mention “presentation” and “match the hatch.”

When fishing tail waters such as the San Juan River, I find a 5-weight flyrod is best for me because it allows me to cast and present small midge flies as well as larger streamer flies. I’ll even consider using a 7-weight fly rod if I’m casting large heavy flies such as crawdad patterns and big streamers.

Tips and Tricks 2

I’ve always found rust and olive colors to be productive on most stretches of the Rio Chama, San Juan River and Brazos River. Some of my flies of choice include the classic pheasant tail, the bunny leech in black and purple, Spanish nymphs, perdigons and San Juan worms. When using very small midge-pattern flies, I recommend fishing them below an egg-pattern fly. I have had great success with that combination.

Lastly, and most importantly in my opinion, if you are going to fish using streamer flies (like I love to do) in the early mornings, late evenings and into the night – chasing those monster fish – there is one crucial piece of advice: keep the streamer fly moving at all times!

More tips and tricks from Chris Ortega can be found on his Instagram page @five.oh.flies.

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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