SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
Catches of the Week
Alto Lake: Bernie Urbassik of Albuquerque caught a 6-pound, 21-inch largemouth bass using green, garlic Powerbait on March 29. Caballo Lake: Adam Gonzales of Las Vegas caught a 19-inch walleye using a black Woolly Bugger fly on April 7. Cochiti Lake: Tyler Gillespie of Santa Fe caught a 36-inch pike using a swimbait on April 9. Eagle Nest Lake: Roberta Chavez and family of Los Cordovas caught four rainbow trout up to 18-inches long using PowerBait on April 9. Elephant Butte Lake: Tony Marquez of El Paso, Texas, caught a 20-inch smallmouth bass using live minnows April 8. Nathaniel Garcia of Ponderosa caught a 3-pound, 9-ounce smallmouth bass using a silver-flash Googan jerkbait on April 2. Escondida Lake: Hannah Sage, age 12, of Los Lunas caught a 3-pound largemouth bass using a live minnow on April 8. Pecos River: Naomi Huston, age 7, of Carlsbad caught a 5-pound, 21-inch channel catfish using a hot dog south of her hometown on April 7. Rio Grande: Edward Vigil of Santa Fe caught an 18.5-inch rainbow trout using salmon eggs near Pilar on April 6. San Juan River: Ever Barraza of Bernalillo caught his limit of rainbow trout using PowerBait in the bait waters on April 8. Tingley Beach: Alexandra Barela, age 7, of Albuquerque caught an 11-inch rainbow trout using pink, cheese PowerBait on March 31. Ute Lake: Danny Cornelius of Canyon, Texas, caught a 3.75-pound smallmouth bass using a crankbait on April 8. 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
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 23 cubic feet per second (cfs). Clayton Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using worms and PowerBait. Fishing for catfish was fair when using chicken liver and nightcrawler worms. 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: The lake is open to shore fishing but is closed to all watercraft, including: canoes, kayaks, inflatables and all types of motorboats. Fishing for trout was fair when using PowerBait. Fishing for pike was fair to good when using silver spoons. For updated lake conditions, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594. Eagle Rock Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait and spinners. 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: Fishing for trout was good when using Pistol Pete spinner flies and PowerBait. 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: Fishing for trout was good when using pink-lemonade PowerBait, worms and Thomas spoons. Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos Monday morning was 206 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair when using worms. Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 61 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair when using salmon eggs. Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 423 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair when using salmon eggs, Panther Martin spinners and nightcrawler worms. Fishing for pike was slow to fair when using brown trout-pattern lures and Woolly Bugger flies south of Pilar. Rio Hondo: Streamflow near Valdez Monday morning was 28 cfs. 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. Fishing for trout was good when using pink and purple nymph flies. Santa Cruz Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good when using green, garlic PowerBait and Pistol Pete spinner flies. 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 good when casting to shallow flats and points using suspending jekrbaits, swimbaits and Gulp minnows on ¼-ounce jigheads. Fishing for walleyes was good when trolling using Flicker Shad lures, Model A Bomber lures and Bandit crankbaits. Fishing for white bass was good when using 6-10 foot diving Bomber Model A lures and Bandit 200 and 300 model lures. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass was good when using square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and vibrating jigs in 4-8 feet of water. Fishing for crappie was fair to good when using live minnows in 20 feet of water. The main lake water surface temperature was in the low 50 F range, and the water was clear. |
|
|
Northwest Fishing Report
Abiquiu Lake: Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using crankbaits. Fishing for walleye was slow when using crankbaits. Animas River: Streamflow below Aztec Monday morning was 552 cfs. Albuquerque Area Drains: We had no reports from anglers this week. Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskie was slow when using swimbaits. Fishing for catfish was slow when using hot dogs. Fishing for trout was slow when using PowerBait. Brazos River: We had no reports from anglers this week. Canjilon Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week. Cochiti Lake: Fishing for pike was good when using gizzard shad-pattern swimbaits, lipless crankbaits and 8-inch swimbaits, jerkbaits and hot dogs. Fishing for walleye was fair when using Rapala lures. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass was fair to good when using jerkbaits and swimbaits. Fishing for catfish was good when using cut carp bait. 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: The lake is open to shore fishing but is closed to all watercraft, including: canoes, kayaks, inflatables and all types of motorboats. 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 670 cfs. 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 501 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Monday morning was 865 cfs. Anglers reported the water clarity below El Vado Lake was murky. Anglers reported the water clarity below Abiquiu Lake was murky. 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 284 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was fair when using Krystal Flash midge-pattern flies, leech-pattern flies and red-annelid flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good when using PowerBait. Seven Springs Brood Pond: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using PowerBait. Tiger Park Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week. Tingley Beach: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using Turbo Dough PowerBait, spinners and pink, cheese PowerBait. Fishing for trout in the catch-and-release pond was good when using midge pattern flies. Trout Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week. |
|
|
Southwest Fishing Report
Alumni Pond: Fishing for trout was fair when using silver spinners, Velveeta cheese, salmon-peach PowerBait and black-midge flies. Fishing for bass was fair to good when using white lures and small spinners. 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 white bass was good when using curly-tail grubs and crankbaits. Fishing for catfish was good when using cut bait. Fishing for walleye was fair to good when using crankbaits and black Woolly Bugger flies. Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was good when using shad-pattern jerkbaits, square-billed crankbaits, live minnows and silver-and-blue Rapala lures. Fishing for white bass was fair to good when using small, chartreuse jig heads with soft plastic baits. Fishing for crappie was fair 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 bass was fair to good when using live minnows. Estancia Park Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Monday morning was 334 cfs. Glenwood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week. 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: We had no reports from anglers this week. Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Monday morning was 0 cfs. Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Trees Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait and worms. Young Pond: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using salmon eggs, Velveeta cheese, corn, salmon-peach PowerBait and black midge flies. |
|
|
Southeast Fishing Report
Alto Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using 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 9 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: Fishing for walleye was fair to good when using chatterbaits. Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair when using hot dogs. 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 glitter PowerBait. Greene Acres Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good when using garlic PowerBait and salmon-peach PowerBait. Harry McAdams Park Pond: Fishing for trout was fair 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. Ned Houk Ponds: Fishing for trout was good when using salmon-peach PowerBait. Oasis Park Lake: Fishing for trout was fair when using PowerBait. Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 110 cfs. Fishing for catfish was fair when using hot dogs south of Carlsbad. 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: Fishing for walleye was fair to good when using 5-inch, curly-tail grubs. Sumner Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Timberon Ponds: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using red and yellow PowerBait. |
|
|
Tips and Tricks – Fishing with Swimbaits
By Ensley Aguilar
There are many different styles of swimbaits, including: big-soft swimbaits, hard baits, wake baits, crankbaits, multi-jointed swimmers and—my personal favorite—glide baits. With spring here, many species of fish will be spawning and bedding, so matching the hatch is key! A couple important factors when matching the hatch include using a lure with a similar size and profile as the bait fish present. Blue gill and shad wedge-tail baits are great for dragging on the bottom. Wedge tails are usually really soft baits, so the swimming action is present even if you are slow rolling/retrieving your bait on the bottom. There are many weedless options as well; for example, boot tails offer a larger kick in the tail during their swimming action. These baits can be a great option as the weather warms up. Larger wake baits work well as the weather gets warmer and top water becomes active. Cranking wake baits slowly to get them just under the surface has worked best for me.
Anglers should experiment with various cadences and cranking speeds to find out what the feeding fish prefer. Glide baits are my favorite baits because they can be worked like jerk baits, straight retrieve or you can pop your rod tip to get the glide bait to swim in an “S” pattern. Patience is key when you are presenting a larger bait, and I emphasize trying different presentations, cadence, reeling action, angles and depth.
The bigger the bait, the more important your rod selection will be. You need a stout setup to handle the weight of your bait and the bigger fish you plan to catch. Most of my baits are between 2-8 ounces and range from 5-11 inches long. I use a Dobyns Fury 806 rated to handle 2-8 ounces. A longer rod from shore is important for casting further distances, and to properly load the rod when you are casting. I usually fish with 20-pound, big-game monofilament or fluorocarbon fishing line as a leader on 65-pound braid, which is spooled up on my reel. Monofilament would be best for someone trying swimbaits for the first time because monofilament stretches and is more forgiving, which will help reduce snapping off baits should something get snagged.
Swimbaits can get expensive, and it’s not unheard of for baits to range from $100 to $400, but there are many great budget-friendly options as well. I would recommend Huddleston’s Baits, Savage Gear Pulse Tails, Keitechs and River 2 Sea S-Wavers for someone interested in the swimbait game. Again, patience is key. You won’t get bites every day and you may go days without a catch, but, with larger swim baits, you are looking to trigger the bigger fish into biting. It’s definitely about experimenting and testing yourself as an angler. Enduring countless lessons on to how to get big fish to react to big baits is definitely worth it! This is my third year strictly fishing with swimbaits, and I have learned that it is very different from conventional fishing. There are many great resources online that can help you get into the big swimbait game. There is a Facebook Group called “Swimbait Universe” where people who’ve been fishing swimbaits for years will give advice, sell baits, etc. There are also many videos on YouTube that will come up with a quick “swimbait” search. But more importantly, go out there, make mistakes, experiment and learn from it. Swimbait fishing is challenging but rewarding!
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! |
