NORTHEAST CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Hopewell Lake: Henry Webb (above), age 5, of Rio Rancho caught and released his first brook trout from a kayak using a Tenkara rod and a Pheasant-tail Nymph fly on Sept. 3.

Rio Grande: Justin Estrada (above, left) of Las Vegas caught and released a 21-inch brown trout using a hand-tied Stone Fly on Sept. 10. Seth Hardy (above, right) of Red River caught a 22-inch rainbow trout using a white Streamer Fly near Questa on Sept. 10.

NORTHEAST FISHING REPORT

Cabresto Lake: Fishing for brook and cutthroat trout was good when using mosquito-pattern dry flies and olive Caddis flies.

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

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was 41 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was good when using yellow Stimulator dry flies, San Juan Worm flies and live worms. Fishing for trout at Gravel Pit Lakes was good when using marshmallows, worms, Salmon Peach PowerBait and Yellow PowerBait.

Clayton Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using chicken liver.

Conchas Lake: Fishing for bass was fair when using topwater lures early in the day. Fishing for catfish was good when using fresh cut bait.

Costilla Creek: Fishing for trout was good when using ant-pattern flies and Prince Nymph flies.

Cowles Ponds: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using PowerBait.

Coyote Creek: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using black dry flies and nymph flies.

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using gold Mepps spinners and Salmon Peach PowerBait. Fishing for pike was fair when using shad-pattern crankbaits. 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: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using pheasant-tail nymph flies.

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

Lake Maloya: Fishing for trout from boats was fair when using Orange PowerBait. The ADA dock is open to anglers, with priority given to mobility-impaired persons.

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 when using worms. 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 PowerBait and when trolling using Mack’s Wedding Ring lures with salmon eggs and corn.

Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos Monday morning was 37 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using dry flies and worms.

Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 56 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using worms and dry-dropper fly setups.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 199 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using stone flies, white streamer flies and bead-head nymph flies. Fishing for pike was fair to good when using white streamer flies.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow near Valdez Monday morning was 19 cfs.

Rio Mora: Streamflow near Terrero Monday morning was 10 cfs.

Rio Pueblo: Streamflow near Peñasco Monday morning was 8 cfs.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: The lake is open from 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Thursday-Sunday.

Shuree Ponds: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using ant-pattern flies and Prince Nymph flies.

Springer Lake: Fishing for catfish at night was fair to good when using chicken liver.

Storrie Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using worms.

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

Ute Lake: Fishing for walleye was slow. Fishing for white bass was fair when using jigging spoons and blade baits in 30-50 feet of water. Fishing for bass was slow to fair when using Pop-R lures and Keitech swimbaits. Fishing for crappie was fair when using live minnows and Gulp minnows in 30-35 feet of water at night. Fishing for catfish was fair when using chicken liver and punch bait. The main lake water surface temperature was in the mid-70 F range and the water was clear.

NORTHWEST

NORTHWEST CATCHES OF THE WEEK

San Juan River: Gavin M Garcia and Gary Garcia (above, left) of Albuquerque caught several rainbow trout including a 24-inch and a 28-inch trout using a 9-foot fly rod and a handmade flies Sept. 3. Dylan Gonzales (above, right) of Los Lunas caught a 30-inch brown trout using a size-24, midge-pattern fly on Sept. 1.

Tingley Beach: Lowell Smith (above) of Paraje caught a 24-inch catfish using shrimp on Sept. 1.

NORTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing for walleye was good when using Yum White Curly-tail Grubs with pink jig heads.

Animas River: Streamflow below Aztec Monday morning was 89 cfs.

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

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskie was fair to good when using bass-pattern crankbaits.

Brazos River: Fishing for trout was good when using size-16 Adam’s flies.

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

Cochiti Lake: Fishing for pike was fair to good when using crankbaits, minnows, nightcrawler worms and cut bait. Fishing for white bass was good when using green deep-diving crankbaits, blue-and-chrome Rat-L-Trap lures, small white swimbaits and curly-tail grubs. Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair when using chartreuse/pearl curly-tail grubs. Fishing for crappie was slow to fair when using minnows and small, gold swimbaits. Fishing for catfish was good when using cut 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: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using orange spoons, green spoons, and orange PowerBait. Conditions may change quickly because of the nearby wildfire. For updated lake conditions and potential closure information, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-829-3630.

Grants Riverwalk Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Jemez Waters: Streamflow near Jemez Monday morning was 6 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good when using size-16, grey dry flies. Fishing the Cebolla River was good when using worms.

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

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

Lake Farmington: Fishing for bass was good when using crayfish-pattern plastic baits.

Liam Knight Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Navajo Lake: Fishing for kokanee salmon was slow to fair when using silver spinners, green spinners, pink spinners and orange squid tipped with corn 65-75 feet deep. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair to good when using 3-inch plastic worms, chartreuse curly-tail grubs and watermelon-green tube jigs.

Rio Chama: Streamflow below El Vado Lake Monday morning was 99 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Monday morning was 1,100 cfs. 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: Fishing for catfish was good when using chicken liver near Albuquerque.

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 819 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was fair to good when using Griffiths gnats, size-24 midge-pattern flies, Red Annelid flies and gray midge emerger flies. Fishing for trout in the bait-fishing waters was slow to fair when using PowerBait and Kastmaster lures.

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

Tiger Park Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Tingley Beach: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using shrimp and nightcrawler worms.Fishing for bluegill was fair to good when using small hooks and worms.

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

SOUTHWEST

SOUTHWEST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Elephant Butte Lake: Patrick Medina (above) of El Paso, Texas, caught a 28-inch, 6-pound catfish using cut bait on Sept. 4.

Gilita Creek: Adalia Gutierrez (above) of Tucson, Arizona, caught her first trout using a nymph fly on Sept. 3.

Quemado Lake: Justin Begay (above), age 7, of Pine Hill caught a 19-inch rainbow trout using a nightcrawler worm on Sept. 4.

Rio Grande: George Torres (above) of Stanley caught and released a 44-inch, 48-pound flathead catfish using threadfin shad as bait in a canal north of Elephant Butte Lake on Sept. 3. 

SOUTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Alumni Pond: Closed for repairs until further notice.

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

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

Caballo Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using gizzard shad and cut bait.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair when using Senko worms. Fishing for white bass was fair to good when trolling using shad-pattern crankbaits. Fishing for crappie was good when using live minnows. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using cut bait.

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

Estancia Park Lake: Fishing for bass was good when using live worms.

Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Monday morning was 18 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair when using nymph flies at Gilita Creek.

Glenwood Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait and worms.

Lake Roberts: Fishing for catfish was fair when using chicken liver and homemade stink bait.

Percha Dam: Fishing for carp was fair when using bread and corn.

Quemado Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using nightcrawler worms.

Rancho Grande Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Monday morning was 422 cfs. Fishing for catfish was good when using cut bait in the canals north of Elephant Butte Lake.

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

Trees Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using minnows.

Young Pond: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using live minnows, cut bluegill bait and cut carp bait.

SOUTHEAST

SOUTHEAST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Bataan Lake: Orlando Reyna (above) of Carlsbad caught a 14-inch bass using a plastic worm from his kayak on Sept. 3.

Carrizozo Lake: Raymond Krasnahill (above) of Alamogordo caught a 9.2-pound catfish using chicken blood bait on Sept. 8.

Greene Acres Lake:  Lucas Martinez (above) of Clovis caught a 22-inch, 6-pound catfish using red worms on Sept. 3.

SOUTHEAST FISHING REPORT

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

Bataan Lake: Fishing for bass was fair when using plastic worms. Fishing for catfish was slow when using hot dogs.

Berrendo Creek: Fishing for bass was fair to good when using pink plastic worms. Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on this property.

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Monday morning was 18 cfs. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using nightcrawler worms.

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. The lake is full but needs time for aquatic habitat to develop in order to sustain a healthy fish population. The city hopes to reopen the lake for recreational purposes in June 2024.

Bosque Redondo Lake: Fishing for bass was fair when using nightcrawler worms.

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

Brantley Lake: Fishing for bass was fair when using blue crankbaits.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Corona Pond: High temperatures have impacted fish survival in the pond. Department fisheries biologists are working to restore fish populations.

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

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using hot dogs and nightcrawler worms.

Greene Acres Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using red worms and shrimp.

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing for catfish was fair when using hot dogs.

Harry McAdams Park Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

Ned Houk Ponds: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using worms and stink bait.

Oasis Park Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using red worms.

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 86 cfs. Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using cut bait and chicken liver.

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 4 cfs.

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

Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing for walleye and crappie was fair to good when trolling using crankbaits.

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

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

Tips, Tricks and Stories – Two Easy Setups for Taking Kids Fishing

By: Chris Jarvis

Growing up in New Mexico, I can remember my first casts into the Jemez River when I was in elementary school.  I can remember being just a little older and fishing on the Cimarron River and catching fish after fish all on my own without another person around to watch or a camera to photograph my catch. I would always go with my grandma who painted instead of fishing, so I was on my own to figure things out. I can remember tangling and untangling, getting caught in the trees, slipping and falling, and coming back from my day with lumps, bumps, scratches, and bruises. But mostly I can remember not caring about anything else other than trying to catch and hold a fish. These memories are still very special to me as they take me back to some of my happiest times and to some of the most special places of my youth.

If you have ever thought about taking a kid fishing, DO IT!  There are so many valuable things that kids can learn from going out and casting a line into the water. I am here to tell you that you do not have to know how to fish to take a kid fishing. I learned the basics of fishing all on my own when I was young, still elementary school age. I was given a few pointers but then left on my own to “figure it out.” I think the figuring it out part is what turned me into a lifelong angler. I loved the puzzle of trying to figure out what works. Did I fail? Of course, but that is part of the process, and I learned much more from my failures and trying to correct those failures and turn them into success, than I did from those easy days when everything I tried worked.

TWO BASIC BAITFISHING RIGS – that any kid can learn to use. (HINT: they work great for adults too!)

For a STREAM or small RIVER – SPLIT SHOT RIG This was the very first rig I learned to use when bait fishing small streams and rivers.  You attach a hook to the end of your fishing line and about a foot up the line you attach two BB-size split shot. I usually used worms that I dug up or salmon eggs that I bought as bait. To fish this set up you let out a rod’s length of line. You then close your bail or click your reel so that no more line will come out. You use your non-rod holding hand to hold the fishing line and you pitch the bait into any good-looking area and let it drift down stream. Look for rocks, undercut banks, logs, current breaks; any place a fish might be able to sit comfortably and have insects floating by. You don’t really use the reel much when you fish like this. The skills you learn doing this will be invaluable if you ever decide to take up fly fishing!

For LAKES and PONDS – CRAPPIE RIG The way I was first shown to fish lakes was to tie a bell sinker. Usually, 0.25 ounce to the end of my line, then I would go up the line about a foot and tie a snelled hook on simply by looping it around the line. Then I would go up about another foot and tie on another snelled hook. I would put one bait on the bottom hook and one bait on the top hook and cast the rig out into the lake. I later found out that this basic rig is called a crappie rig, and bass anglers use something similar that they call a drop-shot rig. The fun part of this was experimenting with baits. You can try different baits on the top or the bottom hook and decide which ones the fish want that day

As I got older, I fell in love with fly fishing and started traveling all over the state, country and even abroad to explore and fish. Recently, I have discovered tournament bass fishing, which has been a blast for me and has rekindled a competitive side to me that I think I had lost for a while. I have experienced a fair amount of success in my lifetime of fishing, and I attribute it to the lessons I learned fishing as a kid–taking failures and trying to figure out why and adjusting until things started to work.  The lessons that fishing can teach are good life lessons that can help kids to become lifelong learners, and problem solvers. So, if you have ever considered taking a kid fishing, I highly recommend it. Catching a fish, being in some of the most beautiful landscapes in our state, and spending time together are just the beginning to all that it has to offer!

Chris Jarvis is the Wildlife Educator and Volunteer Coordinator for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.

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!