NORTHEAST

NORTHEAST CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Eagle Nest Lake: Mairen Hoch, above left, of Los Alamos caught a 26-inch rainbow trout while ice fishing on Jan. 14. Zachary Dostart, above right, age 14, of Rio Rancho caught an 18.5-inch rainbow trout using a nightcrawler worm on Jan. 12.

NORTHEAST FISHING REPORT

Cabresto Lake: Ice fishing for trout was good when using small, glow ice jigs tipped with wax worms.

Charette Lakes: Closed until March 1.

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was not measured due to ice. Fishing for trout was slow.

Clayton Lake: Closed until March 1.

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

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

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

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

Eagle Nest Lake: Ice fishing for trout was fair when using nightcrawler worms, small jigs tipped with Salmon Peach PowerBait and small jigs tipped with wax worms. Ice fishing for perch was fair to good when using small, chartreuse jigs tipped with wax worms. The lake is now open to ice fishing; however, it is restricted to foot traffic only. Avoid ice fishing near feeder streams or known springs, brush, logs, plants, docks or areas with multiple cracks or ice that is popping or otherwise weak. 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: Ice fishing for trout was very good when using small jigs tipped with wax worms.

Lake Alice: The lake surface is closed due to unsafe ice conditions.

Lake Maloya: The lake surface is closed due to unsafe ice conditions. 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: Closed until March 1.

Monastery Lake: The lake is closed due to unsafe ice conditions. Monastery Lake is part of the Department’s Open Gate Program. Please visit our website for more information about this property.

Morphy Lake: Closed until March 1.

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

Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 40 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 370 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair when using silver Panther Martin spinners and white Streamer flies.

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: Closed for the season.

Shuree Ponds: Closed until July 1.

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

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

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

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

NORTHWEST

NORTHWEST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Fenton Lake: Robert of Belen caught a Rio Grande cutthroat trout while ice fishing using a jig tipped with a wax worm on Jan. 8.

NORTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Abiquiu Lake: The boat ramp will be closed periodically until April as part of dam maintenance efforts. Contact the Abiquiu Lake Main Office at 505-685-4371 for updated lake conditions and closure information.

Animas River: Streamflow below Aztec Monday morning was 171 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains: Fishing for trout was good when using red worms near the Alameda Bridge.

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

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

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

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

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: Ice fishing for trout was very good when using meal worms, small jigs tipped with wax worms, and silver Super Duper lures. The lake is now open to ice fishing. Chainsaws are not allowed to cut holes in the ice. Fires are not allowed on the ice. In areas around the shoreline, the ice is thin due to runoff—be aware of where you step onto the ice. As of Sunday, ice measurements are 5 inches of clear ice and 8 inches of white ice 6 feet from shore, and 7 inches of clear ice and 4 inches of white ice at 20 feet out. 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 18 cfs.

Laguna del Campo: Closed until March 1.

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

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

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

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

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

Rio Chama: Streamflow below El Vado Lake Monday morning was 100 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Monday morning was 56 cfs. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was slow.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 only two trout.

Rio Grande: Fishing for white bass was good when using 2-inch, white swim grubs north of the Albuquerque Bio Park.

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 352 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good when using size-22 Annelid Flies and Oregon cheese-colored, egg-pattern flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was very good when using worms and one-quarter-ounce spinners.

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 trout was fair to good when using Rooster Tail spinners.

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

SOUTHWEST

SOUTHWEST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Fishing for catfish was fair when using cut bait last week at Caballo Lake. (Photo courtesy of New Mexico State Parks)

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 fair when using cut bait.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair when using cut carp bait.

Escondida Lake: Fishing for bass was fair when using live worms.

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

Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Monday morning was 64 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: Anglers reported that the lake was covered in a thin sheet of ice and unsafe to walk on.

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

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Monday morning was 0 cfs. Fishing for walleye was slow to fair when using swimbaits near Caballo 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 slow to fair when using spinners and Trout Magnet lures.

SOUTHEAST

SOUTHEAST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Fishing for trout was fair when using worms and PowerBait last week at Lake Van.

SOUTHEAST FISHING REPORT

Alto Lake: Anglers reported much of the lake surface was frozen.

Bataan Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using spinners.

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. 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.

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 when using PowerBait.

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

Corona Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Dennis Chavez Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Eunice Lake: Fishing for trout was slow.

Green Meadow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Grindstone Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

Lake Van: Fishing for trout was fair when using worms and PowerBait.

Ned Houk Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Oasis Park Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using black Panther Martin flies.

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 0 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using spinners below the Power Dam near Carlsbad.

Perch Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using PowerBait.

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

Rio Ruidoso: Streamflow at Hollywood Monday morning was 5 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, Tricks and Stories – Thinking About Picking Up Fly Fishing?

First and foremost, do it!

Fly fishing is a super fun fishing technique that helps hone angling skills and understanding of fish behavior, environment and food sources. It’s also a highly productive technique for catching numerous fish and large mature fish. It can be so productive simply because the flies you present to the fish mimic the exact food source the fish are primarily feeding on.

NMDGF Weekly Fishing Report author Dustin Berg and his brother Josh with a 20-inch rainbow trout caught on the San Juan River while fly fishing.

Fly fishing doesn’t have to be overly expensive and complicated. Here are seven tips for entering the wonderful world of fly fishing:

1. Fly fishing gear is all over the cost spectrum, but you don’t necessarily need to purchase the most expensive gear to have success. Purchasing a 4-weight or 5-weight fly fishing rod and reel combo is a great place to start. Shop within your budget and you should feel comfortable knowing your gear will be good enough. Rod and reel combos costing $50-$150 have caught millions of fish and been durable enough to last several years.
2. You will need to purchase a tapered leader to connect to your fly line. Your fly line is the colored, thick line spooled onto your reel. A 9-foot, 4x (6-pound-test) tapered leader is a good leader to start with. It is best if you use a leader and fly line that both have built-in loops at one end. This way you can connect the fly line and leader with a simple loop-to-loop knot.
3. Next you will need to purchase a tippet to connect to your leader. 5x (approximately 4-pound-test) tippet pairs nicely with a 4x leader. The purpose of this pairing is so when the line breaks, the lighter tensile strength of the tippet will cause the tippet to break rather than the leader. It is easier to replace a couple feet of tippet every so often as opposed to regularly replacing both your leader and tippet.
4. An easy knot to use for tying your tippet to your leader is called the surgeon’s knot. Here is a video on how to tie a surgeon’s knot.
5. Learn how to cast a fly line. Many fly fishermen are self-taught, but it is a tremendous help to watch tutorials and learn from people with experience. Many fly shops and fly-fishing groups are happy to help with this learning process. Reach out to the fly-fishing community. It’s a great way to meet people and learn proper techniques. Here is a tutorial to get started.
6. Now all you need are some flies and a net. What flies to use greatly depends on when and where you are fishing. The best advice is to visit a local fly shop and have them help hand-select a dozen or so flies for you to try depending on where you are going. The local fly shop can also help you with anything else you need depending on whether they suggest you use dry flies or nymph flies. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. They are generally happy to help and can advise on whether you need weight, indicators, dry fly flotant or anything else for your fly-fishing presentation.
7. Lastly, if all goes as planned, you are going to need a net! The best net to use is one with rubber netting. This type of netting is easier on the fish and easier on the fisherman. Nylon nets can easily get entangled with your fly hook, causing frustration. Rubber nets are great for avoiding those issues.

Here are some common fly-fishing knots that could come in handy.

Happy fishing!

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!