NORTHEAST

NORTHEAST CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Charette Lakes: Richard Coffel and other members of the Albuquerque North Valley Senior Center Fishing Club caught 17- and 20-inch rainbow trout using worms and Orange PowerBait on March 5.

Rio Grande: Ian Griffith of Santa Fe caught a 19-inch rainbow trout using a copper bead-head nymph fly near Pilar on March 9.

NORTHEAST FISHING REPORT

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

Charette Lakes: Fishing for trout was good when using worms and Orange PowerBait.

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

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

Conchas Lake: Fishing for smallmouth bass and walleye was fair to good when using clown-pattern crankbaits and nightcrawler worms.

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: We had no reports from anglers this week. The lake remains open to ice fishing; however, it is restricted to foot traffic only and the lake edges are starting to thaw. The northern portion of the lake has water exposed from the shore to the main portion of the ice. Proceed with extreme caution when entering the ice. 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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Alice: Ice fishing season has ended.

Lake Maloya: Ice fishing season has ended. 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 to good when using Pistol Pete spinner flies. The 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 olive Hare’s Ear flies.

Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos Monday morning was not measured due to ice. Fishing for trout was very good when using Streamer flies; black, white and olive Woolly Bugger flies; black-and-chartreuse, tungsten bead-head nymph flies and small, egg-pattern flies.

Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 38 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 510 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using copper bead-head nymph flies near Pilar.

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 slow to fair when trolling using crawfish-pattern crankbaits from boats and when using PowerBait and silver Panther Martin spinners from shore.

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: Fishing for walleye was fair when using Berkley Gulp Minnows in 15-20 feet of water on main lake points. Fishing for white bass was fair to good when using suspending jerkbaits and small swimbaits. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair when using plastic worms. The main lake water surface temperature was in the high-40 F range, and the water was clear.

NORTHWEST

NORTHWEST CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Grants Riverwalk Pond: Austyn Riley, age 11, of Laguna Pueblo caught his limit of trout with his family using PowerBait on March 6.

San Juan River: Zachary Brewer of Bloomfield caught his limit of trout using spinners and spoons on March 5.

NORTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing for all species was slow when using worms. 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 169 cfs.

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

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: Fishing for bass was fair when using crankbaits.

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: We had no reports from anglers this week. 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: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait.

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

Jemez Waters: Streamflow near Jemez Monday morning was 37 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using gold bead-head nymph flies.

Laguna del Campo: Closed until May 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: Fishing for brown trout was slow to fair when trolling using large lures. Fishing for pike was good when using large, diving crankbaits and Streamer flies.

Rio Chama: Streamflow below El Vado Lake Monday morning was 108 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Monday morning was 94 cfs. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was fair when using Panther Martin spinners. 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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1): Fishing for trout was good when using rainbow-colored, Garlic PowerBait.

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

San Juan River: Streamflow near Archuleta Monday morning was 387 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was fair when using red midge-pattern flies, yellow egg-pattern flies and red annelid-pattern flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good when using spinners, spoons, egg-pattern flies, bead-head mayfly-pattern flies and nightcrawler worms near Crusher Hole and Cottonwood Campground.

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

Tiger Park Reservoir: Fishing for trout was fair to good when using leech-pattern flies.

Tingley Beach: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

SOUTHWEST

SOUTHWEST CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Quemado Lake: Rick Nyhuis of Quemado caught his limit of rainbow trout, with the largest measuring 19 inches, using Pink PowerBait on March 11. The Brieno family of Los Lunas (pictured above) caught their limits of trout using Pink PowerBait on March 9 and 10.

SOUTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Alumni Pond: Closed for repairs until further notice.

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Pink and Rainbow PowerBait, and black-and-yellow Panther Martin spinners.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using spinners and White and Garlic PowerBait.

Caballo Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair when using cut bait. Fishing for walleye was slow to fair when using Kastmaster lures.

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

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

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

Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Monday morning was 228 cfs.

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

Lake Roberts: Fishing for trout was good when using Natural-Scent, Glitter PowerBait.

Percha Dam: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Quemado Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Pink PowerBait and Power Worms.

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

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Monday morning was 1,310 cfs. Fishing for catfish was good when using worms and chicken liver near Socorro.

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 nightcrawler worms.

SOUTHEAST

SOUTHEAST CATCH OF THE WEEK

There were no reports from anglers this past week at Bottomless Lakes. Email Dustin Berg at funfishingnm@gmail.com with your catches!

SOUTHEAST FISHING REPORT

Alto Lake: Fishing for trout was very good when using Yellow and Chartreuse 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 6 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 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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

Grindstone Reservoir: Fishing for trout was good when using Garlic PowerBait, Rainbow PowerBait and red, zebra midge-pattern flies.

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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Oasis Park Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using a variety of different PowerBait.

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Monday morning was 74 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 11 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 – Treble Hook Replaced with Single Barbless Dry Fly Hook

By Paul Navrot

I recently installed size-18 Umpqua Tiemco 100BL hooks on a pack of Panther Martin spinners. I find the treble hook, which the spinners come with, is a bit much for entry-level casting and isn’t easy to remove from the fish. I used a dry-fly hook with a section of monofilament fishing line that barely fits through the eye of the hook and a nail knot on the shank of the hook, with a minimal little loop to connect them so the hook moves freely. The hook-eye aft-side simply holds an overhand knot on the loose end of the monofilament. I made a quick image of the modification, then I enhanced it with pencil.

My thought is to always go with a hook that is doing the absolute least damage to fish. So, everything in my box is #18 or smaller. I try to tie enormous flies on small hooks—they have a neat aesthetic to me. I had a really bad experience accidentally hooking a friend with a spinner when I was a kid. I’m lucky his mother was a nurse. Plus, I’m usually too removed from civilization to take the risk.

A Panther Martin spinner with a single barbless hook tied on with a loop of monofilament fishing line. The loop is meant to allow the hook to move freely.

Drawings to help demonstrate the method for attaching the spinner and hook using monofilament fishing line.

Rio Grande River at Buckman near Santa Fe.

I first tried my spinners on Feb. 13 on the Rio Grande at Buckman, near Santa Fe. I might have had a bite, but no fish were actually confirmed. One hour of fishing every so often is all it takes for me during the winter. I look forward to trying these spinners more so when the weather warms up.

I was saddened to find spray paint on some of the boulders by the rapid that wasn’t there in November. The streambed looked far more complex than I recall it being, probably due to the high-water flows released from Abiquiu Lake last fall. I’m mostly a dry-fly, small-stream angler. However, the Rio Grande might require a more creative approach, as the water temperature is often really cold when I’m typically here, so I went with spinners for sonic and visual attraction.

Thanks to the NMDGF crew for making New Mexico awesome,

Paul Navrot

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!