NORTHEAST

NORTHEAST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Rio Costilla: Josh caught an 8-inch Rio Grande cutthroat, as well as a Rio Grande chub, using a size 16-18 bead head Baetis Nymph fly on Aug. 30 past the fish barrier.

NORTHEAST FISHING REPORT

Cabresto Lake: The most recent report was received Aug. 28. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using olive bead head caddis flies.

Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Wednesday morning was 12.9 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Conchas Lake: The most recent report was received Aug. 21. At that time,fishing for largemouth bass was very good when using poor house curly tails.

Coyote Creek: Fishing for trout was good when using spinners.

Eagle Nest Lake: The New Mexico Environment Department has reported a potentially harmful algae bloom at the lake and the public is advised to take precautions, including keeping pets out of the water and avoiding swimming in the algae bloom. For updated lake conditions and potential hazards, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594.

Gallinas River: The river was recently stocked the first time since the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire.

Hopewell Lake: The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for trout was slow to fair when using worms.

Lake Maloya: The most recent report was received Aug. 28. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using PowerBait Mice Tails and Pistol Pete flies.

Monastery Lake: The most recent report was received Aug. 28. At that time,fishing for trout was slow when using worms and Pistol Petes. The lake is part of the Department’s Open Gate Program. Please visit our website for more information about this property.

Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos Wednesday morning was 146 cfs. The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for trout was very good when using PowerBait and good when using elk-hair caddis and Adams flies.

Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 32.8 cfs. The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout below the hatchery was very good when using Nymph Emerger and Prince Nymph flies.

Red River Hatchery: The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout was good when using salmon eggs and slow to fair when using leech-like flies.

Rio Costilla: Fishing for trout was slow when using size 16-18 bead head Baetis Nymph flies past the fish barrier.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 207 cfs. The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout, brown trout and smallmouth bass was fair to good when using red worms.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow near Valdez Wednesday morning was 9.25 cfs.

Rio Mora: Streamflow near Terrero Wednesday morning was 69.3 cfs.

Rio Pueblo: The most recent report was received Aug. 28. At that time, fishing for trout was good when using worms.Streamflow near Peñasco Wednesday morning was 13.4 cfs.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for trout was slow when using PowerBait and spinners.

Shuree Ponds: The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for trout was slow to fair when using leech-like flies from a kayak.

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

We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Clayton Lake, Charette Lakes, Cowles Ponds, Eagle Rock Lake, Harris Pond, Lake Alice, Los Pinos River, Maxwell Lake 13, Morphy Lake, Red River City Ponds, Springer Lake, Stubblefield Lake and Ute Lake.

NORTHWEST

NORTHWEST CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Cochiti Lake: Tony Vigil and his friend caught three northern pike and five white bass using frogs while trying out his new boat on Sept. 4.

Seven Springs Kids’ Pond: Javier Platero caught three trout, all longer than 18 inches, using PowerBait on Aug. 29. The first fish he caught broke four lines before he was able to reel it in.

NORTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Abiquiu Lake: The most recent report was received Aug. 28. At that time,fishing for smallmouth bass was slow to fair when using wacky-rigged Senkos.Contact the Abiquiu Lake Main Office at 505-685-4371 for updated lake conditions and closure information.

Albuquerque Area Drains: The most recent report was received Aug. 21. At that time, fishing for catfish was slow to fair when using chicken breast with Jell-O.

Animas River: Streamflow below Aztec Wednesday morning was 61.8 cfs.

Bluewater Lake: The most recent report was received Aug. 21. At that time,fishing for tiger muskie was good when using Whopper Ploppers and slow when using small, light blue spinners. Visit Bluewater Lake State Park’s webpage or call 505-876-2391 for more information.

Canjilon Lakes: The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for trout was good when using dry dropper flies.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing for northern pike was slow to fair when using frogs.

El Vado Lake: The lake is open to boating and angling with a primitive boat ramp available at the Dam Day Use Area, as well as the main (concrete) boat ramp and courtesy dock at El Vado Lake State Park. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Park’s webpage or call 575-588-7247.

Fenton Lake: The most recent report was received Aug. 21. At that time,fishing for trout was slow to fair when using Garlic PowerBait. Visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-829-3630 for updates.

Heron Lake: The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for smallmouth bass was slow when using gold Blue Fox Vibrax Wildeye Inline Spinners.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow near Jemez Wednesday morning was 14.2 cfs. The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout was good when using nightcrawlers on the Cebolla River.

Navajo Lake: The most recent report was received Aug. 21. At that time, fishing for northern pike was fair to good when using crankbaits.

Rio Chama: The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was slow when using PowerBait, salmon eggs and nightcrawlers. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was good when using nightcrawlers. Streamflow below El Vado Lake Wednesday morning was 99.8 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Wednesday morning was 70.4 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 only two trout.

Rio Grande: Streamflow at Albuquerque Wednesday morning was 6.25 cfs.

San Juan River: Streamflow near Archuleta Wednesday morning was 796 cfs. The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for brown trout in the quality waters was very good when using nymph flies. Fishing for rainbow trout was good when using Foam Emerger flies and San Juan worms.

Seven Springs Kids’ Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using PowerBait. If you catch a native Rio Grande chub in the Kid’s Pond, please do not leave it on the bank; return it to the water where it can survive as part of our native ecosystem.

We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Brazos River, Grants Riverwalk Pond, Jackson Lake, Laguna del Campo, Lagunitas Lakes, Lake Farmington, Liam Knight Pond, McGaffey Lake, Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1), San Gregorio Lake, Tiger Park Reservoir, Tingley Beach and Trout Lakes.

SOUTHWEST

SOUTHWEST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Caballo Lake State Park’s boat ramp has reopened and the lake is open to motorized boats after the completion of work to remove debris from the dam’s intake structure. Pictured above is the lake while it was closed (top) and after work was completed and water levels returned to normal (bottom). (Photos courtesy New Mexico State Parks)

SOUTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing conditions have been adversely affected in the aftermath of the Trout Fire.

Bill Evans Lake: The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for largemouth bass was good when using 3-ounce white spinners.

Caballo Lake: The lake is now open to motorized boat use and the boat ramp has reopened, as water levels have returned to normal after work to remove excessive debris from the dam’s intake structure. Visit Caballo Lake State Park’s website for more information.

Elephant Butte Lake: The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for smallmouth bass was good when using minnows.

Escondida Lake: The most recent report was received Aug. 21. At that time,fishing for catfish was slow to fair when using hot dogs with Kool-Aid.

Gila River: Streamflow near Gila Wednesday morning was 25 cfs.

Gila Waters: Streamflow near Gila Hot Springs Wednesday morning was 28.6 cfs.

Glenwood Pond: The most recent report was received Aug. 21. At that time, fishing for trout was very good when using PowerBait.

Percha Dam: The most recent report was received Aug. 21. At that time, fishing for brown trout was fair to good when using worms.

Quemado Lake: Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using PowerBait.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was 0 cfs.

We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Lake Roberts, Rancho Grande Ponds, Snow Lake, Trees Lake and Young Pond.

SOUTHEAST

SOUTHEAST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Santa Rosa Lake: Isaac Lucero caught a walleye using a green spoon on Aug. 31.

SOUTHEAST FISHING REPORT

Bataan Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using shrimp.

Berrendo Creek: The most recent report was received Aug. 28. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using bacon. Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on this property.

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Wednesday morning was 1.29 cfs.

Bonito Lake: The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using worms.Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake.

Corona Pond: The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishingfor catfish was slow to fair when using chicken liver and hot dogs.

Greene Acres Lake: The most recent report was received Aug. 28. At that time, fishing for catfish was fair to good when using liver and nightcrawlers.

Grindstone Reservoir: The most recent report was received Aug. 14. At that time, fishing for trout was very good when using Rainbow PowerBait and Pistol Pete red tails. Grindstone Reservoir is currently open for fishing. Due to changing wildlife impact closures, please see the Grindstone Reservoir Webpagebefore planning a visit.

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Wednesday morning was 1,600 cfs.

Rio Ruidoso: Streamflow at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 29 cfs. Fishing conditions will be adversely affected for an extended period of time due to recent flooding in the area.

Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing for walleye was good when using green spoons. Fishing for largemouth bass was very good when using “anything green.”

Sumner Lake: The most recent report was received Sept. 4. At that time, fishing for largemouth bass was good when using Texas-rigged Senkos.

We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Alto Lake, Blue Hole Park Pond, Bosque Redondo Lake, Bottomless Lakes, Brantley Lake, Carlsbad Municipal Lake, Chaparral Park Lake, Corona Pond, Dennis Chavez Pond, Estancia Park Lake, Eunice Lake, Green Meadow Lake, Harry McAdams Park Pond, Jal Lake, Lake Van, Ned Houk Ponds, Oasis Park Lake, Perch Lake, Rio Bonito, Rock Lake Hatchery Kids’ Pond, Spring River Pond and Timberon Ponds.

TIPS, TRICKS AND STORIES

Where the San Juan Flows

If you’re looking for large trout and a variety of other fish species, don’t overlook the San Juan River – New Mexico’s premier trout water – and Navajo Lake.

Article and photos by Gary Thorne

Editor’s Note: We are digging into our archives to bring you some tips, tricks and stories from the past. This week, we’re going back to the May-June 1981 edition of New Mexico Wildlife for a look back at a couple of New Mexico’s most treasured fisheries: the San Juan River and Navajo Lake.

In the nearly 20 years since the gates closed on Navajo Dam and water began backing up the San Juan and Pine River canyons, many thousands of anglers have fished from its banks and docks, or cast from their boats into secluded coves. Still other thousands have worked their lines below the dam, where the relatively constant water temperatures of the flow helped set the environment for New Mexico’s premier trout river.

The lake offers largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish and northern pike among its warm-water species, but it also offers some very good trout fishing.

Trout fishing, both in the stream and lake, has had its ups and downs — like the water levels.

Indeed, one of the most frequently asked questions about the San Juan River these days is, “What is the water flow?” The past months have seen water flows ranging from 1,200 to 5,000 cubic feet per second (cfs); but it was a long dry spell between July 1976 and February 1979, when the water flows were seldom above 550 cfs. To a fisheries manager, the periodic water flows of 5,000 cfs look pretty good: These periods of higher flow give the river a reprieve from heavy fishing pressure, and they also provide the environment needed by the invertebrates necessary to provide the good growth rate so common in the San Juan. At this writing, the water flow forecast for the summer of 1981 is well below normal, so we may again be in for another period of low water flows — perhaps some late snows or early rains will give the basin the moisture it needs.

The first 2¾-mile stretch of the San Juan below the dam has for some years been designated a quality-water section, with minimum size limits, reduced bag limits and restrictions on terminal gear to help develop a quality fishery. In October of 1979, the size limit was increased to 16 inches and the bag limit cut to two fish to further the growth of trophy fish. Fishing restrictions such as these are quite common in many states with goals of quality fisheries on certain waters. (See “Catch-and-Release” by Gary Thorne, March-April 1981 N.M. Wildlife.) All special fisheries regulations should be developed and evaluated by data to determine if they are in fact beneficial as far as the fishery is concerned.

Most San Juan fishermen would agree that by the fall of 1978, after the preceding 26 months of low water flows, there were few really big trout available that could be caught. Certainly fish could still be caught, but the accessibility of the trout during low water flows seemed to have depleted the trout populations.

During this time the Game and Fish Department continued to stock the annual allotment of nearly 150,000 rainbow fingerlings in the six to seven miles of trout water. In addition 15,000 catchable sized rainbows (eight-nine inches) were being stocked in the regular regulation section. This provided a put-and-take fishery for the San Juan angler.

So, are the special regulations and stocking programs working on the San Juan River? Along with the help of a summer aide and very cooperative district conservation officers, data are being gathered about the San Juan angler as well as the fish.

This information has shown that fishing pressure quadrupled in 1980 over past years. (Part of this can probably be attributed to the mild fall and winter months.) Approximately 30 percent of the San Juan anglers fish the quality section of the river, the other 70 percent fish the regular regulation section. The most popular spot on the river is from the lower end of the quality section to the brush diversion. This area receives about 40 percent of the total San Juan River fishing pressure. The Texas Hole area below the old church is the most popular spot on the quality section.

Although fishermen come from all over the country to fish the San Juan, 54 percent are local people. Forty percent of the fishermen come from outlying areas of the state, and six percent are out-of-state visitors. In the quality section exclusively, 49 percent of the fisher- men are local people, 46 percent are non-locals and 5 percent are from out- of-state.

The trout harvest on the river produces about .25 to .28 fish per hour for the average fisherman. Rainbow trout comprise 97 percent of the creel on the quality section and 88 percent of the fish harvest on the regular regulation section. The remainder of the trout were divided between brown trout and a newcomer, the Snake River cutthroat trout.

The Snake River cutthroat are not as flamboyant as their Rio Grande cutthroat cousins but are doing quite well in the river. They were first stocked as fry in 1977, and three- and four- pounders are showing up at the taxidermy shops.

Rainbow trout catch rates are continuing to climb at Navajo Lake, and research is being conducted to determine the optimum size and number that need to be stocked there each year to continue to provide a good fishery. 

Eighty-three percent of the trout caught in the quality section are less than 16 inches long and are released. (However, 98 percent of the fish caught in the lower section are less than 16 inches.) Also, 6 percent of the fish over 16 inches are being returned to the water by anglers. These will be available to other fishermen to be caught at a later time. It appears that the percentage of the fish caught in the 15- to 20-inch size is about the same as last year. However, there is an increase in the number of fish being caught 20 inches or longer.

Kokanee salmon spawning and hatching can be successful at Navajo Lake depending on water levels. Kokanee pictured here are in spawning condition the male with the elongated and upturned jaw. Average age of a spawning kokanee in Navajo is four years. Since they die after spawning, it is necessary to have an annual recruitment of new fish into the lake. 

Generally it appears the regulations are doing what they were intended to do, provide larger fish to the angler. It will, however, take continued support and cooperation from everyone involved. The department, for its part, will continue enforcing the regulations and gathering data to help make this management plan work.

Any discussion of the San Juan River should also include Navajo Lake. Factors impacting the lake water levels also affect the river. Heavy snowfall on the watershed, such as those of 1978-79 and ’79-’80, usually result in higher water flows in the river prior to and during the spring runoff, as the water level of the lake must be regulated to control the spring runoff.

A rapid drop in the lake level during winter months can seriously impact any reproduction attempts by winter spawning fish such as kokanee salmon, which usually attempt to spawn during November and December on gravel bars along the lake shore.

Kokanee historically can successfully spawn in a lake ecosystem if water conditions are optimal, but kokanee eggs can take up to 12 weeks to hatch, depending on water temperatures. Any significant drop in water levels before the eggs hatch can leave the redds high and dry, and the roe will die. The average age of a spawning kokanee in Navajo Lake is about four years. Since they die after spawning, it is necessary to have an annual recruitment of new fish into the lake, or few spawning kokanee will be available at the end of a four-year cycle.

In the past, the department has stocked kokanee fry into Navajo Lake when they were available. The numbers have varied but usually were between 150,000 and 200,000 fry annually. The kokanee eggs were obtained from the State of Colorado by trading walleye and rainbow eggs; but in the springs of 1977 and 1978 Colorado was unable to provide us with any eggs. Thus a drop in large numbers of spawning kokanee could probably be expected during 1981-1982.

To prevent dependency on other agencies, the department has initiated a kokanee spawning project on Navajo Lake. However, an alternative source of eggs must be found to help compensate for past stocking gaps. The importance of stocking may vary, depending on the success of natural reproduction or downstream recruitment from Colorado. The small run spawning experienced this season may indicate that stocking is indeed necessary to sustain a kokanee population.

Rainbow trout fishing has been very good the past few months in Navajo Lake. Many trout in the one- to two-pound size are being taken, and an 11-pound rainbow – just short of the state record – was recently taken in Navajo Lake.

Trout fishing in the lake, however, has not always been so satisfying. Prior to 1977, the number of rainbow trout stocked each year in Navajo had steadily increased from 60,000 in 1971 to 1.5 million in 1976. Most were fry or fingerlings. In spite of the increased numbers, the catch rate continued to drop, however. The harvest of rainbow in 1976 was practically nonexistent.

It became apparent that rainbow management would have to change, and fisheries biologists examined the possibility of stocking larger trout. The Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to provide fewer but larger rainbow for Navajo Lake. In 1978, 500,000 five-inch and 100,000 seven- to eight-inch rainbows were stocked. This turned the rainbow fishery around, and catch rates have continued to climb. Research is now being conducted on Navajo to determine the optimum size and number of rainbows that need to be stocked each year to continue to provide a good fishery. The smaller fish apparently were not competing well with other fish species in the lake, but the larger ones are surviving and growing in good numbers.

Gary Thorne is a specialist in fish biology working in the northwestern quadrant of New Mexico.