NORTHEAST

NORTHEAST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Pecos River: Donald Gutierrez and his grandson reeled in this trout using salmon eggs and PowerBait on Aug. 3.

NORTHEAST FISHING REPORT

Cabresto Lake: Fishing for trout was very good when using a variety of dry flies.

Charette Lakes: Fishing for trout was good when using Garlic PowerBait and silver spinners.

Cimarron River: Water levels are extremely low. Streamflow near Cimarron Wednesday morning was 4.53 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Clayton Lake: The most recent report was received July 17. At that time, fishing for trout was slow when using PowerBait and lures.

Conchas Lake: The most recent report was received July 10. At that time, fishing for white bass was slow to fair when using jerkbaits. Fishing for walleye was fair to good when using purple crankbaits.

Cowles Ponds: Fishing for trout was slow when using PowerBait.

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing for rainbow trout was fair to good when using PowerBait. 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.

Harris Pond: Fishing for catfish was good when using dough balls.

Hopewell Lake: Fishing for trout was good when using Pistol Petes and PowerBait.

Lake Maloya: The most recent report was received July 24. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using lures.

Monastery Lake: Fishing for trout was slow when using salmon eggs and PowerBait. 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 87.3 cfs. Fishing for trout was good when using worms, salmon eggs and PowerBait and slow to fair when using black-and-yellow Panther Martin spinners.

Red River: Streamflow below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 37.5 cfs.

Red River City Ponds: The most recent report was received July 31. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using Velveeta cheese.

Red River Hatchery: The most recent report was received July 24. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout was good when using Green PowerBait.

Rio Fernando: The most recent report was received July 10. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good when using salmon eggs.

Rio Grande: Streamflow below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 207 cfs.

Rio Hondo: Streamflow near Valdez Wednesday morning was 10.7 cfs. The most recent report was received July 17. At that time, fishing for trout was slow when using flies.

Rio Mora: Streamflow near Terrero Wednesday morning was 39 cfs.

Rio Pueblo: Fishing for trout was slow to fair when using dry flies. Streamflow near Peñasco Wednesday morning was 13.4 cfs.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Fishing for trout was slow when using PowerBait and spinners.

Shuree Ponds: Fishing for trout was good when using elk-hair caddis flies and red and olive zebra midges.

Storrie Lake: The most recent report was received July 24. At that time, fishing for trout was good when using Panther Martin spinners.

Stubblefield Lake: The most recent report was received July 24. At that time, fishing for catfish was fair to good when using cut bait.

Ute Lake: The most recent report was received July 24. At that time, fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good when using Berkley Stunner jerkbaits.

We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Costilla Creek, Coyote Creek, Eagle Rock Lake, Lake Alice, Los Pinos River, Maxwell Lake 13, Morphy Lake and Springer Lake.

NORTHWEST

NORTHWEST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Seven Springs Kids’ Pond: Natalie, age 6, and Hailey Sagadraca, age 3, of St. Augustine, Fla., caught two 18-inch rainbow trout using Pautzke Fire Eggs on Aug. 1.

NORTHWEST FISHING REPORT

Abiquiu Lake: The most recent report was received July 24. At that time, fishing for smallmouth bass was good when using jigs. 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 July 17. At that time, fishing for carp was slow to fair when using yellow foam hoppers and fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good when using topwater lures.

Animas River: Streamflow below Aztec Wednesday morning was 46.9 cfs.

Bluewater Lake: Fishing for catfish was slow when using Rapala jointed minnows.Visit Bluewater Lake State Park’s webpage or call 505-876-2391 for more information.

Canjilon Lakes: Fishing for trout was good when using Rainbow Warrior flies.

Cochiti Lake: The most recent report was received July 31. At that time, fishing for smallmouth bass was slow when using red-and-white Dardevle lures. Fishing for northern pike was fair to good when using white crankbaits.

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: Fishing for trout was slow when using PowerBait, flies, salmon eggs and spinners. Visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-829-3630 for updates.

Jemez Waters: Streamflow near Jemez Wednesday morning was 7.21 cfs.

Lagunitas Lakes: The most recent report was received July 31. At that time, fishing for trout was very good when using Rainbow PowerBait and worms.

Navajo Lake: The most recent report was received July 31. At that time, fishing for northern pike was fair to good when using green Rooster Tails, spinners, stuffed rat topwater lures and shallow-diving crankbaits.

Rio Chama: Fishing for trout was very good when using black nymph flies above El Vado Lake. Streamflow below El Vado Lake Wednesday morning was 99.8 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiu Lake Wednesday morning was 137 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 5.67 cfs.

San Juan River: Streamflow near Archuleta Wednesday morning was 1,000 cfs. The most recent report was received July 17. At that time, fishing for brown trout was fair to good when using No. 6 fluorescent green Panther Martin spinners in the bait section.

Seven Springs Kids’ Pond: Fishing for trout was good when using Pautzke Power Eggs. 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.

Tingley Beach: The most recent report was received July 31. At that time, fishing for catfish was slow to fair when using magic bait, chicken liver and dough bait.

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

SOUTHWEST

SOUTHWEST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Elephant Butte Lake: Daniel Calanchi and his son, Daniel, had a successful trip on Aug. 1-2. The younger Daniel caught multiple white bass (top left) weighing up to 3 pounds using a shad spoon, as well as a 7-pound flathead catfish (top right) using bluegill. The older Daniel (middle) caught a 3-pound largemouth bass (bottom left) using a spoon at the old marina, and he and his son teamed up to catch a 10-pound catfish, two 15-pound catfish and a 21-pound catfish using bluegill.

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 July 17. At that time, fishing for catfish was slow to fair when using Joe’s Flies and Panther Martin spinners.

Caballo Lake: The most recent report was received July 31. Fishing for white bass was fair to good when using shad, shallow-diving minnows and worms.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good when using baby bass rattle traps and spoons. Fishing for white bass was very good when using topwater lures, spoons, nightcrawlers and white grubs and fair to good when using red eye white spinners. Fishing for catfish was very good when using bluegill.

Gila River: Fishing for Gila trout was very good when using elk-hair caddis flies near the Catwalk. Streamflow near Gila Wednesday morning was 46.6 cfs.

Gila Waters: Streamflow near Gila Hot Springs Wednesday morning was 49 cfs.

Lake Roberts: The most recent report was received July 31. At that time, fishing for catfish was good when using stink bait.

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

Trees Lake: The most recent report was received July 24. At that time, fishing for catfish was fair to good when using chicken liver.

Young Pond: Fishing for bluegill was very good when using hot dogs and shrimp.

We received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Escondida Lake, Glenwood Pond, Percha Dam, Quemado Lake, Rancho Grande Ponds and Snow Lake.

SOUTHEAST

SOUTHEAST CATCH OF THE WEEK

Brantley Lake: Michael Mesa III, age 11, caught his personal-best largemouth bass using nightcrawlers while fishing with his uncle on Aug. 5.

SOUTHEAST FISHING REPORT

Bataan Lake: Fishing for catfish was fair to good when using special-made bait.

Berrendo Creek: Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on this property.

Black River: Streamflow at Malaga Wednesday morning was 16.3 cfs.

Bonito Lake: The most recent report was received July 31. At that time, fishing for trout was very good when using Rainbow PowerBait. Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake.

Brantley Lake: Fishing for largemouth bass was good when using nightcrawlers.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing for catfish was good when using nightcrawlers.

Chaparral Park Lake: The most recent report was received July 24. At that time, fishing for catfish was fair to good when using cut chicken breasts covered in Kool-Aid.

Estancia Park Lake: The most recent report was received July 17. At that time, fishing for trout and perch was fair to good and fishing for largemouth bass was slow when using worms.

Greene Acres Lake: The most recent report was received July 24. At that time, fishing for catfish was fair to good when using shrimp.

Grindstone Reservoir: The most recent report was received July 31. At that time, fishing for catfish was slow to fair when using white trout bait. Grindstone Reservoir is currently open for fishing. Due to changing wildlife impact closures, please see the Grindstone Reservoir Webpage before planning a visit.

Lake Van: Fishing for catfish was good when using chicken thighs and Kool-Aid.

Lower Transill Reservoir: The most recent report was received July 24. At that time, fishing for largemouth bass was good when using small crankbaits in the pool below the dam.

Oasis Park Lake: The most recent report was received July 31. At that time, fishing for catfish was slow when using stink bait.

Pecos River: Streamflow below Sumner Lake Wednesday morning was 98 cfs.

Rio Ruidoso: Streamflow at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 0 cfs. Fishing conditions will be adversely affected for an extended period of time due to recent flooding in the area.

Sumner Lake: Anglers reported good conditions for carp fishing.

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

TIPS, TRICKS AND STORIES

Latest Podcast Episode — All About Fishing

Want to learn more about fishing in New Mexico, or try your luck with one of the Department’s fishing challenges? The latest episode of the New Mexico Wildlife Podcast, available on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and most other popular podcasting platforms, can give you some pointers on how to get involved.

The latest episode, entitled “Fish New Mexico — iFish, Fishing Challenges and Fishing Tips,” features Melissa Garnett, the Department’s Public Information Specialist in the Southeast Area and coordinator of the New Mexico Trout and Bass Challenges. These statewide programs encourage anglers to catch a variety of species across different regions, including Gila, rainbow, brown, brook and Rio Grande cutthroat trout, as well as spotted bass, white bass, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Those who successfully complete one of the challenges will earn a commemorative coin, a certificate and a spot on the Department’s online Hall of Fame.

“There is no time limit,” Garnett said. “People from 13 states have participated, with some taking years to complete the Trout Challenge.”

Also joining the episode is Taylor Booth, a cold-water fisheries biologist with the Department who highlights top fishing spots in western New Mexico. He offers gear and bait recommendations for beginners, tips on seasonal fishing strategies and best practices for catch-and-release fishing.

“Understanding water temperature and clarity makes all the difference,” Booth said.

Valente Meza, the Department’s web developer, discusses the upcoming release of the Department’s iFish app. The app will serve as a one-stop tool for anglers, offering access to fishing reports, regulations, stocking updates and a user-submission feature for tracking fishing conditions in real time.

Meza said the app aims to improve both public experience and Department fisheries management efforts.

“Eventually, we want to provide data trends that help anglers and inform stocking decisions,” he said.

The podcast wraps with personal fishing stories and a reminder to keep boats clean and follow all rules and regulations.

Listeners are encouraged to explore New Mexico’s diverse waters and get involved with various fishing programs. Full details about fishing challenges and upcoming events are available on the Department’s website.