Lake levels -- Click here for the latest water storage reports from New Mexico reservoirs.
July 8, 2008
This fishing report has been generated from the best information available from officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, however, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.
Catches of the week
Cochiti Lake: On June 27, Matthew McLean caught a 25-inch 6.5-pound walleye. He was using a deep diving Rapala.
Conchas Lake: On June 29, Sebastian Tietjen, age 16, of Los Lunas caught and released a 28-inch walleye. He was using a pink lemonade Reef Runner.
Clayton Lake: On July 6, Michael Barreras of Clayton caught a limit of good size trout plus a 22-inch 5-pound walleye. He was using night crawlers.
Chama River: On July 4, Jeff Cordova, Anthony Perea and Larry Baca of Albuquerque each caught a 21-inch brown trout. They were using Panther Martins. On the same day, Quetzal Quintana of Denver caught a 20-inch brown while fishing with night crawlers.
Ute Lake: On July 5, Travis Grantham of Rio Rancho caught a 3-pound smallmouth bass. He was using a pumpkinseed Ruf-Neck jig with a pumpkinseed craw trailer and fishing in 4 feet of water.
Abiquiu Lake: On July 7, Amy Anderson of Los Alamos caught and released a 5-pound walleye. She was using a crank bait over 24 feet of water.
If you have a catch of the week story or just want to tell us about your latest New Mexico fishing experience, send it to us at fishforfun2@hotmail.com. We may include your story in our next report. For catches of the week include name, date, location, type of fish, length and bait used.
NORTHEAST AREA
CHARETTE LAKES: Trout fishing on the lower lake was good for anglers using assorted power baits. The caught several limits. A few trout along with several perch were caught by anglers using worms.
CIMARRON RIVER: Water flow below Eagle Nest as of Monday was 60cfs. Trout fishing was fair for anglers using worms, spinners, salmon eggs, elk hair caddis and humpys. Fishing at the Gravel Pit Lakes was fair for anglers using Pistol Petes, power bait and salmon eggs.
CLAYTON LAKE: Fishing was good using night crawlers and spoons for a mixed bag of trout and walleye. The walleye ranged in size from 2-to-5 pounds. We had no reports on other species.
CONCHAS LAKE: Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was good this past week. Anglers did well using jerk baits, tubes, salt craws, grubs, crank baits, top water lures and worms. Walleye fishing was fair for anglers trolling crank baits and spinner/worm rigs and casting grubs and tubes in the brush. The best action reported to us was by anglers fishing the north side of the lake. Fishing for white bass was slow-to-fair using crank baits, grubs, minnows and sassy shad. Night fishing for catfish was good using liver, shrimp, stink bait and night crawlers. Fishing for bluegill was good using worms and poppers. A few crappie and more white bass were taken by anglers fishing at night and using minnows and jigs.
COYOTE CREEK: Trout fishing was good this past week for anglers using elk hair caddis, salmon eggs, wooly buggers and black gnats.
EAGLE NEST LAKE: Kokanee fishing was fair for anglers trolling flashers with kokanee killers, needlefish or Platte River specials. The fish ranged in depth from 8-to-22 feet. Anglers trolling for kokanee also caught a few trout. Bank fishing was rated as slow-to-fair by anglers using power bait, worms and salmon eggs for trout and perch.
HOPEWELL LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using elk hair caddis and black ant patterns.
LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE: Trout fishing was rated as fair at both lakes. Best baits at Lake Maloya were Pistol Petes, ants, black gnats, elk hair caddis and power bait. At Lake Alice anglers did best using power bait and Pistol Petes.
MAXWELL LAKES: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using power bait.
MCALLISTER LAKE: Due to poor water quality, the lake will remain closed until further notice.
MONASTERY LAKE: Trout fishing was good for anglers using power bait, Pistol Petes, salmon eggs and small spinners.
MORPHY LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers fishing from boats and using parachute adams , black gnats, elk hair caddis and mosquito patterns. Fishing from the bank was slow.
PECOS RIVER: Water flow near the town of Pecos as of Monday morning was 116cfs. Trout fishing was good using night crawlers, salmon eggs, spinners, stimulators, elk hair caddis and wooly buggers.
RED RIVER: Water flow below the hatchery was 182cfs. Trout fishing was fair-to-good using spinners, wooly buggers, stimulators, salmon eggs and night crawlers.
RIO GRANDE: The water flow Monday morning at Embudo was 1,150cfs. Trout fishing was fair using Chernobyl ants, night crawlers, wooly buggers and spinners. We had no reports on other species.
SHUREE PONDS: Trout fishing was good using wooly buggers, stimulators, Pistol Petes, Kastmasters and Panther Martins.
SPRINGER LAKE: Fishing was good using crank baits and jigs for northern pike and a few largemouth bass. We had no reports on other species.
STORRIE LAKE: Trout fishing was good for anglers using assorted power baits. A few trout were also taken on garlic cheese and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species.
STUBBLEFIELD: We had no reports from anglers this week.
UTE LAKE: Night fishing under floating lights was good again this past week for anglers fishing for crappie, white bass and catfish. Best baits were minnows and jigs for the crappie and white bass and night crawlers and stink bait for the catfish. Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair for anglers fishing the evening hours and using top water lures and jigs. Fishing for bluegill was good using worms.
NORTHWEST AREA
ABIQUIU LAKE: Fishing was good this past week for anglers using tubes, buzz baits, jerk baits, worms, jigs and crank baits for smallmouth bass up to 3 pounds. Fishing was fair using bottom bouncer/night crawler rigs, minnows and crank baits for walleye. A few catfish were taken by anglers using night crawlers, liver, shrimp and hot dogs. We had no reports on other species.
ALBUQUERQUE AREA DRAINS: We had no reports from anglers this week.
BLUEWATER LAKE: Fishing was fair using stink bait, worms and hot dogs for catfish. A few trout were taken by anglers using worms and power bait. Fishing for tiger musky was fair for anglers fishing from boats and using swim baits, jerk baits and in line spinners.
CANJILON LAKES: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using Kastmasters, Panther Martins, Pistol Petes, salmon eggs and worms.
CHAMA RIVER: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 89cfs and 244cfs respectively. Trout fishing was fair-to-good using night crawlers, Panther Martins and power bait for a mixed bag of browns and rainbows.
COCHITI LAKE: Night fishing was good using minnows for white bass, crappie, catfish and smallmouth bass. Fishing was fair using jerk baits for smallmouth bass and northern pike. Fishing was fair using Rapalas and Rooster Tails for walleye, white bass and a few crappie.
EL VADO LAKE: Trout fishing was fair this past week for anglers using night crawlers, spinners and power bait.
FARMINGTON LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
FENTON LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using bright colored sparkle power baits, small marshmallows and night crawlers. Anglers fly fishing in the evening hours did well using stone fly imitations near the inlet for brown trout. The water was murky. Bright colors are working best for anglers using bait.
HERON LAKE: Kokanee fishing was very good this past week for anglers trolling rainbow colored needle fish and double whammies tipped with corn. Most of the fish were at depths of 15-to-18 feet. Fishing for all other species was slow.
JEMEZ WATERS: Water flow on the Jemez as of Monday morning was 23cfs near Jemez Springs. Trout fishing on the Jemez, Cebolla, San Antonio, East Fork and Guadalupe was good for anglers using parachute adams, elk hair caddis royal wulffs, small gold and silver spinners, worms and salmon eggs. Anglers fishing the Cebolla also reported catching several trout while using stone fly imitations.
LAGUNA Del CAMPO ( Burns Canyon Lake ): Trout fishing was fair-to-good using Pistol Petes and Kastmasters.
MANZANO LAKE: Trout fishing was fair using power bait, corn and salmon eggs.
MCGAFFEY LAKE: Trout fishing was good this past week for anglers fishing near the dam and using salmon eggs, spinners, power bait and worms. Fishing for catfish was fair for anglers using stink bait, liver and worms.
NAVAJO LAKE: Fishing for kokanee was good for anglers using Arnies, Double Whammies, Panther Martins and kokanee killers. They were trolling at depths of 25-to-40 feet and working the main lake between the dam and Francis Canyon. Fishing was good using jerk baits, crank baits, tubes, brush hogs and top water lures for smallmouth bass. A few largemouth bass were caught on the same lures. Fishing for northern pike was good for anglers using jerk baits, spinner baits and crank baits. Fishing was fair using small jigs, worms and poppers for bluegill. Crappie fishing was reported as slow.
RAMAH LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was at 572cfs. Trout fishing was fair-to-good using streamers, orange sparkle worms, wooly worms, dead chickens, BWOs and parachute adams . Fishing through the bait waters was fair-to-good using night crawlers, Pistol Petes, spinners, salmon eggs and jerk baits.
SANTA CRUZ LAKE: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair using power bait, salmon eggs, Kastmasters, Tasmanian Devils and worms.
SEVEN SPRINGS BROOD POND: It's just for kids under 12 and the trout fishing was good again this past week. Best baits were power bait and salmon eggs.
TINGLEY BEACH: Fishing at the Youth and Central Ponds was good using night crawlers and hot dogs for catfish. Fishing was good using worms for bluegill. A few trout were taken by anglers using worms and spinners. At the Catch and Release Pond trout fishing was fair for anglers using parachute adams, scuds, egg patterns, Griffith 's gnats and leeches.
SOUTHWEST AREA
BEAR CANYON: Fishing was slow for all species.
BILL EVANS LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
BURN LAKE: Fishing was slow.
CABALLO LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair using crank baits, jigs and grubs for white bass and a few walleye. Most of the action was on the east side of the lake. We had no reports on other species.
ELEPHANT BUTTE: Striped bass fishing was fair this past week for anglers using live shiners, gizzard shad, umbrella rigs and top water lures. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was slow-to-fair using top water lures, jerk baits, worms, tubes and senkos. Anglers did best working brush and main lake and secondary points. Fishing was fair trolling and casting crank baits, grubs and sassy shad for white bass and walleye. The best action was reported by anglers fishing from Kettle Top to the Jungles. Fishing was good using cut bait, shrimp and Gulp crawlers for catfish.
ESCONDIDA LAKE: Fishing was fair using night crawlers, hot dogs, liver and dough baits for catfish. We had no reports on other species.
GILA RIVER: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 40cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
LAKE ROBERTS: Fishing was slow for all species.
PERCHA DAM: Fishing was slow but there were a few walleye taken by anglers using minnows.
QUEMADO LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
RIO GRANDE: Water flow below Elephant Butte on Monday was 2,230cfs. Fishing on the river below Caballo was slow-to-fair using live shiners and night crawlers for a mixed bag of catfish and walleye. Below Elephant Butte anglers reported catching a few good size catfish while using night crawlers.
SNOW LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
SOUTHEAST AREA
BATAAN LAKE: Fishing was fair using worms and liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species.
BONITO LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good early in the day using power bait, salmon eggs, spinners and Pistol Petes.
BOSQUE REDONDO: Fishing was slow-to-fair using night crawlers and liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species.
BOTTOMLESS LAKES: Fishing was slow. Stocking has been suspended due to a golden algae bloom.
BRANTLEY LAKE: Anglers are to practice catch and release for all fish here as high levels of DDT were found in several fish.
CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
GRINDSTONE RESERVOIR: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using spinners, Pistol Petes, power bait, corn and salmon eggs.
JAL LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week but the lake was recently stocked with good size catfish.
LAKE VAN: We had no reports from anglers this week.
PECOS RIVER: Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 102cfs. Fishing was fair using night crawlers and minnows for catfish. One angler from Portales caught a 15 pound flathead catfish. He was using a minnow. We had no reports on other species.
PERCH LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow at Ruidoso on Monday was 1.6cfs. Trout fishing was slow-to-fair using salmon eggs and elk hair caddis.
SANTA ROSA LAKE: Fishing was good for anglers using green, pumpkin and watermelon grubs and tubes for walleye. Most of the walleye taken were in less than 12 feet of water. Fishing was fair-to-good using tubes, grubs, jerk baits, top water lures and crank baits for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Anglers using tubes and grubs also caught a few big crappie. The water was starting to clear.
SUMNER LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good using spinner baits, crank baits, jerk baits and top water lures for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Fishing was fair trolling bottom bouncer/night crawler rigs and crank baits for walleye. Anglers trolling crank baits also caught several white bass. Fishing was fair using night crawlers and stink baits for catfish. The water was still quite murky.