New Mexico fishing and stocking reports

New Mexico Department of Game & Fish sent this bulletin at 04/28/2015 10:09 AM MDT

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This fishing report, provided by Bill Dunn and the Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.

Check out the stocking report through April 3. Lake levels and stream flows.

CATCHES OF THE WEEK:

Abiquiu Lake: April 22, Spenser Bustos caught a 5-pound smallmouth bass on a plastic gulp worm.

Bluewater Lake: April 24, Jason J. Sanchez of Albuquerque caught a 45-inch tiger musky. He was using a hot dog.

Clayton Lake: April 25, Mikey Montoya of Clayton caught a 9-pound, 8-ounce walleye.

Cochiti Lake: April 25, Tod Cecil of Albuquerque caught a 38-inch, 10-pound, 14-ounce northern pike. He was fishing the west side between the boat ramp and the swimming area and using a Cotton Cordell Big O.

Pecos River: April 22, Andrew Leyba caught a 22-inch, 6-pound rainbow trout. He was fishing about a half mile upstream from the Willow Creek area and using a worm.

The following came in too late for last week’s report but we felt it was definitely worth mentioning:

Bluewater Lake: April 18, David Martinez age 14 of Albuquerque caught and released a 36-inch, 10-pound tiger muskie. He was using a hot dog.

San Juan River: April 19, Christy Wall caught and released a 21-inch brown trout. She was using a size 18, black zebra midge.

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, and location, type of fish, length and weight if possible and bait, lure or fly used.

April 28

Northeast

Charette Lakes: Fishing was slow.

Cimarron River: Stream flow was 25 cfs near Cimarron. Trout fishing in the lower canyon below Clear Creek was fair for anglers using brassies, bead head hare’s ears and Panther Martins. Fishing at the Gravel Pit Lakes was slow to fair using worms, garlic scented Power Bait and spinners.

Clayton Lake: Fishing was good using Power Bait and gold spoons for trout. Fishing was good using tubes, crank baits and spinner baits for largemouth bass. A few walleye were caught by anglers using jigs. Anglers reported good catches from the bank and from boats. We had no reports on other species.

Conchas Lake: Fishing was fair using minnows for crappie. Fishing was good using tubes, chigger craws, jerk minnows, crank baits and jerk baits for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was good using crank baits and grubs for white bass. Fishing was fair using crank baits and jig and minnow combinations for walleye. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the high 50s.

Coyote Creek: Fishing was fair to good using salmon eggs and worms for trout.

Eagle Rock Lake: Closed through late summer while Chevron and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish make improvements to the lake and river.

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing was fair trolling Panther Martins for rainbow trout and a few kokanee. Fishing was slow to fair trolling Rapalas for northern pike. Fishing from the bank was fair using Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout. A few perch were caught by anglers using worms. The surface water temp was in the low to mid 40s. The first annual Pike and Carp Tournament will be held May 2nd and 3rd. For more information call (505) 974-9168.

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

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

Lake Alice: Fishing was good using Power Bait, salmon eggs and spinners for trout.

Lake Maloya: Fishing was very good using worms, salmon eggs, homemade dough bait, Power Bait, Pistol Petes and spinners for trout up to 14 inches. The Sugarite Canyon State Park annual Fishing Derby will be held May 30-June 7 with a free Kids Derby on June 6. For more information or early registration call (575) 445-5607.

Los Pinos: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Maxwell Lake 13: Fishing was good using Power Bait, worms, corn and salmon eggs for trout.

Monastery Lake: Fishing was fair using worms and Power Bait for trout.

Morphy Lake: Fishing was good using salmon eggs, Power Bait, homemade dough bait and worms for trout. The boat ramp is closed but the lake is accessible with canoes and kayaks.

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

Pecos River: Stream flow on Monday was 113 cfs. Trout fishing was good using prince nymphs, San Juan worms, Power Bait, salmon eggs and worms.

Red River: We had no reports from anglers this week. A fish habitat and angler access project near the hatchery is underway and expected to cause elevated water turbidity. The project is expected to affect fishing in the area until June.

Red River City Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Rio Grande: Stream flow on Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 416 cfs. Prior to last weekend’s snows, fishing was very good using BWOs, elk hair caddis, wooly buggers and worms for brown and rainbow trout. We had no reports on other species.

Rio Hondo: Stream flow near Valdez was 25 cfs. Fishing was fair using copper John Barrs, bead head pheasant tails and prince nymphs for trout.

Rio Pueblo: Stream flow near Penasco was 61 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Santa Barbara: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: This water remains closed to boating while the Bureau of Land Management renovates the north lake camp ground, boat launch, picnic area and main access road. The plan is to have all work completed by the end of July. The only fishing access at this time is walk-in from the overlook area. Anglers have to traverse steep banks to access fishing. Fishing was fair using Fisher Chick spinners, Panther Martins, small crank baits and Power Bait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Shuree Ponds: Closed during elk calving season. Opens July 1.

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

Storrie Lake: Fishing was good using salmon eggs for limits of trout. We had no reports on other species.

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

Ute Lake: Fishing was good using jig and minnow combinations at about 20-feet for walleye. Fishing was good using curly tail grubs and minnows for crappie. Fishing was fair trolling crank baits for white bass. Fishing was good using crank baits, jerk baits, tubes, senkos, salt craws and chigger craws for smallmouth bass. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp ranged from the high 50s to the low 60s.

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing was fair to good using crank baits and spinner/night crawler rigs for a mixed bag of walleye and smallmouth bass. Anglers having the best luck were running their lures at a depth of about 10-feet. Fishing was fair using crank baits and Power Bait for brown trout and rainbow trout. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the low 50s.

Animas River: Water flow near Aztec on Monday morning was 277 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Bluewater Lake: Fishing was fair to good using hot dogs, swim baits and jerk baits for tiger musky. We had no reports on other species. The only open boat ramp is the primitive ramp located south of the main boat ramp. The surface water temp was in the mid 50s. It is illegal to use bait fish at this lake.

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

Canjilon Lakes: The area has been closed until further notice due to hazardous condition created by falling trees.

Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 430 cfs and 491 cfs respectively. Fishing below Abiquiu was slow. Fishing below El Vado was fair using wooly buggers, night crawlers, Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing for northern pike was rated as slow this past week with a few fish caught by anglers using crank baits. A few smallmouth bass were caught by anglers using crank baits and jerk baits. The surface water temp was in the mid 50s.

El Vado Lake: Fishing was slow with light pressure due to bad weather conditions.

Fenton Lake: Fishing was good using Pistol Petes, wooly buggers, Power Bait, worms, homemade dough bait and salmon eggs for trout.

Heron Lake: Bank fishing was slow to fair using roe sacs and salmon eggs for rainbow trout. We had no reports on other species.

Jackson Lake: Fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, salmon eggs, worms and spinners for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Jemez Waters: Stream flow near Jemez on Monday morning was 82 cfs and a bit murky. Trout fishing on the Jemez was fair to good using worms, salmon eggs and bead head prince nymphs for trout. Fishing on the Rio Cebolla was good using worms and salmon eggs. We had no reports from other streams in the area.

Laguna Del Campo: Opens for the season May 1.

Lake Farmington:

Navajo Lake: Fishing was fair using minnows for crappie. Fishing was slow to fair using crank baits, swim baits and jerk baits for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. We had no reports on other species. The surface temp was in the low 50s.

San Gregorio: We had no reports from anglers.

San Juan: Water flow below Navajo Lake on Monday morning was 474 cfs. Visibility was a little over a foot as it was last week. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters was fair to good using parachute adams, RS2s, black or grey midge pupa, comparaduns, desert storms and fluff baetis. Fishing through the bait waters was fair to good using night crawlers, San Juan worms, RS2s, Power Bait, worms and jerk baits.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Fishing was good using Power Bait, worms and salmon eggs for trout.

Tingley Beach: Fishing at the Central Pond was fair to good using salmon eggs and Power Bait for trout. We had no reports on other species or from the other ponds.

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

Southwest

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

Bear Canyon: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing was fair using tubes, senkos and jerk baits for largemouth bass. Fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait and worms for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Caballo Lake: Fishing was fair using crank baits, minnows and grubs for white bass. Fishing for walleye was slow with just a few caught by anglers using crank baits and minnow/spinner rigs. Fishing was slow to fair using night crawlers and liver for catfish. The surface water temp was in the low 60s.

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing was good using crank baits, jerk baits and curly tail grubs for white bass. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was fair to good using chigger craws, jerk minnows, jigs, tubes and crank baits. Fishing was fair to good using stink bait for catfish. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the low 60s.

Escondida Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

Gila River: Stream flow as of Monday morning was 110 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Glenwood Pond: Fishing was good using Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout.

Lake Roberts: Construction update: Modifications to the dam and spillway have been completed. Now awaiting approval for the engineer’s specifications to fix the outlet pipe. Will provide additional updates as they become available. We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

Quemado Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

Rio Grande: Stream flow below Elephant Butte on Monday morning was 2.3 cfs. Fishing was good using wooly buggers and worms for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Snow Lake: Fishing was good using worms, Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout.

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

Southeast

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

Black River: Stream flow at Malaga on Monday was 22 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Blue Hole Park Pond: Fishing was slow for all species.

Bonito Lake: Closed until further notice.

Bosque Redondo: Fishing was slow with just a few catfish caught by anglers using liver and homemade dough bait.

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

Brantley Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Fishing pressure was extremely light as high winds have kept boats off the water. Anglers should practice catch-and-release for all fish here as high levels of DDT have been detected in some fish.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

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

El Rito Creek: Fishing was slow to fair using worms for trout.

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

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

Greene Acres Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

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

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

Lake Van: Fishing was slow to fair using worms, spinners and Power Bait for trout.

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

Pecos River: The fishing area below Sumner Lake is closed through Tuesday while water is delivered downstream. We had no reports from anglers.

Perch Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

Ruidoso River: Stream flow at Hollywood on Monday was 26 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. There were a few smallmouth bass caught by anglers using crank baits and chigger craws. The surface water temp was in the mid to upper 50s.

Sumner Lake: Fishing was good using tubes, chigger craws, sweet beavers, crank baits and jerk baits for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was good trolling crank baits for white bass. Fishing was fair using crank baits and jig and minnow combinations for walleye. The surface water temp was in the mid to high 50s.

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