New Mexico fishing and stocking report for Jan. 30

Catches of the week

• Ralph Edwards Pond: Mikayla Roper, 7, of Truth or Consequences, caught a limit of trout Jan. 27. This was her first time fishing and she was using an olive Pistol Pete under a clear float.
• Peralta Drain: Christie Fender of Los Lunas caught her first fish on a fly rod, a rainbow trout, Jan. 22. She was using a custom-tied egg pattern.

The following catches came in late but deserve a mention:  

• Pecos River: Aiden Ortiz 9, and Angelo Ortiz 4, of El Pueblo, caught their limits of trout Jan. 20. They were fishing the river at Villanueva State Park and using Fire Balls and PowerBait.

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

Jan. 30 

Northeast

Charette Lakes: Closed for the season.

Clayton Lake:  Closed for the season.

Cimarron River: Stream flow below Eagle Nest on Monday was 1.24 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Conchas Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Fishing pressure was very light. The surface water temp was in the low 40s.

Costilla Creek: Check this one out next spring.

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

Coyote Creek: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Eagle Nest Lake: As of this past weekend, the lake was closed to ice fishing and all other activities. For updated ice conditions, contact the state park office at (575) 377-1594. This year’s ice fishing derby has been cancelled due to the thin ice conditions.

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

Hopewell Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week. Put this one on your list for spring fishing.

Lake Alice: As of Monday, the ice on the lake was about eight inches thick and the lake had reopened to ice fishing. Trout fishing was very good using ice jigs and wax worms. For updated ice conditions, call the state park office at (575) 445-5607.

Lake Maloya: The lake remains closed to fishing due to thin ice conditions. For updates on ice conditions, call the state park office at (575) 445-5607.

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

Maxwell Lake 13: Closed for the season.

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

Morphy Lake:  Closed for the season.

Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos on Monday was 26.6 cfs. The upper river was covered with a good deal of ice. George Torres and Carol Bevel of Tijeras found a few openings in the ice at Terrero and managed to catch two brown trout and one rainbow. They were using night crawlers and Fire Balls. Fishing down in the Villanueva area was good using Fire Balls for trout.

Red River: Stream flow below the hatchery on Monday was 44.0 cfs. Fishing near the hatchery was slow to fair for anglers using Fire Balls for trout.

Red River City Ponds: Closed for the season.

Rio Grande: Stream flow on Monday at the Taos Junction Bridge was 399 cfs. Fishing in the Taos area was fair using wooly buggers, San Juan worms, small streamers and night crawlers for trout. A few northern pike have been caught and released by anglers using large streamers. We had no other reports.

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

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

Rio Pueblo: Stream flow near Penasco was 2.78 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

Storrie Lake: There was a small amount of ice along the shorelines, but plenty of open water for bank fishing. Fishing pressure was extremely light. For updated ice conditions, call the state park office at (505) 425-7278.

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

Ute Lake: Fishing for walleye was slow but a few were caught by anglers using jigging spoons and blade baits at 40 to 45 feet. We had no reports on other species. Fishing pressure was light. The surface water temp was right at 40 degrees.

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Fishing pressure was light.

Animas River: Water flow below Aztec on Monday morning was 247 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Albuquerque Area Drains: Fishing in the Albuquerque, Belen and Peralta drains was rated as slow by some anglers and good by others. Those having luck were using PowerBait, Berkley trout worms, Fire Balls, San Juan worms and egg patterns for trout. A few carp were caught by anglers using corn. We had no reports on other species.

Bluewater Lake: As of this past Sunday morning, there was some open water for bank fishing, but we had no reports from anglers. The portion of the lake covered with ice was unsafe for fishing. For updated ice conditions, call the state park office at (505) 876-2391.  

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

Canjilon Lakes: Closed by the U.S. Forest Service until further notice.

Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 118 cfs and 52.8 cfs respectively. Fishing below El Vado was fair using egg patterns, San Juan worms, salmon eggs and night crawlers for brown and rainbow trout. The river below Abiquiu was quite crowded and with the low water conditions, fishing was slow. There were a few trout caught by anglers using egg patterns, small midge patterns and salmon eggs. Reminder: There is a three-trout limit from Abiquiu Dam downstream 7 miles to U.S. Hwy. 84 bridge at Abiquiu.

Cochiti Lake: As of this past week, there was a considerable amount of ice on the lake and anglers were unable to launch boats.

El Vado Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.

Fenton Lake: The lake has been covered with ice and is currently closed to fishing. For updated conditions, contact the state park office at (575) 829-3630.

Heron Lake: Fishing from the bank was fair using roe sacs and garlic PowerBait for rainbow trout up to 21 inches. Most of the action again this past week was in the area from the dam to the La Laja boat ramp. Fishing pressure was light.

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

Jemez Waters: Stream flow on the Jemez River near Jemez Springs on Monday morning was 19.8 cfs. Trout fishing on the Jemez was slow with just a few trout caught by anglers using worms. The bite was very light and much of the upper Jemez was covered with ice. We had no reports on other streams.

Laguna del Campo: Closed for the season.

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

Lake Farmington: Fishing was fair to good using Fire Balls and PowerBait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

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

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

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

San Juan River: Stream flow on Monday morning was 373 cfs and visibility was about 1.5 feet. Fly fishing action through the Quality waters was good using egg patterns, desert storms, bunny leeches, disco midges, olive streamers, red larva and small bead-head pheasant tail nymphs. There was some dry fly action in the early afternoon hours. Trout fishing through the bait waters was fair to good using night crawlers, PowerBait, worms, Fire Balls and small spoons. A river enhancement project has begun and the area between the Simon Point Day-Use Area downriver to the Crusher Hole Day-Use Area is closed to boat and foot traffic until March 1, 2018. Temporary closures of multiple day-use areas are expected until April 2018.  For more information, visit nmparks.com or contact Navajo Lake State Park, (505) 632-2278. 

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

Tingley Beach: Trout fishing at the Youth and Central ponds was very good using PowerBait, Fire Balls, Pistol Petes, wooly buggers, small Kastmasters and Super Dupers. Anglers using bait had the best luck fishing just off the bottom. Fishing at the Bob Gerding Catch and Release Pond was good using San Juan worms, bunny leeches and small midge patterns for trout. We had no other reports.

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

Southwest

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

Bear Canyon Lake: Fishing was good using PowerBait, salmon eggs and worms for trout. We had no other reports.

Bill Evans Lake: Fishing was good using PowerBait, worms and Fire Balls for trout. A few trout were also caught by anglers using Pistol Petes. We had no other reports.

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

Elephant Butte Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using blade baits, spoons and jig and grub combinations for white bass. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the mid 40s.

Escondida Lake: Fishing was very good using PowerBait, salmon eggs and worms for trout. A few were also caught by anglers using Pistol Petes. We had no other reports.

Gila River: Stream flow on Monday morning was 54.8 cfs. Fishing was fair to good using wooly worms and small chamois leeches for trout. The water temp was in the mid to upper 40s.

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

Lake Roberts: Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout. We had no other reports.    

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

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

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

Rio Grande: Stream flow below Elephant Butte Monday morning was 0.57 cfs. Fishing was good using PowerBait and Fire Balls for trout. We had no other reports.  

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

Young Pond: Fishing was very good for anglers using Velveeta cheese and assorted PowerBait. One angler reported catching and releasing several trout and one catfish while fly fishing. He was using a red ant pattern.

Southeast

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

Bataan Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good using PowerBait, salmon eggs, worms and Pistol Petes. We had no other reports.  

Black River: Stream flow at Malaga on Monday was 13.0 cfs. Fishing was fair using PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout.

Blue Hole Park Pond: Trout fishing was very good for anglers using a wide assortment of PowerBait. We had no reports on other species.

Bonito Lake: Closed until further notice by the city of Alamogordo due to fire damage.

Bosque Redondo Lake: Fishing was slow with just a few trout caught by anglers using spoons, salmon eggs and PowerBait.

Bottomless Lakes: Trout fishing was fair to good for anglers using PowerBait, salmon eggs and wooly worms.

Brantley Lake: Anglers are required to catch and release all fish here as high levels of pesticides have been found in some fish. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake: Fishing was very good using PowerBait, salmon eggs, worms and Pistol Petes for trout. We had no other reports.

Chaparral Park Lake: Fishing was slow with just a few trout caught by anglers using PowerBait.

El Rito Creek: Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait, Zeke’s trout bait, salmon eggs, small spoons and Pistol Petes for trout. We had no other reports.

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

Green Meadow Lake: Fishing was slow with just a few trout caught by anglers using PowerBait.

Greene Acres Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.

Grindstone Reservoir: We had reports from anglers this week.

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

Lake Van: Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait, Zeke’s trout bait, Pistol Petes under a bubble and salmon eggs for trout. We had no other reports.

Oasis Park Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. Fishing pressure was light.

Pecos River: Stream flow below Sumner Lake on Monday was 22.3 cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

Perch Lake: Fishing was very good using Pistol Petes, wooly buggers and PowerBait for trout.

Ruidoso River: Stream flow at Hollywood was 4.22 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing continued to be slow for all species with light fishing pressure.

Sumner Lake: Fishing for walleye was slow with just a few caught by anglers using spoons, blade baits and bottom bouncer rigs. We had no other reports.