New Mexico fishing and stocking reports for May 1

Catches of the week

• Abiquiu Reservoir: Rita Phagan of Tijeras caught a 21-inch rainbow trout April 28. She was trolling for walleye and using a Livingston Voyager 15.
• Cochiti Lake: Isaiah Bachicha, age 13, of Santa Fe, caught his first carp, which weighed about 11 pounds, April 28. He was using pack bait. Amanda Fields, age 16, of Pena Blanca, caught a 32.5-inch, 8-pound, 6-ounce northern pike April 27. She was using a silver Mepps spinner. Jesse Fields, age 16, of Pena Blanca, caught a 26.25-inch, 3-pound,14-ounce northern pike April 27. He was using a spinner bait.
• Eagle Nest Lake: Juan Cintas of Questa caught a 31-inch, 9-pound,northern pike April 28. He was using PowerBait.
• Elephant Butte Lake: Gabe Rivera of Portales caught and released a 5.36-pound largemouth bass April 28. He was using a creature bait. Marshall Carruthers of Alamogordo caught and released a 7-pound largemouth bass April 29. He was using a chatter bait.
• Fenton Lake: Tessa Travis, age 5, of Albuquerque, caught a 17-inch, 3-pound rainbow trout on her first cast April 28. She was using chartreuse glitter PowerBait.
• Rio Grande River: Bryan Perez, age 10, of Espanola, caught his very first smallmouth bass on a fly rod April 28. He was fishing near Embudo and using a size 6 slump buster. The bass was about 16 inches long.
• Seven Springs Brood Pond: Brooklyn Guerrera, age 3, Ava Rose Guerrera, age 5, and Kaylub Sanchez, age 5, of Albuquerque, each caught rainbow trout while fishing April 28. Kaylub caught his limit and all three were using worms.

The following catch came in late but deserves a mention:         

• Cochiti Lake: Amanda Fields, age 16, of Pena Blanca, caught a 19.75-inch, 4-pound, 6-ounce largemouth bass April 16. She was using a spinner bait.

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.

Northeast

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

Charette Lakes: Fishing was fair using PowerBait for trout. We had no reports on perch.

Clayton Lake:  Fishing was good using spoons, PowerBait and worms for trout up to 17 inches. Several limits were reported. We had no reports on other species.

Cimarron River: Stream flow below Eagle Nest on Monday morning was 22.1 cfs. Fishing was good using elk hair caddis, bead-head hare's ears, Platte River specials, worms and salmon eggs for trout. Fishing at the Gravel Pit lakes was good using PowerBait and worms.

Conchas Lake: Fishing was very good using jerk baits, crankbaits, chatter baits, Ned rigs, swim baits, tubes and senkos for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing for walleye was fair to good using crankbaits, jerk baits, spinner minnow combinations and curly tail grubs. Fishing was fair using chicken liver, homemade dough bait and worms for catfish. Fishing was fair using minnows for crappie. We had no other reports. The surface water temp was in the high 50s.

Costilla Creek: We had no reports from anglers.

Cowles Ponds: Fishing was good using red worms and PowerBait for trout.

Coyote Creek: Fishing was very good using Fire Balls, worms and small bead-head nymphs for trout.

Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing was very good using PowerBait, Fire Balls and worms for rainbow trout. Monte and Linda Apodaca caught limits of trout this past Saturday. They were fishing from the bank and using PowerBait. The fish ranged in size from 16 to 19 inches. Fishing was fair to good using streamers and PowerBait for northern pike. The courtesy docks are not yet in place but are expected to be soon. For updated conditions, contact the state park office at (575) 377-1594.

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

Hopewell Lake: Trout fishing was good using copper John Barrs, wooly buggers and Pistol Petes for trout.

Lake Alice: Trout fishing was good using spinners, spoons and PowerBait for trout.

Lake Maloya: Fishing was good using PowerBait, Pistol Petes and spoons for trout.

Los Pinos River: Trout fishing was good using worms, bead-head hare's ears and prince nymphs.

Maxwell Lake 13: Fishing was fair using worms and PowerBait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Monastery Lake: Fishing was fair to good using PowerBait, worms and Fire Balls for trout.

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

Pecos River: Streamflow near Pecos on Monday morning was 27.2 cfs. Trout fishing was very good using Panther Martins, red worms, prince nymphs, bead-head hare's ears, wooly buggers and small spinners for trout. Leon Lopez of Albuquerque and his father caught limits of trout while fishing the river near Monastery Lake April 28. They were using Panther Martins and their big fish measured 17 inches.

Red River: Stream flow below the hatchery on Monday morning was 41.9 cfs. Trout fishing was fair to good using micro mays, copper John Barrs, poundmeisters, Fire Balls and worms. Trout fishing at the hatchery pond was very good using micro mays, worms and PowerBait.

Rio Grande: Stream flow on Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 238 cfs. Fishing in the Taos area was very good using elk hair caddis, parachute Adams, wooly buggers, bead-head pheasant tail nymphs, copper John Barrs, night crawlers and spinners for trout. Fishing was good using slump busters, wooly buggers and spinners for smallmouth bass. Fishing was fair using large streamers for northern pike. We had no other reports.

Rio Hondo: Stream flow on Monday morning near Valdez was 12.9 cfs. Trout fishing was fair using prince nymphs and bead-head hare's ears.

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

Rio Pueblo: Stream flow near Penasco on Monday morning was 12.2 cfs. We had no reports from anglers.

Santa Cruz Reservoir: Fishing was good using Kastmasters, Fisher-Chick spinners, Pistol Petes, worms, copper spoons, PowerBait and wooly buggers for rainbow and brown trout.

Shuree Ponds:  Closed for the season.

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

Storrie Lake: Fishing was fair using PowerBait and Fire Balls for trout. We had no other reports.

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

Ute Lake: Hot spot for crappie: Fishing was very good using minnows and small jigs for crappie. Fishing was very good using Ned rigs, tubes, senkos, stick baits and spinner baits for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was good using in line spinners, spoons, jerk baits and crank baits for white bass. Fishing was slow to fair using minnows and crank baits for walleye. The best walleye reports came from anglers fishing at night. Fishing was good using punch bait and liver for catfish. The surface water temp was in the high 50s.

Northwest

Abiquiu Lake: Fishing was good using jerk baits, crank baits, tubes, senkos and swim baits for smallmouth bass. Fishing was fair to good using crank baits, jerk baits, jig and minnow combinations, curly tail grubs and jig and night crawler combinations for walleye and an occasional trout. Anglers reported catching walleye and kokanee from the bank while using crank baits. The best walleye reports came from anglers fishing at night. We had no other reports.

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

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

Bluewater Lake: The park and lake reopened April 27. Fishing was fair using worms, PowerBait and spinners for trout. We had no other reports.     

Brazos River: Fishing was good using copper John Barrs and worms for trout.

Canjilon Lakes: Closed by the U.S. Forest Service until further notice. The area may reopen later this year.

Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 627 cfs and 739 cfs respectively. Trout fishing below El Vado was slow to fair for anglers using worms, salmon eggs and night crawlers. Fishing below Abiquiu was slow.

Cochiti Lake: Fishing was fair to good using jerk baits, swim baits and crank baits for white bass. Fishing was fair using crank baits, spinner baits, jerk baits, tubes, senkos and grubs for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was fair using spinner baits, minnows and Mepps spinners for northern pike. Fishing was good using pack bait for carp. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp ranged from the mid 50s to the low 60s.

El Vado Lake: Hot spot for smallmouth bass: Fishing continued to be very good using crank baits, tubes, grubs, Panther Martin spinners and worms for smallmouth bass. The best action was reported by anglers fishing near the dam. We had no reports on other species.  

Fenton Lake: Fishing continued to be quite good for anglers using worms, Pistol Petes, Mepps spinners, Panther Martins, white garlic and salmon peach PowerBait, wooly buggers, purple mop flies, small spoons and spinners for brown and rainbow trout.

Heron Lake: Fishing was good using Velveeta cheese and cheese flavored PowerBait for rainbow trout. We had no reports on other species.

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 17.3 cfs. Good trout fishing reports came in this past week from anglers fishing the Jemez, East Fork, San Antonio and the Cebolla. Anglers reported good success hooking up with browns and rainbows while using small spinners, elk hair caddis, ants, parachute Adams, copper John Barrs, mop flies and worms. Kaleb Campbell reported great success while fishing below Battleship Rock. He was using small spinners and caught and released a good number of brown trout, several of which were over 10 inches in length. 

Laguna del Campo: Opened for the season May 1.

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

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

Manzano Lake: Fishing was good using PowerBait for trout. We had no reports on other species.

Navajo Lake: Fishing was good using crank baits, jerk baits, tubes, senkos, curly tail grubs, spinner baits and chatter baits for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was good using swim baits, jerk baits, spinner baits and crank baits for northern pike. Fishing for brown and rainbow trout was good using jerk baits, crank baits, spinners and PowerBait. Fishing was fair using minnows and small tubes for crappie. We had no other reports. The surface water temp was in the mid to high 50s.

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

San Juan River: Stream flow on Monday morning was at 747 cfs. Fly fishing action through the Quality waters was fair using parachute Adams, bead-head pheasant tail nymphs, baetis emergers, baetis nymphs, WD40s, Mini Mac midges, ants, red larva and San Juan worms. Trout fishing through the bait waters was fair to good using jerk baits, night crawlers and Fire Balls.

Seven Springs Brood Pond: Fishing was very good using PowerBait, Pistol Petes, worms and wooly buggers for rainbow trout.

Tingley Beach: Trout fishing at the Youth and Central ponds was slow to fair using PowerBait, Zeke’s trout bait, Velveeta cheese, worms and Pistol Petes. We had no other reports.

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