New Mexico FISHING REPORT

March 24, 2007

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.

REMINDER TO ALL ANGLERS: April 1st is the beginning of the new license year. You may obtain one at Charlie's Sporting Goods in Albuquerque or one of the many license vendors around the state, at any of the Department offices or at the Department web site on line at www.wildlife.state.nm.us.

CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Sumner Lake: On March 24, Bill Coddington of Fort Sumner caught a 2.25 pound crappie. He was fishing deep off the main channel.

Ute Lake: On March 25, Rande Kelley of Dalhart, TX caught a 4.78 pound largemouth bass. Don’t know what he was using. He was fishing a bass tournament. Also on March 25, Coby Beckner of Clayton, NM caught a 5.34 pound smallmouth bass. He was fishing with a pearl colored tube.

Navajo Lake: On March 26 five and a half year old Jacob Grafman of Albuquerque caught a 22 inch 5.5 pound smallmouth bass. He was fishing with his dad and brother and using a crank bait.

NORTHEAST AREA

CHARETTE LAKES: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using corn and power bait and fishing deep.

CIMARRON RIVER: As of Monday, water flow near the town of Cimarron was 38cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

CLAYTON LAKE: This past week fishing was slow for all species. The water is quite murky.

COCHITI LAKE: Fishing was generally slow for all species. There were a couple of northern pike caught by anglers using jerk baits and spinner baits. Anglers using spinner baits also picked up a few smallmouth bass. We had no reports on other species. The Tetilla Peak boat ramp and camping area opens April 1.

CONCHAS LAKE: Fishing was fair trolling Wally Divers and Tail Dancers at 17-to-19 feet for walleye. A few good size walleye were also taken by anglers using jig and grub combinations. Fishing was fair using worms and dough bait for catfish. Fishing was fair using tubes, spinner baits and jerk baits for smallmouth and largemouth bass.

EAGLE NEST LAKE: The lake is now open to bank fishing but still closed to boating. Over the past weekend fishing was very good for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs and spinners. Several limits of trout were taken and many anglers reported catching limits within 1-to-2 hours. Perch fishing was very good for anglers using worms and power bait.

LAKE MALOYA/ LAKE ALICE: As of this past weekend both lakes were open to fishing from the bank. Lake Alice was completely free of ice. Trout fishing was fair for anglers using salmon eggs and bead head nymphs.

MAXWELL LAKES: We had no reports from anglers this week.

MCALLISTER LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.

MONASTERY LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using corn, power bait and salmon eggs. A few fish were also taken on Pistol Petes under a bubble.

MORPHY LAKE: Opens for the season on April 1.

PECOS RIVER: As of Monday, water flow near Pecos was 120cfs and the water was off color. Trout fishing was considered slow-to-fair for anglers using spinners, night crawlers and bead head wooly buggers.

RED RIVER: Water flow as of Monday below the hatchery was 75cfs. Fishing this past week was fair for anglers using egg patterns, red copper john barrs and night crawlers.

RIO GRANDE: The water flow Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 1,680cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

SPRINGER LAKE: Fishing continued fair-to-good this past week for anglers using cut bait and assorted lures for northern pike up to 28 inches. We had no reports on other species. The lake is full and the boat ramp is accessible.

STORRIE LAKE: Trout fishing picked up this past week. Several anglers reported catching limits of fish. They were using cheese and catching fish up to 16 inches in length.

STUBBLEFIELD: We had no reports from anglers this week. The lake is full and boats can be launched at this time.

UTE LAKE: White bass fishing was the hot ticket again this past week. Anglers fishing up the Canadian arm did very well using jerk baits, crank baits and minnows under a bobber and working depths of 2-to-10 feet. Fishing for crappie was fair for anglers using jigs and minnows. The walleye are starting to move to the shallows. Anglers did well working at depths of 5-to-20 feet with minnows and assorted crank baits. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was good for anglers using tubes, jerk baits, spinner baits, jigs and crank baits. Anglers trolling for walleye also reported catching several smallmouth bass.

NORTHWEST AREA

ABIQUIU LAKE: Walleye anglers this past week reported very slow fishing conditions. They worked the lake at different depths from one end to the other with no success. Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers fishing from the bank for catfish. A few fish were taken on liver and worms. We had no reports on other species.

ANIMAS RIVER: We had no reports from anglers this week.

BLUEWATER LAKE: Fishing this past week was slow for all species. A few trout were taken by anglers using power bait and salmon eggs.

CHAMA RIVER: Water flow below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 108cfs and 92cfs below Abiquiu. Trout fishing at both locations was fair-to-good for anglers using night crawlers, spinners, bead head nymphs and salmon eggs for rainbow and brown trout.

CONSERVANCY PARK LAKE: Trout fishing at the catch and release pond was fair-to-good for anglers using egg patterns, streamers and copper john barrs. Fishing at the other ponds was fair for anglers using cheese, power bait, salmon eggs and corn.

EL VADO LAKE: Bank fishing near the dam was fair for anglers using worms and power bait for brown and rainbow trout. The lake was clear of ice as of this past weekend.

FENTON LAKE: The lake was free of ice for anglers this past weekend and fishing was reported as excellent. Anglers did well using power bait, salmon eggs, trout gravy, corn and spinners.

HERON LAKE: Trout fishing from the bank was good for anglers using power bait and salmon eggs. They were fishing in the Ridge Rock area and catching a mixed bag of rainbow trout and small lake trout.

JACKSON LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using power bait, spinners and salmon eggs.

JEMEZ WATERS: As of Monday, water flow on the Jemez near Jemez Springs was 300cfs and the water was murky. The best fishing reports received again this past week came from anglers working the upper Cebolla. They caught a mixture of browns and rainbows. Best baits were bead head nymphs, small spinners, trout gravy, salmon eggs and worms.

LAKE FARMINGTON: We had no reports from anglers this week.

MANZANO LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using power bait. A few were also taken on salmon eggs and spinners.

NAVAJO LAKE: Fishing was fair this past week for anglers fishing for northern pike. They were using crank baits and fishing up the San Juan arm of the lake. Fishing was slow but picking up for smallmouth bass. The best reports came from anglers using soft plastics on drop shot rigs. They were working deep off main lake and secondary points. We had no reports on other species.

RAMAH LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.

SANTA CRUZ LAKE: Fishing season begins on this lake on April 1. Trout fishing should be excellent for anglers using Tasmanian Devil, Panther Martins, small spoons and power bait.

SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 709cfs and the water was slightly stained. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters was fair for anglers using egg patterns, bead head wooly buggers, copper john barrs, RS2s, leeches and San Juan worms. Through the bait waters, fishing was fair using night crawlers, cheese, power bait spinners, wooly buggers and jerk baits.

SEVEN SPRINGS BROOD POND: The pond is open to fishing for children under age 12.

SOUTHWEST AREA

BEAR CANYON: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using power bait, wooly buggers and salmon eggs.

BILL EVANS LAKE: Trout fishing was good for anglers using spinners, power bait and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species. For anglers looking for largemouth bass, try using rainbow colored swim baits as the lake was recently stocked with trout.

BURN LAKE: Our best crappie report for the year came from here last week. Ray Holguin tells us “We caught 10 each on Monday using minnows under a bobber. They were nice slabs”. Sounds like this is the place to be crappie fishing right now.

CABALLO LAKE: Fishing was generally slow for all species. A few white bass were taken by anglers using minnows, jig and grub combinations and crank baits. Fishing for all other species was slow.

ELEPHANT BUTTE: Fishing for white bass was very good for anglers using jigs and spinners or trolling or casting crank baits. The best reports again this week came from anglers fishing the upper end of the lake. Fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass was slow-to-fair using tubes, jerk baits, crank baits and spinner baits. Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using worms and stink bait over baited holes for catfish. A few striped bass were taken by anglers using live bait and trolling crank baits.

GLENWOOD POND: Trout fishing was good for anglers using power bait.

ESCONDIDA LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.

GILA RIVER: Water flow near Gila on Monday was 612cfs. Anglers reported high water conditions and slow fishing on the Forks.

LAKE ROBERTS: We had no reports from anglers this week.

PERCHA DAM: Fishing was slow for all species.

QUEMADO LAKE: Trout fishing was good for anglers using power bait, cheese, Pistol Petes and spinners. We had no reports on other species.

RIO GRANDE: Water flow below Elephant Butte as of Monday was 1,380cfs. Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using spinners and white and chartreuse grubs for white bass. Anglers fishing for white bass also caught a few walleye. We had no reports on other species.

SOUTHEAST AREA

BATAAN LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using salmon eggs and power bait.

BONITO LAKE: Opens for the season on April 1.

BOSQUE REDONDO: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using spinners, power bait and salmon eggs.

BOTTOMLESS LAKES: We had no reports from anglers this week.

BRANTLEY LAKE: Anglers are to practice catch and release for all fish here as high levels of DDT were found in several fish. We had no reports from anglers this week.

CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL LAKE: Trout fishing was good for anglers using, Pistol Petes, garlic cheese, power bait and salmon eggs.

JAL LAKE: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using corn and salmon eggs.

LAKE VAN: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using power bait, corn and salmon eggs.

PECOS RIVER: Below Sumner Lake, fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using salmon eggs for trout.

PERCH LAKE: Trout fishing was fair this past week for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, corn and Pistol Petes.

RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow at Ruidoso as of Monday was 25cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

SANTA ROSA LAKE: Bass fishing was good at the beginning of the week but slowed over the past weekend. A few largemouth bass and smallmouth bass were taken by anglers using tubes, jigs and crank baits. Anglers fishing for bass also caught a few good size crappie. We had no reports on other species.

SUMNER LAKE: Fishing picked up a bit for walleye and white bass. One angler reported catching a mixed bag including a 3 pound walleye while using a count down Rapala. A few other walleye were taken on night crawlers. Fishing was fair using soft plastics along the shore line for largemouth bass.

The fishing report is prepared by Bill Dunn. For information or to contribute, contact Bill Dunn. If you have a "Catch of the Week" include date, location, type of fish, length and bait used to catch the fish. This is a new email for Bill...

Tight lines,

Brian