CATCHES OF THE WEEK:

 

Quemado Lake:  On September 2, Alan Randall of Farmington caught a 39.5 inch tiger musky.  He was using a black and yellow Panther Martin.

 

Maxwell Lake:  On September 2, Paul Maestas of Springer caught a 21 inch rainbow trout.  He was floating a live grasshopper.

 

Abiquiu Lake:  On September 3, Eloy Ulibarri of Santa Fe caught a 22 inch walleye.  He was trolling a crank bait over 45 feet of water.

 

Clayton Lake:  On September 6, Charles Firestone of Dalhart, TX caught a 30 inch, 17 pound catfish.  Also on September 6, Bill McMurray of Dalhart caught a 29 inch, 12 pound catfish.  They were both using shrimp for bait.

 

NORTHEAST AREA

 

CANJILON LAKES:            Trout fishing was fair for anglers using worms, power bait, salmon eggs and spinners.

CHARETTE LAKES:           Trout fishing was very good this past week for anglers floating live grass hoppers.  Anglers also did well using power bait in the deeper waters and trolling flasher/worm combinations.  Fishing was good using worms for perch.

CIMARRON RIVER:     Trout fishing was fair-to-good this past week for anglers using spinners, worms, stimulators, and copper john barrs.   

CLAYTON LAKE:               With the exception of two big catfish (see Catches of the Week) fishing was slow for all species.

CONCHAS LAKE:               Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair this past week for anglers using top water lures, tubes and senkos.  Fishing for white bass was fair for anglers using jigging spoons and trolling crank baits. Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using bottom bouncer/night crawler rigs and jig and minnow combinations for walleye.  We had not reports on other species.

COYOTE CREEK:                 Fishing was good for anglers using worms, salmon eggs and  gold spinners for a mix of brown and rainbow trout.

EAGLE NEST LAKE:           Fishing was rated as fair again this past week for anglers  trolling spinner/worm and spinner/corn combinations for trout, kokanee and perch. Most of the fish caught were taken at depths of 10-to-24 feet. The annual fishing derby will be held from September 22^nd through the 30^th.  For more information, call 505-377-2420.

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

LAKE MALOYA/

LAKE ALICE:       Trout fishing at Lake Maloya was slow during the day but fair in the evening hours for anglers using an assortment of flies and lures and fishing near the dam.  Fishing was good for anglers using salmon eggs, power bait and worms for small perch.  We had no reports from Lake Alice.

LOS PINOS:                          Trout fishing was good for anglers using salmon eggs, worms, spinners and copper john barrs.  

MAXWELL LAKES:           Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using live grasshoppers.

MCALLISTER LAKE:         There has been a fish kill on the lake and there are no plans to restock the lake with trout at this time.

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

MORPHY LAKE:                 Trout fishing was slow from the bank but rated as fail-to-good from boats.  Anglers fishing from boats did best using large wooly buggers.  A few fish were also taken on worms.

PECOS RIVER:                      Trout fishing was good for anglers using parachute adams, small hoppers, copper john barrs, salmon eggs, small spinners and night crawlers.

RED RIVER:                          Trout fishing was slow.  A few fish were taken by anglers using night crawlers, copper john barrs, small bead head wooly buggers and spinners.

RIO COSTILLA:                   We had no reports from anglers this week.

RIO GRANDE:                      The water flow Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 501cfs. Fishing was slow.  The water was quite murky.

RIO PUEBLO:                       The water was low and clear but some anglers did well using small dry flies for brown trout.

SHUREE PONDS:                 We had no reports from anglers this week.    

SPRINGER LAKE:                Fishing was slow for all species.  Fishing pressure was very light.

STORRIE LAKE:                  Fishing was slow for all species.  A few trout were taken by anglers fishing in the morning and late evening hours and using power bait.

UTE LAKE:                           White bass fishing was fair this past week for anglers using jigging spoons and deep trolling rigs at 20-to-30 feet.  A few good size whites were taken by anglers using top water lures when the fish were busting shad.  Fishing was fair-to-good using buzz baits, Ricos and drop shot rigs for smallmouth and largemouth bass. Fishing was fair trolling assorted crank baits and 22-to-25 feet for walleye.  We had no reports on other species.

 

NORTHWEST AREA

 

ABIQUIU LAKE:                 Fishing was fair for anglers trolling assorted crank baits for a mix of walleye and crappie.  Most of the action was at the upper end of the lake and up into the river channel.  Fishing was slow-to-fair using tubes, crank baits and top water lures for smallmouth bass.  A few trout were taken by anglers using power bait and also by anglers trolling for walleye.  We had no reports on other species.  

BLUEWATER LAKE:         Fishing for tiger musky slowed down this past week but a few were taken by anglers using in line spinners, soft swim baits and jerk baits.  We had no reports on other species.

CHAMA RIVER:                  Water flow below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 593cfs.  Fishing this stretch of river was fair for anglers using grasshoppers, wooly buggers, worms, power bait and corn for a mix of brown and rainbow trout to 18 inches.  We had no reports from below Abiquiu or above El Vado Lake.    

COCHITI LAKE:                  Fishing was rated as slow-to-fair for anglers using jig and minnow combinations and trolling crank baits for white bass.  Most of the fish were small.  A few smallmouth bass were taken by anglers using tubes and jigs.  We had no reports on other species.

EL VADO LAKE:           Fishing pressure was very light and trout fishing was rated as slow. A few fish were taken by anglers using power bait and night crawlers.

FENTON LAKE:                   Trout fishing was fair for using power bait and salmon eggs for trout.  A few were also taken on worms.

HERON LAKE:                     Fishing for kokanee was slow-to-fair trolling red and orange Cripplures at 25-to-35 feet.  The fish ranged in size from 10-to-16 inches.  Fishing for rainbows was slow but a few were taken by anglers trolling Panther Martins in shallow water.

JEMEZ WATERS:         Trout fishing was good for anglers using small spinners, royal wulffs, hoppers, parachute adams, copper john barrs, salmon eggs and worms. Fishing on the Rio Guadalupe and the East Fork was fair-to-good for anglers using worms, copper john barrs, night crawlers and small parachute adams.

LAGUNA DEL CAMPO: We had no reports from anglers this week.  

MANZANO LAKE:             Trout fishing was slow.

NAVAJO LAKE:                  Fishing was good using tubes, leeches, small senkos, worms, grubs, crank baits, Ricos and buzz baits, for smallmouth bass.  The best reports came from anglers using tubes and fishing depths of 30-to-40 feet.  Anglers fishing for bass also reported catching several northern pike.  The pike were scattered from depths of 6-to-40 feet.  Fishing for kokanee was slow-to-fair trolling whammies and Arnies tipped with corn off downriggers at depths of 60-to-80 feet.  Anglers having the best success were trolling between Francis Canyon and the dam.  Fishing was fair using worms for bluegill.  We had no reports on other species.

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

SAN GREGORIO

                    LAKE:                Fishing was slow.    

SANTA CRUZ LAKE:        We had no reports from anglers this week.    

SAN JUAN:                          Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 942cfs. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters this past week was considered slow-to-fair at best for anglers using red annelids, little princesses, dead chickens, parachute adams, wooly buggers and emergers.  Fishing through the bait waters was slow.  A few trout were taken by anglers using wooly buggers, spinners and night crawlers.

TINGLEY BEACH:               Fishing for catfish was good at the Central Pond for anglers using hot dogs, stink bait, chicken liver and dry cat food. Fishing for small largemouth bass was good in the Children’s and Central ponds for anglers using spinners. Fishing for trout in the Catch and Release pond was slow.

 

SOUTHWEST AREA

 

BEAR CANYON:                 We had no reports from anglers this week.  

BILL EVANS LAKE:            Fishing was fair using worms for bluegill.  A few bass were taken by anglers using tubes and small swim baits.  We had no reports on other species.

BURN LAKE:                        Fishing was slow-to-fair using hot dogs, worms, liver and dough baits for catfish.     

CABALLO LAKE:               Fishing was fair for anglers using slab spoons and jigs and trolling white and chartreuse crank baits for white bass.  Fishing was fair using grubs and trolling perch colored and fire tiger crank baits for walleye.  We had no reports on other species.

ELEPHANT BUTTE:           Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair for anglers using top water lures, worms, senkos, grubs and crank baits.  Most of the black bass caught were small and were taken at depths of 6-to-18 feet.  Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using top water lures, crank baits and grubs for white bass.  Fishing was fair trolling umbrella rigs and using liver bait for striped bass.  Fishing was fair using liver, shrimp and cut bait for catfish.

GLENWOOD POND:           We had no reports from anglers.

ESCONDIDA LAKE:           Fishing was slow-to-fair using hot dogs, liver and night crawlers for catfish.  We had no reports on other species.

GILA RIVER:                         Water flow near Gila on Monday was 294cfs.  We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

PERCHA DAM:                   Fishing was slow for all species.

QUEMADO LAKE:             Fishing was fair for anglers using spinners, jerk baits and spoons for tiger musky. Trout fishing was slow.

RIO GRANDE:                      Fishing below Elephant Butte was fair for anglers using worms, liver and cut bait for catfish and carp.  Fishing below Caballo Lake was slow with very light pressure. We had no reports on other species.

 

SOUTHEAST AREA

 

BATAAN LAKE:                 Fishing was slow for all species.   

BONITO LAKE:                   Trout fishing in the evening hours was good for anglers using elk hair caddis, prince nymphs, salmon eggs and power bait.  Fishing during mid day was slow.

BOSQUE REDONDO:          Fishing was fair for anglers using liver and worms for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

BRANTLEY LAKE:             Anglers are to practice catch and release for all fish here as high levels of DDT were found in several fish.  This would be a good lake for anglers to practice different casting and tackle techniques.

CARLSBAD

     MUNICIPAL LAKE:       Fishing was slow-to-fair using liver and worms for catfish.  We had no reports on other species.

GRINDSTONE

                RESERVOIR:         We had no reports from anglers this week. Rainbow trout stocking has been temporarily suspended while the Village of Ruidoso treats the lake to control algae blooms.  

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

LAKE VAN:                          Fishing was fair using hot dogs, night crawlers and liver for catfish.  We had no reports on other species.

OASIS PARK LAKE:          The State Park will be draining the lake for maintenance and renovation. Work is expected to be complete around the end of summer. For more information contact the park office at 505-356-5331.  

PECOS RIVER:                      Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 1,440cfs. Access to the fishing area below Sumner Lake has been closed and will remain closed during the high water release.

RUIDOSO RIVER:                Trout fishing was slow.

SANTA ROSA LAKE:        Fishing was slow-to-fair using tubes and top water lures for largemouth and smallmouth bass.  Most of the fish were taken in less than 12 feet of water.  We had no reports on other species.  

SUMNER LAKE:            Fishing was slow for all other species. Fishing pressure was very light.  

 

FREE FISHING DAY! Mark your calendar for September 29. This is a free fishing day. Take the family fishing. No license is required but all other fishing rules apply.