CATCHES OF THE WEEK:

 

Elephant Butte Lake: On March 7, Russell Spahr of Albuquerque caught a 19 pound striped bass. He was trolling with live bait.

 

NORTHEAST AREA

 

CHARETTE LAKES:           We had no reports from anglers this week. Heavy snow and windy conditions kept anglers off the lakes.

CIMARRON RIVER:            Water flow below Eagle Nest Lake as of Monday was 1.7cfs. Trout fishing was slow.  

CLAYTON LAKE:               Opening weekend fishing was slow for all species. Due to low water conditions the boat ramp is open for small boat launching only.  

CONCHAS LAKE:               Fishing was very slow this past week. A few walleye were taken by anglers trolling crank baits. One angler reported fishing for bass for two days and only caught one fish. Surface water temp was about 42 degrees.

EAGLE NEST LAKE:           As of Monday the ice was about 20 inches thick. Fishing for trout and perch was fair for anglers using corn, salmon eggs, ice jigs and worms.

LAKE MALOYA/

LAKE ALICE:       As of Monday there was about 18 inches of ice at Lake Maloya. Trout fishing was fair for anglers using corn and salmon eggs and fishing in the boat ramp area. Fishing pressure was very light. Lake Alice has been closed to ice fishing due to thin ice conditions.  

MAXWELL LAKES            Trout fishing was slow again this week with a few fish taken by anglers using spinners, power bait and salmon eggs.

MCALLISTER LAKE          Due to poor water quality, the lake will remain closed until further notice.  

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

PECOS RIVER:                      Water flow near the town of Pecos as of Monday morning was 34cfs. Trout fishing was fair for anglers using salmon eggs, small pheasant tail nymphs and small copper john barrs.

RED RIVER:                          Water flow below the hatchery was 63cfs. Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using copper john barrs, egg patterns, gold spinners and salmon eggs.

RIO GRANDE:                      The water flow Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 727cfs. Fishing was slow for all species but we did receive one report of an angler catching a northern pike while using a jerk bait.

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

STORRIE LAKE:                  Trout fishing was slow. There were a few fish taken by anglers using power bait and salmon eggs.      

UTE LAKE:                           Fishing was slow-to-fair trolling crank baits at 20-to-25 feet for walleye. Most of the action was around Horseshoe Bend. Fishing for black bass was slow but there were a few fish taken by anglers working the Ute Creek area. They were using jigs, crank baits, tubes and spinner baits. We had no reports on other species.

 

NORTHWEST AREA

 

ABIQUIU LAKE:                 Fishing was quite slow for walleye and bass, but anglers trolling for walleye managed to catch a few nice size brown trout. They were working the area near the warning light island. The surface temp was around 42 degrees.

ALBUQUERQUE 

   AREA DRAINS:                Trout fishing was fair-to-good this past week for anglers using streamers, wooly buggers, salmon egg, corn and copper john barrs. Our best reports came from anglers fishing the Corrales, Bernalillo and Albuquerque Drains. Anglers fishing the Corrales Drain also reported catching several small largemouth bass. They were using black wooly buggers.

BLUEWATER LAKE:         We had no reports from anglers this week. For updated ice conditions contact the state park office at 505-876-2391.  

CHAMA RIVER:                  Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 593cfs and 820cfs respectively. Trout fishing was slow and fishing pressure was very light.

COCHITI LAKE:                  Fishing was slow for all species.

EL VADO LAKE:           Due to unstable ice conditions, the lake is closed to fishing at this time. For updated conditions, call the park office at 505-588-7247.   

FENTON LAKE:                   Closed to fishing due to unsafe ice conditions. For updated conditions call the state park office at 505-829-3630. 

HERON LAKE:                     As of Monday, the ice was about 8-to-10 inches thick. Trout fishing over the past week was good for anglers using corn, salmon eggs and white jigs. Anglers are advised to use extreme caution.

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

JEMEZ WATERS:               Water flow on the Jemez as of Monday morning was 49cfs near Jemez Springs. Trout fishing here and on the East Fork was fair-to-good for anglers using small pheasant tails, copper john barrs, egg patterns and salmon eggs.

NAVAJO LAKE:                  Fishing was slow-to-fair trolling crank baits on the main lake and up the Pine arm for rainbow and brown trout. A few northern pike were taken by anglers trolling the mouth of Francis Canyon and the Pine arm. Most of the fish were taken at depths of 15-to-20 feet. Fishing for all other species was slow.

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

SAN JUAN:                          Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 3,030cfs with plans to raise it to 4,000cfs by the end of the day. Flows will stay at 4,000cfs until May when the flow will be increased to 5,000cfs for 30 days. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters was rated as slow-to-fair for anglers using zebra midges, wooly buggers, leeches, small streamers, egg patterns, San Juan worms and red annelids. Fishing through the bait waters was fair using night crawlers, salmon eggs, spinners, spoons and jerk baits.

SANTA CRUZ LAKE:        Trout fishing was very good again this past week. Anglers fishing from boats did well using Secret Weapon trout jigs and small silver Rapalas. From the bank best baits were rainbow power bait and worms. Anglers fly fishing did best near the inlet working the edge of the remaining ice. They were using black wooly buggers and blue/green ice nymphs. Anglers Keith Bujold of Santa Fe, Harry Howard of Nambe and Peter Romero of Santa Fe reported catching several brown trout in the 12-to-16 inch range over the weekend.

TINGLEY BEACH:               At the Youth Pond and the Central Pond, trout fishing was good using orange Gulp eggs,  orange and salmon peach power bait, Tasmanian Devils and Super Dupers. At the Catch and Release Pond best baits were Griffith’s gnats, small pheasant tail nymphs, streamers and midges.

 

SOUTHWEST AREA

 

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

BILL EVANS LAKE:            Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using salmon eggs, corn, small spoons, spinners and power bait. Fishing for largemouth bass was fair for anglers using swim baits, tubes and jigs. We had no reports on other species.

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

CABALLO LAKE:               Fishing was slow but there were a few white bass taken by anglers using minnows and crank baits. We had no reports on other species.

ELEPHANT BUTTE:           Fishing was very good for anglers trolling live bait and crank baits for white bass. A few were also taken on jigs and grubs. Most of the action again this past week was north of Long Point. Anglers were trolling the main lake from Kettle Top to the Black Bluffs. A few walleye were taken by anglers trolling for white bass. Fishing for striped bass was slow but a few were taken by anglers trolling live bait in 12-to-20 feet of water.  Fishing for black bass was slow-to-fair for anglers using jigs, spinner baits, chatter baits and crank baits. We had no reports on other species.   

GLENWOOD POND:           We had no reports from anglers this week.  

ESCONDIDA LAKE:           Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using corn, garlic cheese, power eggs and power bait. A few fish were also taken on spinners and Pistol Petes.  

GILA RIVER:                         Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 169cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

LAKE ROBERTS:                 Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, cheese and bead head wooly buggers.            

PERCHA DAM:                   Fishing was fair using grubs, minnows and crank baits for white bass and walleye.

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

RIO GRANDE:                      Water flow below Elephant Butte on Monday was 1,470cfs. Fishing above Caballo was fair for anglers using jigs and grubs for white bass. A few white bass were also taken by anglers fishing below Caballo. Fishing for all other species was slow.

 

SOUTHEAST AREA

 

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

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

BOTTOMLESS

 LAKES:                 Fishing was slow. Stocking has been suspended due to a golden algae bloom.

BRANTLEY LAKE:             Anglers are to practice catch and release for all fish here as high levels of DDT were found in several fish. 

CARLSBAD

     MUNICIPAL LAKE:       The lake was drained to accommodate maintenance work and is currently being refilled

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 power bait and salmon eggs. 

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

OASIS PARK LAKE:          We had no reports from anglers this week.

PECOS RIVER:                      Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 1,590cfs. Access to the river immediately below Sumner Lake will be closed for most of this week due to high water release.

PERCH LAKE:                      Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using power bait, garlic cheese, salmon eggs and Pistol Petes.

RUIDOSO RIVER:                Water flow at Ruidoso on Monday was 2.1cfs. Trout fishing was slow.

SANTA ROSA LAKE:        Fishing was slow for all species. A major water release is currently under way and is expected to continue through Thursday of this week. Expect fishing to be tough through that time and a little beyond.

SUMNER LAKE:                  Fishing was generally slow this past week. There were a few walleye and channel cat taken. Anglers fishing for walleye did best using jigs and live bait and fishing up the Alamogordo arm of the lake. Anglers fishing for catfish did best using live bait and stink bait. A major water release is under way and will last through March 14.