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 ABQ Sportfishing email. We may include your story in our next report. For catches of the week, include name, date, location, type of fish, length and bait used.

Catches of the Week

Abiquiu Lake: 4,000 acre lake on the Chama River Northwest of Abiquiu. Fish species- Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Catfish, Crappie and Trout
Clarity:1-2 foot
Water Temp:60s
The water is green and murky. Walleye are fair with jigs, minnows and worms. A few browns have been caught with spinners and worms. Smallmouth bass are fair to good with tubes or jerk baits. No reports on other species.

Amistad Lake - Del Rio, TX: 64,900 acre lake on the Rio Grande, 12 miles northwest of Del Rio, TX in Val Verde County. Fish species- Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, Channel and Blue Catfish, White and Striped Bass
Click here for the Amistad Fishing Report Sponsored by SW Texas Bass Guide - Kurt Dove

Conchas Lake: 16,033-acre lake on the Canadian River. Fish species - Largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill, crappie, channel catfish and walleye.
Clarity:Good
Water Temp:60s main lake, upper 60s up river
Walleye are good from shore and trolling. Jigs, Wally Divers, Rapalas and night crawlers are working well. Crappie are slow with jigs and minnows. White bass are fair to good with crank baits, sassy shad and minnows. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are reported as fair to good with tubes and Senkos. No reports on other species.

Elephant Butte Lake: 40,000-surface acre lake on the Rio Grande formed by a dam created in 1916. Hundreds of miles of shoreline with a depth of 165 feet. When lake level is at capacity the lake is up to 40 miles long with an average width of about 1.5 miles. Fish species - Largemouth bass, catfish, walleye, flathead and channel catfish, crappie, smallmouth, white bass and striped bass (true stripers, not hybrid) and bluegill.
Clarity:6 feet
Water Temp:68
Fishing is slow but the stripers are running and one of the guides pulled out a 35 pound striper. White bass are also going well. On Monday, May 24th there was a 10 pound largemouthcaught and released.
Fishing Report Sponsored by Marina Del Sur

Navajo Lake: 15,600-acre lake with a depth at the deepest part close to the dam of almost 400 feet. Three major arms of the lake, the Pine, the San Juan, and Francis gives fishermen plenty to enjoy. Fish species - Smallmouth and largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, northern pike, rainbow trout, kokanee salmon, brown trout and channel catfish.
Clarity:Good, very light stain in areas.
Water Temp:50-60
Pike are good with Rapalas, crank baits and worms in the San Juan and Pine arms. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are reported as good with jerk baits and tubes. Crappie are fair to good in La Jara, Francis Canyon and Negro Andy Canyon with jigs and minnows. Rainbows and browns are being caught in shallow water around the shoreline with salmon eggs and worms. Report courtesy of Rob Degner, Mountain States Guide Service
Fishing Report Sponsored by Navajo Lake Marina

Santa Rosa Lake: 3,500-acre lake on the Pecos River. Fish species - Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, Catfish, Bluegill, Crappie and Walleye.
Clarity:3 inches, chocolate milk
Water Temp:low 60s
Walleye are good with chartreuse or white curly tails and crank baits. Smallmouth bass are reported as good with crank baits and jigs. Largemouth bass are fair. Crappie are good using sassy shads, worms and minnows. No report on catfish.

Sumner Lake: 2,800-acre lake with a maximum depth of 65' and an average depth of 20-30 feet on the Pecos River. Fish species - Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, bluegill, walleye, catfish, crappie, white bass and winter trout.
Clarity:Stained
Water Temp:low 60s
Reports for walleye are sporadic. Some success has been reported jigging with grubs, trolling bottom bouncer rigs with night crawler trailers, or drift fishing with minnows. Most are in 10-15 feet of water and best reports have been from the west shoreline near Spears canyon, off the gravel points and near the mouth of the Alamogordo Arm. White bass and largemouth bass are fair. Catfish are fair below the dam with chicken liver and night crawlers.

Ute Lake: 8,200-acre lake with a shoreline of approximately 45 miles with a maximum depth of 88 feet. Winds for miles through a rocky canyon up the Canadian River and Ute Creek. Fish species - Largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill, crappie, walleye, channel catfish and white bass.
Clarity:lightly stain on the main lake, moderately stained up the arms
Water Temp:58-60
Click here for the Ute Lake Fishing Report Sponsored by The Tackle Box Walleye - Good/Excellent - Trolling Bombers, Reef Runners and Wally Divers in the main channel are catching suspended Walleye. Tossing crank baits near shore will also catch them. Work rocky points with minnows in 3-15 feet of water is yet another method to get-em. Many 10-12 inchers are being caught, so treat them very carefully when taking the hook out of them and get them back into the lake ASAP. Channel cats - Good/Excellent - Expect 3-5 pounders using Sonny's Stickey bait up the Canadian past the Crappie wall. The local catfisherman are catching 10-15 per expedition. They also throw out sour wheat to help bring them in. Largemouth bass - Good - Spinner baits followed by a wacky rigged worm will get them off of their beds and into the boat. Many 2-3 pounders being caught. Work the reeds in 2-5 feet of water. Smallmouth bass - Good - Work the rocky points for quantity and the 10 foot flats near the main channel for quality fish. Grubs and worms are working the best. Crappie - Good- Minnows near brush up the canadian is producing. Limits are not yet common, but I have seen a few. I would not spend more than 10-15 minutes at a tree if you have not caught any. Moving around until you find them is important. You only need to move 50-100 yards to try another spot. White bass - Fair - Starting to catch a few more every trip. There is not really any "hot spot". Trolling and minnow fishing seems to be the best bet. They are spread out ---no rhyme or reason when you get one.

Tight lines,

ABQ Sportfishnig