New Mexico Fish and Stocking Report for Sept. 18
OutdoorHub 09.18.12
This fishing report, provided by Bill Dunn and the Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.
CATCHES OF THE WEEK:
- Bluewater Lake: Sept. 15, Claudia Blaine of Edgewood caught a 42-inch, 24-pound tiger musky. She was trolling one of Grandpa’s old hand-me-down lures. She and friend Jimmy caught and released three other fish in the 30- to 36-inch range. Sept. 15, Leo Sedillo of Albuquerque caught a 41.5-inch, 24-pound tiger musky. He was using a green spinner.
- San Juan River: Sept. 16, Chris Ortega of Albuquerque caught and released a 25-inch, 5.75-pound rainbow trout. He was using his own custom fly he calls the hitanator.
- Ute Lake: Sept. 16, Rick Hanna of Amarillo caught and released a 4.19-pound largemouth bass. He was fishing a club tournament.
The following came in too late for last week’s report but we thought it was definitely worth mentioning:
- Abiquiu Lake: Sept. 7, Kerry Harms of Los Alamos caught a 26.56-inch walleye. He was trolling a bottom-bouncer spinner-nightcrawler rig in 12 to 15 feet of water.
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, date, and location, type of fish, length and weight if possible and bait, lure or fly used.
Sept. 18
Northeast
- Cabresto Lake: The lake and campground closed May 14 and will stay closed for about six months while the dam is being rebuilt.
- Charette Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Cimarron River: Water flow below Eagle Nest Lake as of Monday was 10 cfs. Despite low water conditions, fishing was quite good this past week. Anglers fished the deeper holes and did well using tungsten bead flash bugs, brassies, Cimarron specials and poly wing emergers. A few trout were also taken by anglers using worms. Fishing at the Gravel Pit Lakes was fair using worms and salmon eggs.
- Clayton Lake: Fishing was slow for all species and fishing pressure was very light. Due to low water conditions, only small boats, kayaks and canoes can be launched.
- Conchas Lake: The boat ramps are closed and will remain closed until water levels come up and are deemed safe for launching boats. Anglers may still launch nonmotorized craft such as canoes and kayaks. Fishing from the bank was fair using minnows, nightcrawlers, small swim baits and worms for a mixed bag of walleye, smallmouth bass, white bass and catfish. Try casting topwater lures in the morning hours for some good bass action.
- Coyote Creek: Trout fishing was fair to good using salmon eggs, worms and small copper John Barrs.
- Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, spinners, worms and salmon eggs for rainbow trout. Fishing slowed a bit for kokanee but there were several caught by anglers trolling Panther Martins and Z Rays tipped with corn. Fishing was fair to good using worms for perch. Fishing was fair using Rapalas, spoons and spinners for northern pike. The annual Fish Fest starts this coming Saturday and runs through Sept. 30. For more information call 575-377-6941.
- Hopewell Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Lake Maloya: Trout fishing was fair to good using garlic and salmon peach Power Bait, worms, Pistol Petes and wooly buggers for trout up to 22 inches.
- Los Pinos: Last Tuesday, Patrick Carrillo had a great day on the river. He caught a 17-inch rainbow on a size 14 copper John Barr, a 15-inch brown trout on a bubble bee pattern and a 16-inch cutbow on a pheasant tail.
- Maxwell Lake 13: We had no reports from anglers.
- Monastery Lake: Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait, salmon eggs and worms.
- Morphy Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Pecos River: Water flow near the town of Pecos on Monday was 28 cfs. Trout fishing was good using worms, salmon eggs, flashback pheasant tails, brassies, copper John Barrs and small spinners.
- Red River: Water flow below the hatchery was 39 cfs. Trout fishing was fair to good using copper John Barrs, PMDs, ants and poundmeisters.
- Rio Costilla: Water flow as of Monday was 6.5 cfs. Trout fishing was good using small parachute adams, BWOs and small hoppers. As with last week, the key to success was putting the leader not the fly line over the fish.
- Rio Grande: The water flow Monday at the Taos Junction Bridge was 206 cfs. Fishing was good for anglers using black deer hair parachute ants, small flash back pheasant tails and San Juan worms. PMDs have been working in the mid-morning hours. A few trout were also taken on worms, salmon eggs and Power Bait.
- Rio Hondo: Water flow near Valdez on Monday was 15cfs. Trout fishing was fair using elk hair caddis and copper John Barrs.
- Rio Mora: Water flow near Terrero on Monday was 8.8 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Santa Barbara: Trout fishing was slow but there were a few taken by anglers using small pheasant tail nymphs and copper John Barrs.
- Shuree Ponds: The water level on the ponds has been quite low and fishing was reported as slow.
- Springer Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
- Storrie Lake: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait, salmon eggs, corn and cheese. We had no reports on other species.
- Ute Lake: Fishing was generally slow for all species. We had reports on one angler catching a limit of walleye while working crank baits in the trees in about 11 feet of water. Most anglers however only picked up one or two. A few largemouth bass and smallmouth bass were taken by anglers using crank baits, tubes and small jigs. A few white bass were caught by anglers using slab spoons. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the low to mid 70s.
Northwest
- Abiquiu Lake: Fishing was fair using curly tail grubs, crank baits and bottom bouncer worm and bottom bouncer minnow combos for walleye. Fishing was fair using minnows, tubes, jigs and crank baits for smallmouth bass. A few rainbow trout were caught by anglers fishing from the bank and using Power Bait. We had no reports on other species
- Animas River: As of Monday morning flow near Aztec was 99 cfs. We had no reports from anglers.
- Bluewater Lake: Fishing was fair to good using crank baits, swim baits, spinners and jerk baits for tiger musky. Fishing in the evening hours was good using worms for catfish. Last week, Peter and Lisa Jaeger caught and released six tiger musky in the 23 to 28 inch range. They were using Rapalas. Another group caught and released eight in the 25 to 36 inch range. They were using an assortment of chrome crank baits.
- Canjilon Lakes: Trout fishing was slow to fair for anglers using Pistol Petes under a bubble, Power Bait, salmon eggs and spinners.
- Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 612 cfs and 253 cfs respectively. Fishing below El Vado was good using nightcrawlers, worms, small Z Rays, Panther Martins, Power Bait and salmon eggs for a mix of brown and rainbow trout. Anglers fishing downstream reported good success using holographic Panther Martins for browns up to 18 inches. Trout fishing below Abiquiu was fair using nightcrawlers, assorted spinners, copper John Barrs, Power Bait and wooly buggers.
- Cochiti Lake: Fishing was fair using crank baits, spinners and grubs for white bass. A few smallmouth bass were taken on crank baits, tubes and jigs. We had no reports on other species.
- El Vado Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. The lake level continues to drop but the main park boat ramp is still open.
- El Rito Creek: Trout fishing was fair using worms, salmon eggs and brassies.
- Fenton Lake: Trout fishing was good using silver and red Panther Martins, Pistol Petes, worms, wooly buggers salmon eggs and green and yellow sparkle Power Bait. Again this past week, anglers reported good success from the bank as well as from boats.
- Heron Lake: Kokanee fishing has slowed and has been described by most anglers as sporadic with limits one day and only one or two fish the next. Best lures for trolling have been rainbow colored double whammies, wedding rings, Arnies, Z Rays and Cripplures. Fishing from the bank was slow.
- Jackson Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week
- Jemez Waters: Water flow on the Jemez as of Monday morning was 15 cfs. Trout fishing on the Cebolla above and below Fenton Lake was very good this past week for anglers using wooly buggers, worms, hoppers and salmon eggs. Fishing on the East Fork was fair using small parachute adams ant patterns and small copper John Barrs. If you are interested in fishing on the Valles Caldera, go to www.vallescaldera.gov.
- Laguna del Campo: We had no reports from anglers this week. This is a special trout water open to anglers age 14 years or under, 65 years and older, handicapped anglers or up to 2 parents/guardians in direct supervision of a child or children age 14 years or younger who is fishing. This water was formerly known as Burn’s Canyon Lake.
- Lake Farmington: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Manzano Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
- Navajo Lake: Fishing was fair using tubes, crank baits, jigs, grubs and creature baits for smallmouth bass and an occasional largemouth bass. Fishing was slow for northern pike but there were a few taken by anglers using crank baits and spinners. Fishing for kokanee slowed considerably and we received several reports of kokanee hitting the surface. Fishing for bluegill was fair to good using worms. We had no reports on other species.
- Ramah Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- San Gregorio Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- San Juan: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 983 cfs. Trout fishing in the Quality Waters was good using gold ribbed emergers, midge pupa, midge larva, small parachute adams, gray RS2s and BWOs. Anglers also did well using large streamers with extra weight and a sink tip along the bank. Fishing through the bait waters was fair to good using nightcrawlers, worms, wooly buggers, San Juan worms, spinners, jerk baits and Power Bait.
- Santa Cruz Lake: Fishing pressure was very light again this past week and fishing was slow for all species. The boat ramp has been closed due to low water conditions.
- Seven Springs Brood Pond: Trout fishing was fair using worms, salmon eggs and Power Bait. This water is open to fishing for youth under the age of 12 and an excellent place to take youngsters and get them interested in fishing. The pond is well stocked to offer youngsters a great fishing experience.
- Tingley Beach: Fishing for bluegill was fair using worms. Fishing for all other species was slow but there were a few bass and catfish caught by anglers using worms. We had no reports on other species.
Southwest
- Bear Canyon: Fishing was slow to fair using liver and nightcrawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species.
- Bill Evans Lake: The lake level is currently being drawn down due to water quality issues on the Gila since the big fire. The lake will remain open to fishing and camping but boat ramps will be inaccessible. We had no reports from anglers.
- Caballo Lake: All boat ramps have been closed and will remain closed until water levels rise and are deemed safe for launching. The lake will remain open to canoes, kayaks and other nonmotorized boats. Bank fishing can be good in low water conditions. Give it a try.
- Elephant Butte: Hot spot for white bass: Fishing continued to be very good using crank baits, slab spoons, tubes, grubs and minnows for white bass. Fishing was fair to good using topwater lures, crank baits, swim baits and tubes for largemouth bass, small striped bass and walleye. Fishing was good using minnows, nightcrawlers, liver and shrimp for catfish. We had no reports on other species. The Monticello, Dam Site and Rock Canyon boat ramps remain closed due to low water conditions.
- Escondida Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using nightcrawlers and liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species.
- Gila River: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 40 cfs. Fishing was fair using stink bait and nightcrawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species. Although the Middle and West Forks and their tributaries are and will continue to be affected by the ash, the East Fork is unaffected and the smallmouth population is strong. Fishing on the East Fork was fair using small jigs and grubs for the bass. We had no reports on other species.
- Glenwood Pond: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait.
- Lake Roberts: Fishing was slow to fair using worms, liver and nightcrawlers for catfish. Fishing was fair using worms under a bobber for trout. The trout fishing should pick up as the lake was recently stocked. We had no reports on other species.
- Percha Dam: Fishing for all species was slow.
- Quemado Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
- Rio Grande: Water flow below Elephant Butte on Monday was 25 cfs. Fishing here and below Caballo was slow due to low water conditions.
- Snow Lake: Some access roads have been cleared and the lake is now open. From Reserve you can access the lake by taking FR 141 to FR 128. From Beaverhead, take FR 159 to FR 142. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Southeast
- Bataan Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
- Bonito Lake: Closed.
- Bosque Redondo: Fishing was fair using chicken skin, liver and nightcrawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species. We received a report of one largemouth bass caught by an angler using nightcrawlers.
- Bottomless Lakes: Fishing was slow for all species.
- 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: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Grindstone Reservoir: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Jal Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
- Lake Van: Fishing was fair using liver, stink bait, home made dough bait and nightcrawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species.
- Oasis Park Lake: Fishing was slow to fair using liver and nightcrawlers for catfish.
- Pecos River: Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 66 cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.
- Perch Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Ruidoso River: Water flow at Ruidoso on Monday was 10 cfs. Trout fishing was slow.
- Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing from the bank was slow to fair using nightcrawlers for catfish. Fishing pressure was very light and we had no reports on other species. The boat ramp has been closed but the lake is accessible for canoes and kayaks.
