New Mexico Fishing Report for Oct. 16
OutdoorHub 10.16.12
Catches of the Week
- Bluewater Lake: Oct. 12, Jay Jenkins of Albuquerque brought sons, Bennett and Dillon, and Bennett caught and released his first tiger musky. It was 26 inches and taken on a crank bait.
The following came in too late for last week’s report but we thought it was definitely worth mentioning:
- Chama River: Sept. 30, Chris Ortega of Albuquerque caught a 22-inch and an 18.5-inch brown trout. He was fishing below El Vado and using his custom purple and green Hita-Nator fly.
- Bluewater Lake: Oct. 1-5, Kurtis Pitman, Jeff Burnham and Tom Edwards of Colorado caught and released 55 tiger musky ranging from the high 30s to 46 nches. They were using crank baits.
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.
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 11 cfs. Fishing was slow to fair using small bead-head pheasant tails and small copper John Barrs in the deeper pockets for a mix of brown and rainbow trout. We had no reports from the Gravel Pit Lakes.
Clayton Lake: Fishing pressure was very light and fishing was slow for all species. Due to low water conditions, only small boats, kayaks and canoes can be launched.
Conchas Lake: Good news for boat owner anglers. The Cannon Cove Campground boat ramp is open and fully functional. Fishing was slow to fair using slab spoon, blade baits and minnows for a mix of white bass and walleye. Fishing was slow to fair using crank baits, jigs, tubes and creature baits for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. We had no reports on other species.
Coyote Creek: Trout fishing was slow to fair using salmon eggs and small copper John Barrs.
Eagle Nest Lake: Kokanee snagging was fair for anglers working in the boat ramp area in the early morning hours. Bank fishing for trout and kokanee was good using Power Bait, salmon eggs and roe sacs. The best bait was salmon peach Power Bait. Fishing for perch was fair using worms. We had no reports on other species.
Hopewell Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Maloya: Trout fishing was good using bright colored Power Bait, salmon eggs, cheese and Pistol Petes.
Los Pinos: Trout fishing was fair using copper John Barrs, bead-head pheasant tails and salmon eggs.
Maxwell Lake 13: We had no reports from anglers.
Monastery Lake: Trout fishing was good using salmon peach Power Bait, salmon eggs and Pistol Petes under a bubble.
Morphy Lake: Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait and cheese.
Pecos River: Water flow near the town of Pecos on Monday was 29 cfs. Trout fishing was good using small flashback pheasant tails, small copper John Barrs, salmon eggs and small spinners.
Red River: Water flow below the hatchery was 33 cfs. Trout fishing was good using copper John Barrs, San Juan worms, small spinners and salmon eggs.
Rio Grande: The water flow Monday at the Taos Junction Bridge was 238 cfs. Trout fishing was good using mayfly nymphs, emergers, parachute adams, bead-head pheasant tails, Power Bait, worms and spinners. Fishing was slow for northern pike but there were a few taken by anglers using small swim baits and big bunny leaches. We had no reports on smallmouth bass.
Rio Hondo: Water flow near Valdez on Monday was 13cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Rio Mora: Water flow near Terrero on Monday was 7.5 cfs. Trout fishing was fair using worms, salmon eggs and flashback pheasant tail nymphs.
Rio Pueblo: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Santa Barbara: We had no reports from anglers this week.
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 good using Power Bait, cheese, salmon eggs and spinners. We had no reports on other species.
Ute Lake: Fishing for walleye was fair using blade baits at 30 to 35 feet. Fishing for catfish was fair to good using stink bait. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was slow but there were a few taken by anglers using tubes, worms and crank baits. Fishing for all other species was slow. The surface water temp was in the low 60s.
Northwest
Abiquiu Lake: Fishing was fair using jigs, tubes, grubs, senkos, crank baits and worms for smallmouth bass. Fishing for walleye was slow but there were a few taken on grubs, tubes and spinner/nightcrawler combinations. We had no reports on other species.
Albuquerque Area Drains: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Animas River: As of Monday morning flow near Aztec was 133 cfs. We had no reports from anglers.
Bluewater Lake: Fishing was fair using crank baits, swim baits and spinners for tiger musky. Fishing for all other species was slow.
Canjilon Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 53 cfs and 100 cfs respectively. Fishing below El Vado was good using nightcrawlers, Power Bait, copper John Barrs, bead-head prince nymphs, spinners and salmon eggs for a mix of brown and rainbow trout. Trout fishing below Abiquiu was fair using copper John Barrs, nightcrawlers and Power Bait. A section of the river from El Vado Lake to the west boundary of the Rio Chama Wildlife and Fishing Area opened to salmon snagging Oct. 1 but we had no reports from anglers working this area.
Cochiti Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
El Vado Lake: Kokanee snagging opened Oct. 1 and runs through December 31. Snagging was slow to fair for anglers working the west side of the dam. We had no reports on other species.
El Rito Creek: Trout fishing was fair using copper John Barrs and salmon eggs.
Fenton Lake: Fishing was using worms, Power Bait, black wooly buggers and olive and black Pistol Petes.
Heron Lake: From Oct. 1 through Nov. 8 it is unlawful to possess kokanee from here or from Willow Creek. Any kokanee caught while fishing for other species must be immediately released. These waters are also closed to kokanee snagging during this time period. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Jackson Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week
Jemez Waters: Water flow on the Jemez as of Monday morning was 18 cfs. Trout fishing here and on the Cebolla below Fenton Lake was fair to good using worms, salmon eggs and copper John Barrs. We had no reports from the other streams.
Laguna del Campo: Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait, salmon eggs and spinners. 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 and is open to fishing through Oct. 31.
Lake Farmington: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Manzano Lake: Fishing was fair using Power Bait and spinners for trout.
Navajo Lake: Kokanee snagging opened here and on the Pine River Oct. 1 and runs through Dec. 31. There is an off-limits fishing and snagging area at the Pine boat ramp. For more information contact the State Park office at 505-632-2278 or visit www.nmparks.com. Anglers snagging from boats did well in the back of Frances Canyon while anglers snagging from the bank did best near the dam outlet. We received very good reports from both locations. Be sure and check regulations regarding catch and possession limits. Rainbow trout fishing was fair to good for anglers using worms and salmon eggs. Bass fishing was reported as fair by anglers using crank baits, craws, tubes, jigs and creature baits. Best reports came from anglers fishing main lake points and shallow water up the San Juan arm. Fishing for northern pike was fair using crank baits, creature baits and spinner baits. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the low 60s.
Ramah Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
San Gregorio Lake: Trout fishing was slow.
San Juan River: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 656 cfs. Trout fishing in the Quality Waters was good using small flashback pheasant tails, parachute adams, red, chocolate and gray midges, dead chickens and dark colored streamers. Fishing through the bait waters was good using nightcrawlers, jerk baits and spinners.
Santa Cruz Lake: The boat ramp has been closed due to low water conditions. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Seven Springs Brood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week. 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: Trout fishing on the main pond was good using Power Bait, salmon eggs, spinners, worms and homemade dough baits. We had no reports on other species.
Southwest
Bear Canyon: Fishing was slow for all 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 safe for launching. The lake will remain open to canoes, kayaks and other nonmotorized boats. Bank fishing was fair using liver, homemade dough baits and nightcrawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species.
Elephant Butte: Fishing was fair using blade baits, grubs, crank baits and slab spoons for white bass. Fishing was fair using crank baits, tubes, jerk baits, jigs, senkos and worms for a mix of smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. A few walleye were taken by anglers fishing for bass. Fishing was slow to fair using stink bait, liver and nightcrawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species. Surface water temps were in the low to mid 60s. The Monticello, Dam Site and Rock Canyon boat ramps remain closed due to low water conditions.
Escondida Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
Gila River: Water flow on the Gila on Monday was 32 cfs. 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 was fair using wooly buggers and small jigs for smallmouth bass. We had no reports on other species.
Glenwood Pond: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait and salmon eggs.
Lake Roberts: Trout fishing was fair to good using garlic cheese, Power Bait, salmon eggs and spinners. We had no reports on other species.
Percha Dam: The water was low and fishing was slow for all species.
Quemado Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Rio Grande: Water flow below Elephant Butte on Monday was 0 cfs. Fishing below Elephant Butte was slow for all species. Below Caballo fishing was fair using minnows and nightcrawlers for a mix of walleye, crappie and catfish. Anglers were fishing pocket water and working the deeper holes.
Snow Lake: With access roads open and a recent double stocking of rainbow trout, put this lake high on your list for some fall fishing from the bank. The roads in are a little bumpy and the water is low but fishing should be great. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Southeast
Bataan Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Bonito Lake: Closed.
Bosque Redondo: Fishing was slow for all species.
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: Trout fishing was good using yellow and salmon peach Power Bait, salmon eggs and worms.
Jal Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Van: Fishing was slow for all species.
Oasis Park Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Pecos River: Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 80 cfs. Fishing was slow for all species and fishing pressure was very light.
Perch Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Ruidoso River: Water flow at Hollywood on Monday was 4cfs. Trout fishing was slow.
Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing pressure was very light and fishing was generally slow for all species. However, there were a few walleye, smallmouth bass and catfish caught by anglers fishing from the bank and using crank baits, spinner baits, nightcrawlers and minnows. We had no reports on other species. The boat ramp has been closed but the lake is accessible for canoes and kayaks.
Sumner Lake: Fishing pressure was very light again this past week and fishing continued slow for all species. The boat ramps have reopened and will remain open as long as lake levels permit.
