New Mexico Fishing and Stocking Reports for March 5
OutdoorHub 03.05.13
Catches of the week:
- Corrales Drain: Feb. 28, Alfonso M. Gonzales of Albuquerque caught and released a 21-inch, 5-pound largemouth bass. He was using a San Juan worm.
- Eagle Nest Lake: March 3, Lane Warner of Santa Fe caught a 23-inch, 6.25-pound rainbow trout. He was using a jig and worm combination on 2-pound test line.
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: Work on the dam has been completed and the area has reopened to the public.
Charette Lakes: The fishing season opened March 1 but we had no reports from anglers this week.
Clayton Lake: Opening weekend was more about windy weather than fishing. A few anglers gave it a try but fishing was slow for all species.
Conchas Lake: Fishing pressure was light again this past week. The surface water temp was in the mid 40s. Fishing was slow for all species but there were a few walleye taken by anglers using jigging spoons. Anglers who wish to do so can still launch boats from the Cannon Cove area but should use extreme caution.
Coyote Creek: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Eagle Nest Lake: Ice thickness over the weekend remained at about 24 inches. Fishing was very good using ice jigs tipped with worms or wax worms for perch. Fishing for trout was a bit sporadic but there were some good fish taken by anglers using jig and worm combinations, Power Bait and homemade dough bait. We had no report on other species.
Lake Alice: Closed to fishing at this time.
Lake Maloya: Ice thickness over the weekend was between 13 and 15 inches. Fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, corn, worms and salmon eggs for 9 to 12 inch trout. Anglers using corn, worms and Power Bait also caught several small perch.
Los Pinos: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Manzano Lake: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait, salmon eggs and garlic scented homemade dough bait.
Maxwell Lake 13: Opened for the season March 1 but we had no reports from anglers this week.
Monastery Lake: Trout fishing was good using small spoons, Power Bait and homemade dough bait.
Morphy Lake: Closed for the season.
Pecos River: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Red River: Water flow below the hatchery was 34 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Rio Grande: Water flow Monday at the Taos Junction Bridge was 411cfs. Trout fishing was fair using San Juan worms, streamers, copper John Barrs, worms and Power Bait. Fishing was slow to fair using streamers for northern pike. We had no reports on other species.
Rio Hondo: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Rio Mora: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Santa Barbara: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Springer Lake: We had no reports from anglers.
Storrie Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good using homemade dough bait, salmon eggs and corn. We had no reports on other species.
Stubblefield Lake: Water levels are extremely low and not fishable at this time.
Ute Lake: Fishing picked up a bit this past week. A few anglers reported success working points and using spinner baits and jerk baits for largemouth bass. They also picked up a few white bass and one walleye. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was around the 44 degree mark.
Northwest
Abiquiu Lake: The boat ramp is free of ice and this is a good time to start looking for the big browns at the upper end of the lake. Try some long line trolling with big shallow-running baits.
Animas River: Monday morning water flow at Aztec was 179cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Albuquerque Area Drains: Trout fishing was good using egg patterns, copper John Barrs, Power Bait, wax worms and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species with the exception of the big bass listed in Catches of the Week. Best reports were from the Albuquerque Drain, Bernalillo, Peralta and the Corrales Drain.
Bluewater Lake: As of the past weekend the lake was about 50 percent free of ice. Bank fishing was fair using salmon eggs and Power Bait for trout. We had no reports on other species. For updated conditions contact the Bluewater State Park office at 505-876-2391.
Canjilon Lakes: We had no reports from anglers.
Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 151cfs and 57cfs respectively. Trout fishing below Abiquiu was fair using copper John Barrs, spinners, small Kastmasters, worms and Power Bait. We had no reports from below El Vado.
Cochiti Lake: Fishing was slow for all species and fishing pressure was very light.
El Vado Lake: There is a layer of ice on the entire lake reported as unsafe for ice fishing. For updated information, contact the State Park office at 575-588-7247.
Fenton Lake: This lake is off limits to fishing at this time but may open by the end of the month. For ice-out updates contact the State Park office at 575-829-3630.
Heron Lake: Ice thickness over the weekend was reported at 13 to 15 inches in the Willow Creek and La Laja areas. Fishing was slow to fair using ice jigs, Power Bait and worms for rainbow trout. We had no reports on other species. For updated ice conditions contact the State Park office at 575-588-7470.
Jackson Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Jemez Waters: Water flow on the Jemez River as of Monday morning was 33cfs. We had no reports from the Jemez River but there was some good trout fishing again this past week on the Cebolla. Anglers did well using salmon eggs, Power Bait and small copper John Barrs.
Laguna del Campo: Closed for the season.
Lake Farmington: Fishing was slow for all species.
Navajo Lake: Fishing was generally slow but there were a few northern pike hooked by anglers using swim baits and jerk baits. The surface water temp was in the low 40s.
Ramah Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
San Juan: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 340cfs. Fishing in the Quality Water section was good using olive and brown streamers, Griffith’s gnats, egg patterns, red larva, red annelids, San Juan worms, Griffith’s gnats and olive and brown leeches. Fishing through the bait waters was fair using salmon eggs, wooly buggers, San Juan worms, Panther Martins, worms and small spoons. Water clarity was reported as 18 to 24 inches.
Santa Cruz Lake: Fishing was slow for all species.
Tingley Beach: Trout fishing at the Children’s Pond and the Central Pond was good using Pistol Petes, Panther Martins, Power Bait, salmon eggs, homemade dough baits and wax worms. Fishing at the Catch and Release Pond was fair using streamers, leeches, red annelids and Pistol Petes.
Southwest
Bear Canyon: Trout fishing was fair using homemade dough bait, salmon eggs, spinners and Pistol Petes.
Bill Evans Lake: Trout fishing was fair to good using Power Bait, homemade dough bait, worms and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species.
Caballo Lake: The west-side main boat ramp has reopened and is expected to remain open as the water level is rising. The east-side ramp remains closed. Fishing pressure was light this past week and fishing was reported as slow for all species. The walleye were still holding deep.
Elephant Butte: The surface water temp ranged from the mid 40s to the low 50s. Fishing was slow for all species. The Monticello and Dam Site boat ramps remain closed due to low water conditions. The Rock Canyon ramp has reopened.
Escondida Lake: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait, corn and homemade dough bait. We had no reports on other species.
Gila River: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 78cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Glenwood Pond: Fishing was good using Power Bait and salmon eggs for trout.
Lake Roberts: Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait, homemade dough baits and worms. 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 as of Monday was 0.0cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing below Caballo was slow to fair using grubs and worms in deeper holes for white bass and catfish.
Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Southeast
Bataan Lake: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species.
Black River: As of Monday stream flow above Malaga was 3.2cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Blue Hole Park Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Bosque Redondo: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait, corn and salmon eggs.
Bottomless Lakes: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait and salmon eggs.
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.
El Rito Creek: Trout fishing was good using salmon eggs.
Greene Acres Lake: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait, homemade dough bait and salmon eggs.
Green Meadow Lake: Fishing was slow but there were a few trout taken by anglers using Power Bait and homemade dough bait.
Grindstone Reservoir: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait, salmon eggs and homemade dough bait. A few fish were also taken by anglers using spinners.
Jal Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Van: Trout fishing was good again this past week. Anglers did well using Power Bait, small Kastmasters, homemade dough bait and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species.
Oasis Park Lake: Trout fishing was very good as anglers caught several limits using Kastmasters and homemade dough baits. A few fish were also taken by anglers using Power Bait and salmon eggs.
Pecos River: Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 78cfs. Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait and salmon egg corn combinations.
Perch Lake: Trout fishing was slow to fair using Power Bait and Pistol Petes.
Ruidoso River: Water flow at Hollywood on Monday was 4.0cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
Santa Rosa Lake: Fishing from the bank was fair to good using curly tail grubs, sassy shad and imitation minnows for walleye and crappie. We had no reports on other species. The lake is closed to boating at this time. A water release is scheduled to begin March 12 and run through March 14. The water level is expected to drop about 7 feet.
Sumner Lake: Fishing pressure was light but there were a few walleye caught by anglers using grubs and sassy shad. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was about 46 degrees. The Violation Canyon boat ramp remains open at this time and will remain open as long as lake levels permit.
