Weekly Fishing Report

DON'T MISS THE NEW MEXICO OUTDOOR EXPO. IT'S FREE! Take the family to the Albuquerque Shooting Range Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 14-15 for fishing exhibits, casting instruction, shooting, archery and dozens of other cool outdoor activities, products and information.

FREE FISHING DAY IS JUNE 4! No license or habitat stamp is required on National Fishing Day. Look for a kids' fishing clinic in your area.

CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Clayton Lake: Russell Lawrence of Clayton caught a 2.38- pound rainbow trout last weekend on a worm. Jamie Porter of Dalhart, Texas, caught a 3.5- pound largemouth bass on a gold spoon. Justin Drumm of Clayton caught a 6-pound walleye.

If you have a catch of the week story, send it to us at fishnm@hotmail.com. Include date, location, type of fish, length and bait used to catch the fish.

May 10, 2005
This fishing report has been generated from the best information available from officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, however, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.

NORTHEAST AREA
 

CHARETTE LAKES: Fishing was fair for anglers using power bait for 14-to-20 inch trout.

CIMARRON RIVER: There were no reports from anglers this week.

CIMARRON GRAVEL PIT LAKES: Fishing was fair for anglers using power bait, corn, salmon eggs and prop flies under a bubble.

CLAYTON LAKE: Fishing improved over this past week as several trout, walleye and bass were taken. Anglers did well using night crawlers, gold spoons and spinners and crank baits. Fishing was fair for anglers using liver and night crawlers for catfish.

COCHITI LAKE: The water color has turned from murky to muddy due to runoff conditions. Fishing was slow for all species.

CONCHAS LAKE: Walleye fishing improved greatly over the past week with several limits taken by anglers fishing the south side of the lake. Most of the fish were taken on shad raps, Bombers and Wally Divers trolled at depths of eight-to-fourteen feet. A few were also taken on tubes and grubs. Smallmouth bass fishing was good for anglers using tubes and fishing rocky areas in two-to-ten feet of water. Anglers trolling the north side of the lake caught more white bass than walleye. Crappie fishing was good for anglers using minnows, jigs and crank baits. Fishing for catfish was fair-to-good using liver, shrimp and dough baits.  

COYOTE CREEK: Trout fishing was good using power bait, worms and spinners. The stream is running high and the water is stained.

EAGLE NEST LAKE: The water continues to rise and anglers may launch boats. Trout fishing was fair with the best reports coming from anglers fishing from the bank and using power bait, roe sacks and salmon eggs for trout.

LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE: Fishing was fair-to-good at Lake Maloya for anglers using home made dough baits and bead head nymphs for trout. Most of the fish taken were in the eight-to-ten inch range. Fishing at Lake Alice was slow due to muddy water conditions.

MAXWELL LAKES: There were no reports from anglers this week.

MCALLISTER LAKE: Fishing was fair for anglers using power bait, garlic cheese, bead head wooly buggers, Daredevles and Kastmasters for trout. A few were also taken on prop flies.

MORPHY LAKE: The lake is full and the water is quite murky. Trout fishing was slow with only a few fish taken on power bait.

MORA: Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using bead head prince nymphs, bead head wooly buggers and worms for trout.

PECOS RIVER: As of Monday morning, water flow was 560cfs near the town of Pecos. Prior to the latest increase in stream flow, fishing was reported as fair for anglers using weighted bead head nymphs, spinners and worms for trout.

RED RIVER: Water flow near Questa was 142cfs as of Monday. We had no reports from anglers this week.

RIO GRANDE: As of Monday, water flow near the Taos Junction Bridge was 1,670cfs and fishing was slow for all species. A few trout were taken on worms and spinners. During these high water conditions, use extra weight and larger flies and baits.

SANTA CRUZ: Fishing was fair for anglers using spoons, power bait, worms and salmon egg/corn combinations for trout.

STORRIE LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

UTE LAKE: The Ute Lake marina has closed temporarily but the boat ramps are open and in good condition. Fishing for walleye was very good for some this past week. Anglers trolling Wally Divers and Bombers along the edges of tree lines brought in limits of fish. Most of the walleye were taken at depths of 15-to-20 feet. Crappie fishing was good for anglers using minnows, small jigs and crank baits. Fishing for black bass improved as several large mouth and smallmouth bass were taken on tubes, senkos, jigs and crank baits fished in shallow water. Several white bass were taken by anglers trolling crank baits. We had no reports on other species.

NORTHWEST AREA

ABIQUIU LAKE: Fishing continued to be slow for all species. Fishing pressure was very light.

BLUEWATER LAKE: Fishing was slow for anglers using power bait, corn and salmon eggs for trout. A few catfish were taken on shrimp, liver and stink baits.

BURNS CANYON LAKE: Fishing was very good for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, spinners, spoons and prop flies for rainbow trout.

CHAMA RIVER: Water flow below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 1,850cfs and 1,810cfs below Abiquiu. Fishing was slow.

EL VADO LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.

FENTON LAKE: Trout fishing was good this past week for anglers using power bait, worms, corn, salmon eggs, spoons and wooly buggers.

HERON LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species. The water level continues to rise and is quite murky.

JEMEZ WATERS: As of Monday, water flow on the Jemez River near Jemez Springs was 443cfs and the water was stained. Fishing on the upper river, the Cebolla, the San Antonio and the East Fork was rated as fair by anglers using bead head nymphs, worms and small spinners.

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

MCGAFFEY LAKE: Fishing was slow.

NAVAJO LAKE: Fishing improved this past week for smallmouth bass, trout, kokanee and crappie. Anglers using tubes, jerk baits, senkos and salt craws fished shallow caught several small bass. Anglers fishing the backs of Francis Canyon and La Jara Canyon reported catching several crappies. They were using minnows, jigs and worms. Anglers trolling spinners, spoons and crank baits at depths of 20-to-25 feet reported catching several rainbow and brown trout and a few kokanee. The fish were scattered. There were no reports on other species.

RAMAH LAKE: Good fishing for trout and bass this past week. Anglers using tubes and small senkos caught and released several nine-to-thirteen inch largemouth bass. Trout fishing was good for anglers using worms, power bait, wooly buggers and prop flies.

SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Dam on Monday morning was 3,070cfs. Fishing this past week was reported as slow with tough wading conditions in the higher flows. A few trout were taken on rabbit hair leaches, leather leaches and wooly buggers. The flows will be increased to 5,000cfs by May 25. The flow will remain at this level until June 15 th .

SEVEN SPRINGS BROOD POND: This water is open to children under age 12. It is stocked through the spring and summer and is a great place to take the youngsters to get them started fishing.

SOUTHWEST AREA
 

BEAR CANYON: Fishing was slow for all species.

BILL EVANS LAKES: Trout fishing was reported as slow-to-fair this past week by anglers using power bait, salmon eggs and worms. We had no reports on other species.

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

CABALLO LAKE: The best reports this past week came from anglers fishing for white bass, walleye and catfish. White bass and walleye anglers did well trolling and working the east shore line with crank baits. A few were also taken at the south end of the lake. Most of the catfish were taken on liver and cut bait. A few black bass were taken on crank baits, tubes and senkos.

ELEPHANT BUTTE: Fishing for black bass this past week was tough. At a two day tournament over the weekend the winning catch was seven fish weighing 13 pounds. The fish that were caught were taken on senkos, tubes, crank baits, spinner baits and brush hawgs. Fishing for striped bass was good for some, slow for others. We had one report of 15 stripers caught in one hour's time. The anglers were trolling umbrella shad rigs with bucktail chasers 60-to-80 feet behind the boat. There were also a few taken on live bait, top water lures and deep running crank baits. Fishing for white bass was slow-to-fair for anglers trolling crank baits. There were a few catfish taken on liver and shrimp. The water level continues to rise.   

ESCONDIDA LAKE: There were no reports from anglers this week.

GILA RIVER: Water on the main river was flowing at 193cfs as of Monday morning.    We had no reports from anglers this week.

GLENWOOD POND: This pond is regularly stocked with rainbow trout and should provide some good fishing action. Most popular baits are salmon eggs and power bait.

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

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

QUEMADO LAKE: Fishing was fair for anglers using spinners, power bait and worms for trout. There were no reports on other species.

RIO GRANDE: Water flow below Elephant Butte was 1,490cfs on Monday. Fishing for walleye was fair for anglers using night crawlers and jig and grub combinations. A few catfish were taken on liver, shrimp and night crawlers. We had no reports on other species.

SNOW LAKE: Fishing was fair for anglers using power bait, spinners and prop flies for trout.

BATAAN LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

BONITO LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good using power bait, salmon eggs, worms, spinners, bead head nymphs, prop flies under a bubble and small spoons for trout. The best reports came from anglers slow-stripping copper john barrs at the upper end of the lake in 12-to-15 feet of water.

SOUTHEAST AREA
 

BOSQUE REDONDO: Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using night crawlers and liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

BOTTOMLESS LAKES: Fishing was slow.

BRANTLEY: Fishing remains slow for all species.

CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

GRINDSTONE: Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, worms, spoons and spinners for trout.

LAKE VAN: There were no reports from anglers this week.

PECOS: Below Sumner Lake, water flow on Monday was 89cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

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

RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow as of Monday was 46cfs. The water was still murky and fishing was slow.

SANTA ROSA LAKE: The lake level continues to rise and is within a few feet of the high water mark. Fishing this past week was reported as slow for all species.

SUMNER LAKE: We had good reports this past week as anglers fishing in the weekend derby weighed in walleye, white bass, crappie, largemouth bass and catfish. Several walleye and white bass were taken up the Pecos arm and the Alamogordo arm. Anglers were drifting spinner/night crawler and spinner/minnow rigs as well as trolling crank baits. Most of the catfish were taken on minnows, night crawlers and liver.

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