Weekly Fishing Report

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CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Springer Lake: Levi and Melody Frye of Springer caught a 30-inch, 10-pound carp on a worm. While fishing May 20, they also caught a 26-inch, 7-pound northern pike on a red and white spinner bait.

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 24, 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 slow-to-fair for anglers using power bait, prop flies and salmon eggs for trout. Fishing was fair using worms for perch.

CIMARRON RIVER:   Water flow near Cimarron as of Monday was 106cfs. In the canyon area, fishing was fair-to-good using San Juan worms, copper john barrs and spinners for trout.

CIMARRON GRAVEL PIT LAKES:   Fishing was good using power bait, worms and corn for trout.

CLAYTON LAKE:   Trout fishing was good early and late in the day for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, corn and worms. Fishing was fair using liver for catfish. A few walleye were taken on spinner/night crawler rigs. We had no reports on other species.

COCHITI LAKE:   The water is quite murky and the lake level continues to rise. Fishing was fair using jig and pig combinations and spinners baits in the shallow brushy areas for largemouth bass. A few crappie were taken on minnows. We had no reports on other species.

CONCHAS LAKE:   The lake level continues to rise. Smallmouth bass fishing was reported as very good by anglers using fat ikas, tubes, lizards and finesse worms in the shallows, off rocky points and in deeper trees. A few largemouth bass were taken on plastics, spinner baits and tubes. Anglers using worms and small jigs caught several bluegill and crappie. Fishing for walleye was good using white grubs and drop shot rigs in 18-to-25 feet of water. There were also a few taken by anglers trolling wally divers along the riprap. Surface temps ranged from 70-to-75 degrees. The water is clear at the south end and stained at the north end of the lake.

COYOTE CREEK:   Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using power bait, worms and spinners. The stream is running high.

EAGLE NEST LAKE:   Lots of perch and a few rainbows and kokanee were caught by anglers this past week. The perch were taken on worms fished from the bank and from boats. Most of the trout and kokanee were taken on power bait.  

LAKE MALOYA/ LAKE ALICE:   Fishing improved at both lakes this past week. Anglers did well at Lake Maloya using power bait, home made dough bait and Pistol Petes for trout. Fishing at Lake Alice was rated as fair using power bait for trout.

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

MCALLISTER LAKE:   Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using power bait, corn and salmon eggs but rated as good for those trolling spoons.

MORPHY LAKE:   The lake is full and the water is quite murky. Fishing was slow.

PECOS RIVER:   As of Monday morning, water flow was 1,400cfs near Anton Chico. Fishing was slow with the high water conditions.

RED RIVER:   Water flow near Questa was 494cfs as of Monday. Fishing was slow.

RIO GRANDE:   As of Monday, water flow near the Taos Junction Bridge was 4,380cfs and fishing was slow for all species.

SANTA CRUZ:   Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using spoons, power bait, cheese and salmon eggs for trout.

SPRINGER LAKE:   Several northern pike were taken over the past week by anglers using spinner baits, crank baits and stick baits. Fishing for catfish was fair for anglers using cut bait and liver.

STORRIE LAKE:   Trout fishing slowed a bit this past week and was rated as fair by anglers using power bait and salmon eggs. Most of the fish taken were in the 10-to-12 inch range.

STUBBLEFIELD:   Fishing was good using liver, night crawlers and stink bait for catfish. Anglers using night crawlers also caught a few walleye. We had no reports on other species.

UTE LAKE:   The Ute Lake marina has closed temporarily but the boat ramps are open and in good condition. The best reports this past week came from anglers fishing for white bass and walleye. They were using crank baits, grubs and spinner/night crawler rigs. The fish were scattered and were taken at depths of five-to-twenty five feet. Fishing for black bass was good using tubes, lizards, senkos and plastic worms. A few were also taken on top water lures. Fishing for catfish was good for anglers using shrimp and liver and fishing at night.

NORTHWEST AREA

ABIQUIU LAKE:   The lake level is rising fast and the water is off color. Fishing for catfish has improved as several were taken by anglers using night crawlers and chicken liver. Fishing for walleye was fair for anglers drifting spinner/night crawler rigs and jig/grub combinations in the Canones Creek area. We had no reports on other species.

BLUEWATER LAKE:   Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers trolling spinners and prop flies. Fishing for catfish was fair for anglers using shrimp and liver.

BURNS CANYON LAKE:   Fishing was 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 434cfs and 1,810cfs below Abiquiu. Fishing below El Vado was fair for anglers using night crawlers, bead head wooly buggers and power bait for trout.

EL VADO LAKE:   The water level rose 13.5 feet from Friday to Monday and boaters are advised to use caution as there is quite a bit of debris floating in the lake. Fishing was slow for all species.

FENTON LAKE:   Trout fishing was good early in the week but slowed a bit over the weekend. Anglers did well using power bait, worms, corn, salmon eggs, spoons, spinners, prop flies and wooly buggers.

HERON LAKE:   Fishing continued to be slow for all species. There were a few kokanee taken on flasher/spinner combos. The water level is rising and starting to clear.

JEMEZ WATERS:   As of Monday, water flow on the Jemez River near Jemez Springs was 462cfs. Fishing was good for anglers using bead head nymphs, spinners, salmon eggs and worms for trout. We also received some good reports from the Cebolla, San Antonio, Rio Las Vacas and the upper waters of the East Fork.

MANZANO LAKE:   Fishing was fair for anglers using prop flies, salmon eggs, corn, power bait and cheese for trout.

MCGAFFEY LAKE:   We had no reports from anglers but fishing should improve as the lake was recently stocked.

NAVAJO LAKE:   We received some very good reports this past week from anglers fishing for smallmouth, largemouth and crappie. The bass anglers were fishing in the back of Francis Canyon, La Jara Canyon and some of the smaller cuts along the San Juan arm. They were using tubes, senkos, jerk baits and spinner baits for bass up to five pounds. The crappie were stacked in grassy areas about seven or eight miles up the Pine arm and were taken out of 10 feet of water by anglers using jigs, minnows and worms. Some good size bluegill were also taken by anglers using jigs and worms. Several kokanee were taken on the main lake by anglers trolling Arnies at 20-to-25 feet.

RAMAH LAKE:   Fishing was fair for anglers using prop flies, bead head wooly buggers, tubes and worms for bass and a few trout.

SAN JUAN:   Water flow below Navajo Dam on Monday morning was 4,840cfs. Fishing this past week was reported as fair-to-good with tough wading conditions in the higher flows. Trout were taken on annelids, San Juan worms, rabbit hair leaches, leather leaches and wooly buggers. With the high flows, anglers should use extreme caution. The flow will be at or near 5,000cfs until June 15 th .

SEVEN SPRINGS BROOD POND:    This water is open to children under age 12. Fishing continued to be very good for the youngsters using power bait, salmon eggs and fly and bubble combinations.

SOUTHWEST AREA

BEAR CANYON:   We had no reports from anglers this week.

BILL EVANS LAKE:   We had some good reports from anglers fishing for bluegill over the past week. They were using olive, black and brown bead head wooly buggers with crystal flash. They also reported catching a few bass on the same flies. We had no reports on other species.  

CABALLO LAKE:   There was some good fishing early in the week for white bass, walleye and catfish but the action slowed over the weekend with the high heat. Best baits for the white bass and walleye were crank baits, minnows and spinner/night crawler rigs. Shrimp, liver and cut bait were the best baits for catfish.

ELEPHANT BUTTE:   Hot weather over the past weekend created slow fishing conditions for white bass, striped bass and black bass. There were a few striped bass taken on live bait, umbrella rigs and top water lures. They were taken by anglers fishing from the bank near the dam and by the marinas. There were also a few taken in McRae Canyon, near the Jungles and by Rock Canyon. A few black bass were taken on spinner baits and plastics fished shallow and early and late in the day. A few white bass were taken on sassy shad, crank baits and spinners. We picked up a few along the west side of Horse Island early in the morning. A few walleye were taken on spinners, crank baits and sassy shad. The best fishing reports came from anglers fishing the upper end of the lake for catfish. They were using shrimp, cut bait, night crawlers and liver and catching catfish up to 10 pounds.

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

GILA RIVER:   Water on the main river was flowing at 158cfs as of Monday morning.    We had no reports from anglers again 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:   Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, spinners and wooly buggers.

PERCHA DAM:   Fishing was slow for all species.

QUEMADO LAKE:   Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using spinners, power bait and worms for trout up to 22 inches. We had several reports of anglers spotting tiger musky close to three feet in length.

RIO GRANDE:   Water flow below Elephant Butte was 1,890cfs on Monday. Fishing here and below Caballo was fair for anglers using night crawlers, shrimp and liver for catfish. Several small walleye and a few in the 19-to-21 inch range were taken on curly tail grubs and sassy shad fished along the edges of slack water pools.

SNOW LAKE:   Fishing was fair for anglers using salmon eggs and power bait for trout.

BATAAN LAKE:   Fishing was slow for all species.

BONITO LAKE:   Fishing was fair using power bait, salmon eggs, spinners, prop flies under a bubble and small spoons for trout. A few carp were taken on dough bait.

SOUTHEAST AREA
 

BOSQUE REDONDO:   We had no reports from anglers this week.

BOTTOMLESS LAKES: Fishing was slow.

BRANTLEY:   Fishing remains slow for all species.

CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL LAKE:   Fishing was slow for all species.

GRINDSTONE:   Fishing was 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 105cfs. The campground in this area will be closed over the holiday weekend due to high water release from the lake.

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

RUIDOSO RIVER:   Water flow as of Monday was 52cfs. Fishing was slow.

SANTA ROSA LAKE:   Fishing was good using worms, liver and stink bait for catfish. Most were taken by anglers fishing the south side of the lake.   Fishing was good using senkos, salt craws and top water lures for black bass. There were a few smallmouth taken in the two-to-three pound class but most of the bass were small. A few walleye were taken by anglers fishing with craws and grubs.

SUMNER LAKE:   Walleye fishing slowed a bit over the past weekend. There were a few taken by anglers fishing the Alamogordo and Pecos arms. They were using spinner/night crawler combinations, grubs and crank baits. We had no reports on other species.

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