Weekly Fishing Report

 Aug. 1, 2006
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.

Catches of the week

Ute Lake: July 23, Mary Michael,12, of Albuquerque, caught a 22-inch walleye while trolling a deep little ripper at 25 feet.

Harry McAdams Park Pond: July 27, Kevin Ortiz, 11, of Hobbs, caught a 20-inch largemouth bass and a 15-inch largemouth bass. He was using black and purple Texas-rigged worms.

Abiquiu Lake: July 29, Tom Gravlin of Los Alamos caught an 8-pound walleye. He was trolling a Wally Pop in 13 feet of water.

Elephant Butte: July 29, Mitch Lee of Elephant Butte caught a 33-pound striped bass. He was down-lining a gizzard shad in 25 feet of water.

Cochiti Lake: July 29, Nick Burnett of Albuquerque caught a 19-inch largemouth bass and a 13-inch white bass. He was using a 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.

NORTHEAST AREA

CHARETTE LAKES: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using power bait and fishing from the bank. Fishing was good using worms for perch.

CIMARRON RIVER: Water flow below Eagle Nest as of Monday was 18cfs. Trout fishing was rated as good by most anglers this past week. Those doing best were using small parachute adams and elk hair caddis.   Fishing with bait was fair for anglers using salmon eggs and worms.

GRAVEL PIT LAKES:   Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using power bait, corn/salmon egg combinations and prop flies under a bubble.

CLAYTON LAKE: Trout fishing was good this past week for anglers using worms, corn and salmon eggs. Fishing was fair using bottom bouncer/spinner/worm rigs for walleye. Fishing for catfish was fair using shrimp and chicken liver.

COCHITI LAKE: Fishing was good this past week for anglers using crank baits, spinners and worms for white bass, bluegill and perch. Fishing was fair using spinner baits for white bass and largemouth bass. A few good size catfish were caught by anglers using dough bait and liver. We had no reports on other species.

CONCHAS LAKE: Fishing for bluegills continued to be excellent this past week. Worms under a bobber, poppers, small wet flies and jigs all provided some great fun. Fishing for smallmouth bass was good for anglers using spinner baits, tubes, jigs and top water lures. Fishing for white bass was fair using spinners and crank baits. Walleye fishing slowed a bit but there was still some good action for anglers trolling bottom bouncer/worm rigs and deep running crank baits. Fishing for catfish was good for anglers using cut bait and shrimp. Our best catfish reports came from anglers fishing at night near the Cove campground area and near the marina.

COYOTE CREEK: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using elk hair caddis, small stimulators, parachute adams and salmon eggs.

EAGLE NEST LAKE: Perch fishing was very good this past week for anglers using worms and fishing from the bank. Fishing was fair using spinners, salmon eggs and power bait for rainbow trout. A few kokanee were taken by anglers trolling needlefish, Panther Martins and Cripplures tipped with power bait. They were trolling at depths of 15-to-27 feet.

LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE: Trout fishing was fair at both lakes this past week. At Lake Alice best baits were salmon eggs, power bait and corn. At Lake Maloya, anglers fishing from boats did well using Pistol Petes while bank anglers did best using power bait.

MAXWELL LAKE 13: We had no reports from anglers this week.

MCALLISTER LAKE: Trout fishing was slow.

MONASTERY LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using corn, power bait, salmon eggs and prop flies under a bubble for trout.

MORPHY LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, bead head hares ears and parachute adams.

PECOS RIVER: As of Monday morning, water flow was 80cfs near the town of Pecos. Fishing was good this past week for anglers using stimulators, copper john barrs, small wooly buggers, salmon eggs, worms, royal wulffs, parachute adams and spinners for trout. Anglers fishing the Mora reported excellent success using small dry flies including parachute adams and yellow elk hair caddis.

RED RIVER: Water flow near Questa was 22cfs and below the hatchery was 42cfs as of Monday. Trout fishing was rated as fair-to-good this past week for anglers using elk hair caddis, parachute adams, bead head hares ears, copper john barrs, salmon eggs and worms.

RIO COSTILLA: Trout fishing was good using small hopper patterns, elk hair caddis, bead head hares ears, yellow stimulators and parachute adams.

RIO GRANDE: As of Monday, water flow near the Taos Junction Bridge was 286cfs. Fishing on the upper Rio was slow-to-fair for anglers using wooly buggers, spinners and worms for trout. We had no reports on other species.

SANTA CRUZ: Fishing was fair for anglers using power bait and corn for trout. A few trout were also taken by anglers using spoons and spinners.

SHUREE PONDS: We had no reports from anglers this week.

SPRINGER LAKE: Fishing was fair for anglers using liver and cut bait for catfish. A few northern pike were taken by anglers using spinner baits. We had no reports on other species.

STORRIE LAKE: Trout fishing was fair this past week for anglers using salmon eggs and yellow power bait. We had no reports on other species.

UTE LAKE: Fishing was very good this past week for anglers using buzz baits, spinner baits, rip shad and jigs for smallmouth bass. Anglers did very well in the Mine Canyon and Romero Canyon areas. Fishing was good using jigging spoons, minnows and leeches and trolling deep little rippers for walleye. Most of the walleye were taken at 25-to-35 feet over 35-to-50 feet of water. Romero Canyon and the Horseshoe Bend areas were very productive. Fishing was fair using tail spinners, crank baits and Rooster Tails for white bass. Fishing was good using worms under a bobber for bluegill. Fishing was slow-to-fair using shrimp, liver and cut bait at night for catfish.

NORTHWEST AREA

ABIQUIU LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using Wally Pops tipped with night crawlers or Gulp worms for walleye. The walleye were in 8-to-15 feet of water and most were caught at the upper end and on the west side of the lake.   A few walleye were also taken on crank baits and jig/worm combinations. Some good size catfish and smallmouth bass and lots of perch were also taken by the anglers fishing for walleye.   Fishing was fair for anglers using liver, shrimp and dough bait at night for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

BLUEWATER LAKE: Fishing was fair using shrimp, liver and dough bait for catfish. Fishing for trout was fair for anglers using power bait, spinners, salmon eggs and corn. Trout anglers reported catching and releasing several tiger musky.

BURNS CANYON LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using spinners and salmon eggs for trout. There are special regulations covering fishing on this water. Be sure and check them out on page 6 of your fishing rules and information.

CANJILON LAKES: Trout fishing was good again this past week for anglers using prop flies under a bubble, spinners, power bait and salmon eggs.

CHAMA RIVER: Water flow below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 89cfs and 174cfs below Abiquiu. Fishing above El Vado was good this past week for anglers using spinners, night crawlers and wooly buggers for a mix of brown and rainbow trout. Fishing below El Vado and below Abiquiu was slow.

CONSERVANCY PARK LAKE (Tingley Beach): Fishing was rated as slow for all species. Try fishing here early and late in the day for the best chances at catching fish this time of year.

EL VADO LAKE: Fishing was slow.

FENTON LAKE: Trout fishing was slow and will probably remain slow until the weather cools.

HERON LAKE: Fishing for kokanee was good this past week for anglers trolling double whammies, wedding rings and Panther Martins tipped with corn or power bait. Most of the kokanee were in the 14-to-20 inch size and were taken by anglers trolling at depths of 20-to-35 feet. Fishing for rainbow trout was fair for anglers using power bait and spinners and fishing from the bank.

JEMEZ WATERS: As of Monday, water flow on the Jemez near Jemez Springs was 16cfs. Trout fishing was fair using hoppers, parachute adams, royal wulffs, copper john barrs, worms and salmon eggs. Fishing on the Cebolla and the Rio Guadalupe was good using salmon eggs, small spinners, hoppers, elk hair caddis, parachute adams and copper john barrs.

MANZANO LAKE: Fishing was slow.

MCGAFFEY LAKE: Fishing was slow.

NAVAJO LAKE: Kokanee fishing was fair this past week for anglers trolling Arnies, Z Rays and needlefish at 32-to-38 feet. Most of the action was between Francis Canyon and the dam. Fishing for smallmouth bass was good for anglers using spinner baits, top water lures, tubes, senkos, worms and crank baits. Most of the bass caught were less than 12 inches in length. Fishing was good for anglers using spinner baits and buzz baits for northern pike. There were several pike caught on the San Juan arm above La Jara Canyon. We had no reports on other species.

RAMAH LAKE: The lake has been closed to all access due to a recent fish kill. The department will reopen the lake when conditions improve.

SAN GREGORIO LAKE: Trout fishing was good this past week for anglers fishing from float tubes or canoes. They did well using hoppers, copper john barrs, power bait, wooly buggers and Griffith's gnats.

SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday was 747cfs. Trout fishing was good over the past week for anglers using bunny leeches, black midge clusters, dead chickens, bead head pheasant tails, red annelids, brassies, San Juan worms and parachute adams. The same flies also worked through the bait waters as did jerk baits, salmon eggs, wooly worms, worms and spinners.

SEVEN SPRINGS BROOD POND: This water is for kids under age 12 only. It's a great place to take the little ones for some fun fishing.

SOUTHWEST AREA

BEAR CANYON: Fishing was slow for all species.

BILL EVANS LAKE:   Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using worms, salmon eggs and small jigs under a bobber for bluegill. We had no reports on other species.

CABALLO LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species. A few catfish were taken on liver and night crawlers.

ELEPHANT BUTTE: It appears fishing for striped bass finally picked up this past week. Several anglers reported catching stripers on live bait, top water lures and crank baits. The bigger fish (see Catches of the Week) were taken on live shad fished at depths of 20-to-25 feet. Several anglers reported finding schooling white bass on the surface and hitting top water lures and spoons. They were fishing near the Butte. Fishing was fair-to-good using buzz baits, spinner baits and jigs for black bass. The best reports of stripers, white bass and black bass came from anglers fishing between McCrae Canyon and the dam. Fishing was good using cut bait, shrimp, hot dogs, liver and dough bait for catfish.

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

GILA RIVER: Water on the main river was flowing at 250cfs as of Monday morning. The main river and the Forks were high and murky due to recent rains.

LAKE ROBERTS: Fishing was fair using liver, dough baits and night crawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

PERCHA DAM: Fishing was slow for all species.

QUEMADO LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair using prop flies and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species.

RIO GRANDE: Water flow below Elephant Butte was 1,350cfs as of Monday. Fishing was slow for all species. A few catfish were taken by anglers using night crawlers and liver.

SOUTHEAST AREA

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

BONITO LAKE: The water level is quite low. Fishing was slow-to-fair this past week for anglers using salmon eggs, power bait and prop flies.

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

BRANTLEY: Anglers are to practice catch and release for all fish here as high levels of DDT were found in several fish. Fishing was fair using crank baits for white bass.

CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

GRINDSTONE RESERVOIR: The lake water level is low and the city of Ruidoso is treating the lake on a weekly basis with copper sulfate. Stocking has been suspended until conditions change.

PECOS: Below Sumner Lake, water flow on Monday was 97cfs. Fishing was fair using chicken liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

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

RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow as of Monday was 28cfs. Trout fishing was slow but should improve as the water level subsides and the water clears.

SANTA ROSA LAKE: Fishing was fair for anglers using top water lures, senkos, lizards, jigs and jerk baits for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Most of the fish were taken in less than 10 feet of water. A few catfish were taken on cut bait, liver and shrimp. We had no reports on other species.

SUMNER LAKE: Fishing was fair for anglers using senkos, tubes, baby brush hogs, spinner baits and top water lures for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Fishing was good using worms and small jigs for bluegill. Fishing was fair trolling crank baits for white bass and walleye. A few walleye were also taken by anglers trolling bottom bouncer/night crawler rigs.