Weekly Fishing Report

 Sept. 19, 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

Quemado Lake: Sept. 9, Levi Aguilar, 8, of Silver City, caught a 16-inch rainbow trout. He was trolling a gold Panther Martin.

Heron Lake: Sept. 13, Christin Tubb of Albuquerque caught a 17.5-inch kokanee while fishing from the bank. She was using chartreuse power bait.

Pecos River: Sept.16, Joe Chavez of Albuquerque caught a 6-pound, 25-inch rainbow trout. He was using worms and fishing below Terrero.  

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 good this past week for anglers using worms, power bait and grass hoppers. Most of the trout caught were in the 9-to-13 inch range. Fishing was good using worms for perch.

CIMARRON RIVER: Water flow below Eagle Nest as of Monday was 1.5cfs. Trout fishing was slow.

GRAVEL PIT LAKES: We had no reports from anglers this week.

CLAYTON LAKE: Fishing slowed considerably this past week. Anglers did well using worms and power bait for trout but fishing for all other species was slow.

COCHITI LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using night crawlers, liver and cut bait for catfish. The best reports came from anglers fishing on the west side of the lake. Fishing was fair trolling crank baits and spoons for white bass. A few smallmouth bass were taken by anglers using jig and pig combinations, jerk baits and tubes. We had no reports on other species.

CONCHAS LAKE: Fishing was fair trolling crank baits and jigging with slab spoons for white bass. Anglers using spoons also picked up a few walleye. Fishing was fair using spinner baits, jerk baits, tubes and worms for smallmouth bass. Most of the smallmouth bass were taken in 6-to-14 feet of water. We had no reports on other species.

COYOTE CREEK: Fishing was fair for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, copper john barrs and small spinners for trout.

EAGLE NEST LAKE: Fishing was fair using power bait, salmon eggs, spinners and Pistol Petes for trout. Kokanee fishing continued to be slow but a few were taken by anglers trolling spinner/corn combinations at depths of 15-to-28 feet. A few perch were taken on worms.

HONDO RIVER: Trout fishing was very good this past week for anglers using BWOs and size 14-to-16 bead head nymphs.

HOPEWELL LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using small wooly buggers, Pistol Petes, pheasant tail nymphs and small peacock nymphs.

LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE : Trout fishing was slow at both lakes but a few folks managed to catch their limit at Lake Maloya this past week. The best fishing reports came from anglers fishing Lake Maloya from boats and using black wooly worms and Pistol Petes.

MAXWELL LAKE 13: Fishing was fair for anglers using power bait for 16-to-20 inch trout.

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

MONASTERY LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using corn, power bait, salmon eggs and Pistol Petes under a bubble.

MORPHY LAKE: Trout fishing was fair this past week for anglers using wooly buggers, prop flies, spinners, home made dough baits, salmon eggs and power bait.

PECOS RIVER: As of Monday morning, water flow was 34cfs near the town of Pecos. Trout fishing was good this past week for anglers using night crawlers, salmon eggs, elk hair caddis, bead head pheasant tail nymphs and spinners.

RED RIVER: Water flow near Questa was 19cfs and below the hatchery was 45cfs as of Monday. Trout fishing was very good this past week for anglers fishing below the hatchery. They were using small wooly buggers and size 14-to-18 mayfly nymphs.

RIO COSTILLA: Fishing was good blue winged olives and parachute adams for trout.  

RIO GRANDE: As of Monday, water flow near the Taos Junction Bridge was 354cfs. There were a few days this past week when the flow was around 250 and the water was clear. During that time, trout fishing was very good for anglers using size 14-to-16 tungsten bead nymphs, wooly worms and spinners. Fishing slowed with the increased flows.  

RIO PUEBLO: Trout fishing was very good for anglers using parachute adams and BWOs.

SANTA CRUZ: Fishing was fair using power bait, spinners and Tasmanian Devils for trout.

SANTA BARBARA: Fishing was fair-to-good using small stimulators, elk hair caddis, royal humpys and small bead head nymphs for trout.

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

SPRINGER LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using worms and cut bait for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

STORRIE LAKE: Trout fishing slowed a bit this past week but was still okay for anglers fishing near the inlet. Best baits were power bait, salmon eggs and worms.

UTE LAKE: White bass provided the best action for anglers this past week. They were scattered throughout the lake and taken on crank baits, minnows, slab spoons and bottom bouncer/crawler rigs. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair for anglers using top water lures, jerk baits, spinner baits and split shot rigs. Fishing was fair using cut bait, liver and night crawlers for catfish. Fishing for walleye was slow with a few taken on deep running crank baits and a few taken in the shallows on minnow/split shot rigs.

NORTHWEST AREA

ABIQUIU LAKE: Fishing was generally slow for all species this past week with very light fishing pressure on the lake. There were a few walleye taken by anglers using deep running crank baits and fishing at the north end of the lake. We had no reports on other species.

BLUEWATER LAKE: Trout fishing picked up just a bit this past week. Anglers fishing from the bank and using power bait and spinners picked up a few rainbows. The trout ranged in size from 10-to-14 inches. Fishing was fair using black bunny leeches for tiger musky. We had no reports on other species. The lake level rose over the past week but was still too low to launch boats safely.

BURNS CANYON LAKE: Fishing was fair for anglers using spinners, Pistol Petes under a bubble and power bait for trout.

CANJILON LAKES: We had no reports from anglers this week.

CHAMA RIVER: Water flow below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 141cfs and 174cfs below Abiquiu. Fishing above and below El Vado was fair-to-good for anglers using night crawlers, copper john barrs, flash back pheasant tails and bead head wooly buggers for trout.

CONSERVANCY PARK LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair using liver, night crawlers and dough bait for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

EL VADO LAKE: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using night crawlers, power bait and spinners.  

FENTON LAKE: Trout fishing continued to be very slow this past week. The Lake Fork day use area of the lake has been closed and will remain closed until further notice.

HERON LAKE: Fishing for kokanee was slow-to-fair for anglers trolling double whammies, needlefish, Panther Martins and Cripplures tipped with corn. They were trolling at depths of 20-to-32 feet. There were a few limits taken but it was an all day process. Fishing from the bank was slow. A few rainbows and kokanee were taken by anglers using chartreuse power bait.

JEMEZ WATERS: As of Monday, water flow on the Jemez near Jemez Springs was 28cfs. Fishing was fair-to-good this past week for anglers using salmon eggs, parachute adams, elk hair caddis, copper john barrs, and spinners for trout. We received good reports from the Rio Guadalupe, the Jemez, San Antonio and Cebolla.

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

NAVAJO LAKE: Fishing for smallmouth bass was very good again this past week. Anglers did well using jerk baits, red flake tubes and bright orange spinners. Most of the bass action was on the San Juan arm of the lake. Anglers fishing for bass also caught an occasional northern pike. Fishing for trout was fair-to-good for anglers using worms and corn at 50 feet. A few trout were also taken by anglers trolling spinner/worm and spinner/corn rigs. 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 slow.

SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday was 587cfs. Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using BWOs, comparaduns, grey midge emergers and bunny leeches. Downstream through the bait waters, anglers rated fishing as slow-to-fair. Best baits were worms, spinners, power bait, wooly buggers and jerk baits for a mix of brown and rainbow trout.

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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

BILL EVANS LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.

CABALLO LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair using cut bait and liver for catfish. A few white bass were taken by anglers using minnows and crank baits. We had no reports on other species.

ELEPHANT BUTTE: White bass provided the best action for anglers again this past week. Anglers found them from Kettle Top to the Butte. Schooling white bass close to the surface were taken on top water lures, shallow crank baits and jerk baits. Deeper fish were hitting slab spoons, jigs and minnows. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair for anglers using senkos, small worms and tubes fished at 15-to-20 feet. A few largemouth bass were taken by anglers using jerk baits and senkos. We had no reports on other species.

ESCONDIDA LAKE: Fishing was slow.

GILA RIVER: Water on the main river was flowing at 584cfs as of Monday morning. We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

PERCHA DAM: Fishing was slow for all species.

QUEMADO LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using spinners and power bait for trout.

RIO GRANDE: Water flow below Elephant Butte was 18cfs as of Monday. Fishing was slow for all species.

SOUTHEAST AREA

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

BONITO LAKE: Trout fishing was good this past week for anglers using salmon eggs, power bait, corn, worms, spinners and flies under a bubble.

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. We had no reports from anglers this week.

CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

GREEN MEADOW LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using liver and worms for catfish.

GRINDSTONE RESERVOIR: Fishing was fair using salmon eggs and spinners for rainbow trout.

PECOS: Below Sumner Lake, water flow on Monday was 105cfs. A few small catfish were taken by anglers fishing late at night and using liver and worms. We had no reports on other species.

RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow as of Monday was 19cfs above Carrizo Creek. Trout fishing was slow.

SANTA ROSA LAKE: Water levels continued to rise and the water was quite murky. Fishing was slow for all species. A few catfish were taken by anglers using liver and night crawlers.

SUMNER LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.