Weekly Fishing Report

 Kokanee salmon snagging season opened Oct. 1 and runs through Dec. 31 in the following waters: Abiquiu Lake, Chama River from El Vado Lake to west boundary of the Rio Chama Wildlife and Fishing Area, El Vado Lake, Navajo Lake and Eagle Nest Lake. Check the 2006-2007 Fishing Rules & Information Booklet for more details.

Oct. 17, 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: Oct. 14, Rob Blum of Logan caught a 19-inch smallmouth bass. He was using a splitshot rig with a minnow. Oct. 15, Christopher Savino of Albuquerque caught a 22-inch walleye. He was trolling a jointed shad rap in nine feet of water.

San Gregorio Lake: Oct. 15, Matt Quintana of Albuquerque caught a 19-inch rainbow trout. He was fishing from a float tube and using a wooly bugger.

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, worms, salmon eggs and spinner/worm combinations. Fishing was good using worms for perch. The lakes close for the season on October 31.

CIMARRON RIVER: Water flow below Eagle Nest as of Monday was 35cfs. Trout fishing was fair for anglers using wooly buggers, copper john barrs and bead head pheasant tail nymphs. A few fish were also taken on San Juan worms.

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

CLAYTON LAKE: Bank fishing was good for catfish, walleye and trout this past week. Anglers did best using worms. A few trout were also taken on power bait. The lake closes for the season on October 31.

COCHITI LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good using minnows, slab spoons, jig and grub combinations and deep running crank baits for small white bass. Fishing for smallmouth bass was slow but a few were taken by anglers fishing plastics deep off points. We had no reports on other species.

CONCHAS LAKE: Fishing was slow with very light fishing pressure on the lake this past week. A few catfish were taken on chicken liver. We had no reports on other species.

COYOTE CREEK: Trout fishing was good for anglers using salmon eggs, dough baits and spinners.

EAGLE NEST LAKE: Kokanee snagging was slow but there were a few reported taken in the Six Mile area. Trout and perch fishing remained quite good. Anglers did well again using the multi colored wooly bugger, worms and lemon and orange twist power baits. A few trout were also taken by anglers using spinners and prop flies.

HONDO RIVER: Trout fishing was fair this past week for anglers using copper john barrs, worms and small spinners.

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

LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE: Fishing at Lake Maloya was fair-to-good for anglers using prop flies and bead head wooly buggers for trout. A few were also taken on power bait. The best reports came from anglers fishing in the morning and evening hours. We had no reports from Lake Alice.

MAXWELL LAKE 13: We had no reports from anglers this week. The lake closes for the season October 31.

MCALLISTER LAKE: Trout fishing continued to be best for anglers fishing from the bank and using power bait. A few fish were also taken on spinners. We had no reports from boaters. The lake will close for the season on October 31.

MONASTERY LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using corn, garlic cheese, salmon eggs, Pistol Petes under a bubble and spinners.

MORPHY LAKE: Trout fishing was good this past week. Anglers reported catching several limits with a number of trout in the 10-to-12 inch size. Best baits were salmon eggs, power bait, spinners and Pistol Petes. The lake closes for the season on October 31.

PECOS RIVER: As of Monday morning, water flow was 34cfs near the town of Pecos. Trout fishing was very good for anglers using worms, salmon eggs, spinners, copper john barrs, wooly buggers and bead head prince nymphs. We had no reports from the Villanueva area.

RED RIVER: Water flow as of Monday near Questa was 25cfs and below the hatchery was 59cfs. Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using worms, copper john barrs, bead head hares ears and San Juan worms.

RIO GRANDE: As of Monday, water flow near the Taos Junction Bridge was 860cfs. The water was stained and fishing was slow this past week. When the flow drops down to 400-to-500cfs and starts to clear, try using jerk baits and floating Rapalas for the northern pike in the Pilar area.

RIO PUEBLO: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using worms, flash back pheasant tail nymphs and copper john barrs.

SANTA CRUZ: Fishing was especially good for anglers using jerk baits, spinners and Pistol Petes for trout. A few fish were also taken on power bait and salmon eggs. Anglers using jerk baits and spinners reported catching a mixed bag of browns and rainbows. The lake closes for the season on October 31.

SHUREE PONDS : Trout fishing was fair for anglers using spoons and bead head wooly buggers.

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

STORRIE LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using salmon eggs, worms and power bait.

UTE LAKE: Fishing was pretty tough for all species this past week. The fish appeared to be scattered at different depths. A few black bass were taken on worms, spinner baits and top water lures fished in the shallows while others were taken off points by anglers using drop shot and split shot rigs. It was the same with walleye and white bass. Some anglers reported catching walleye at 30-to-50 feet with spoons and reef runners while others were taken on jointed Rapalas in 9-to-12 feet of water. Most of the white bass caught were taken by anglers fishing for walleye.

NORTHWEST AREA

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

BLUEWATER LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

b We had no reports from anglers this week.

CHAMA RIVER: Water flow below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 37cfs and 40cfs below Abiquiu. Trout fishing was slow at both locations. A few trout were reported taken below El Vado by anglers using worms.

CONSERVANCY PARK LAKE: At the kids and middle ponds, fishing was fair using salmon eggs, power bait, worms and grubs for trout. At the catch and release pond, fishing was fair using small wooly buggers, Griffiths' gnats, and bead head pheasant tails for trout.

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

FENTON LAKE: Trout fishing was slow. The Lake Fork day use area of the lake has been closed and will remain closed until further notice.

HERON LAKE: This lake along with Willow Creek and the Pine River are closed to salmon snagging at this time. You may still fish for trout at Heron but any kokanee caught between now and November 10th must be released.

JEMEZ WATERS: As of Monday, water flow on the Jemez near Jemez Springs was 38cfs. Fishing was fair this past week for anglers using salmon eggs, worms, bead head hares ears, copper john barrs, and spinners for trout. We received good reports from the Jemez and Cebolla. Access to the Rio Guadalupe is closed at the Tunnels but open at the upper end.

LAGUNA DEL CAMPO: This water was formerly known as Burns Canyon Lake. Fishing was fair for anglers using worms, Pistol Petes, salmon eggs and power bait for trout. The lake closes for the season on October 31.

MANZANO LAKE: We had no reports from anglers but the lake was recently stocked with rainbow trout and fishing should be good.

NAVAJO LAKE: Kokanee snagging was good this past week for anglers snagging near the dam and from the parking lot at the Pine arm marina area. We also heard of a few kokanee taken from the cove near Sims Mesa. Anglers snagging near the dam also reported catching a few trout on roe sacs. Fishing for smallmouth bass was slow again this past week. A few bass were taken by anglers using drop shot rigs and deep running crank baits. They were fishing in Francis Canyon and up the San Juan arm of the lake. 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 for some but very good for others this past week. Anglers doing best were using salmon eggs and worms from the bank and bead head wooly buggers from float tubes.

SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday was 489cfs. Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using red annelids, small pheasant tail nymphs, Griffith's gnats, parachute adams, small wooly buggers, small copper john barrs, chamois leeches and bunny leeches. Downstream through the bait waters, trout fishing was fair using salmon eggs, worms, spinners, power bait and jerk baits. The best reports through the bait waters came from anglers fishing the upper end of Cottonwood Flats and through Pump House Run.

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: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, worms and spinners.

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

CABALLO LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

ELEPHANT BUTTE: Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using night crawlers, liver, stink bait and cut bait for catfish. The best reports came from anglers fishing the upper end of the lake. Fishing was fair using slab spoons, tail spinners, crank baits and live bait for white bass. Finding a school of white bass is the key to having a good day. Watch for the birds or for fish busting on the surface, then ease into the area and start fishing. Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was slow but a few were taken by anglers using senkos, sweet beavers, top water lures, spinner baits and worms. We had no reports on other species.

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

GILA RIVER: Water flow near Gila was unavailable on Monday due to an equipment malfunction. We had no reports from anglers fishing the Forks this week.

LAKE ROBERTS: Fishing was slow for all species.

PERCHA DAM: Fishing was slow for all species.

QUEMADO LAKE: Fishing was fair using wooly buggers, Kastmasters and prop flies for trout. A few tiger musky were caught by anglers using in line spinners and Kastmasters.

RIO GRANDE: Water flow below Elephant Butte was 0cfs as of Monday. Fishing was slow for all species.

SOUTHEAST AREA

BATAAN LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

BONITO LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using salmon eggs, power bait, worms and spinners. This past Saturday, Joe Ruiz and his son from El Paso enjoyed a day at the lake and caught seven rainbow trout. They were using salmon eggs.

BOSQUE REDONDO: Fishing was slow for all species.

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 again this past week.

GRINDSTONE RESERVOIR: Fishing was good using power bait, salmon eggs and worms for trout.

PECOS: Below Sumner Lake, water flow on Monday was 96cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow as of Monday was unavailable. We had no reports from anglers this week.

SANTA ROSA LAKE: Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair this past week. The best lures were senkos, tubes, spinner baits and crank baits. The best reports came from anglers fishing up the river channel. A few walleye were taken on crank baits and tubes. We had no reports on other species.

SUMNER LAKE : Fishing pressure was very light this past week but the few anglers who were out managed to catch white bass, smallmouth bass and catfish. Best baits for the catfish appear to be liver and worms. For bass try using slab spoons, drop shot plastics and live bait.