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. 24, 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. 22, Chuck Daggett of Logan caught a 6.5-pound largemouth bass and a 3-pound, 23-inch walleye. He was using a split shot minnow rig and fishing in 18 to 20 feet of water.

Cochiti Lake: Oct. 23, Kenny Early of Rio Rancho caught a 4.25-pound largemouth bass. He was using a Yum craw worm and fishing brush on the east side of the lake.

NORTHEAST AREA

CHARETTE LAKES: We had no reports from anglers this week. The lakes close for the season on October 31.

CIMARRON RIVER: Water flow below Eagle Nest as of Monday was 42cfs. Trout fishing was fair for anglers using wooly buggers and copper john barrs. A few fish were also taken on San Juan worms and salmon eggs.

GRAVEL PIT LAKES: Fishing was rated as slow-to-fair this past week with a few trout caught by anglers using flies under a bubble and salmon eggs.

CLAYTON LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species and fishing pressure was very light. The lake closes to boating and fishing for the season on October 31.

COCHITI LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good using minnows for small white bass. Fishing was good using salt craws and worms for largemouth bass. The largemouth bass were caught on the east side of the lake in brushy areas in 4-to-10 feet of water. We had no reports on other species.

CONCHAS LAKE : Fishing was fair for anglers using slab spoons and jigs tipped with minnows for a mixed bag of walleye and white bass. Most of the fish caught were taken at depths of 15-to-28 feet. Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass. The best reports came from anglers using crank baits, jerk baits, spoons and jigs and fishing rocky areas in 3-to-15 feet of water. We had no reports on other species.

COYOTE CREEK: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using small wet flies and salmon eggs.

EAGLE NEST LAKE: Kokanee snagging was quite slow again this past week. A few were reported but anglers did better fishing. We received good reports from anglers fishing from anchored boats. They were catching good size rainbows and kokanee while using assorted colors of power bait just off the bottom. A few trout were also taken by anglers using wooly buggers, Pistol Petes and spinners. Fishing was fair-to-good using worms for perch.

HONDO RIVER: We had no reports from anglers this week.

HOPEWELL LAKE: Fishing was fair using wooly buggers and power bait for trout.

LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE: Trout fishing at Lake Maloya was fair-to-good for anglers using corn and sherbet colored power bait. Most of the fish caught were in the 8-to-10 inch range. 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 was fair for anglers using Daredevles, power bait and corn/salmon egg combinations. The lake will close for the season on October 31.

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

MORPHY LAKE: Trout fishing was fair this past week for anglers using power bait, wooly buggers, Kastmasters and salmon eggs. The lake closes for the season on October 31.

PECOS RIVER: As of Monday morning, water flow was 28cfs near the town of Pecos. Trout fishing was good for anglers using worms, salmon eggs, spinners, copper john barrs, parachute adams and wooly buggers. We had no reports from the Villanueva area.

RED RIVER: Water flow as of Monday near Questa was 26cfs and below the hatchery was 55cfs. Trout fishing was fair for anglers using copper john barrs, bead head hares ears, worms, salmon eggs and San Juan worms.

RIO GRANDE: As of Monday, water flow near the Taos Junction Bridge was 735cfs. The water was stained and fishing was slow this past week. There were a few trout taken by anglers using weighted wooly buggers and worms.

RIO PUEBLO: We had no reports from anglers this week.

SANTA CRUZ: Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using jerk baits and spinners for trout. A few fish were also taken on power bait and salmon eggs. The boat ramp is closed at present. 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: Fishing was slow for all species.

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

UTE LAKE: Fishing was quite sporadic this past weekend. Anglers reported very slow conditions on Saturday but good fishing on Sunday. It was especially good for anglers using split shot/minnow rigs. They caught a mixture of largemouth, smallmouth, white bass and walleye. Most of the fish were taken in 7-to-20 feet of water with the bigger fish taken from the deeper water. Other anglers reported catching a few white bass while working slab spoons at 25-to-35 feet of water. A few largemouth bass were taken on spinner baits and crank baits worked in 6-to-10 feet of water.

NORTHWEST AREA

ABIQUIU LAKE: Fishing was generally slow for all species. A few walleye and smallmouth bass were caught by anglers fishing near the dam but no detail was provided as to how deep the fish were and what lures were used. There were a few brown trout taken by anglers trolling crank baits at the upper end of the lake. We had no reports on other species.

BLUEWATER LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species. Fishing pressure was very light.

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

CHAMA RIVER: Water flow below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 32cfs and 41cfs below Abiquiu. Trout fishing was slow at both locations.

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

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

FENTON LAKE: Trout fishing was very 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 30cfs. Fishing was fair this past week for anglers using salmon eggs, worms, egg patterns, copper john barrs, and spinners for trout. We received good reports from the Jemez and the East Fork.

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 this week.

NAVAJO LAKE: Kokanee snagging slowed a bit over the past weekend with the warmer weather. There were however some limits taken by anglers snagging near the dam and near the Pine arm boat ramp. The best reports came from anglers snagging in the early morning hours. Fishing was generally slow for all species though there were a few northern pike taken by anglers using spinner baits and crank baits. A few smallmouth bass were taken on drop shot rigs and deep running crank baits. 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 fair for anglers using wooly buggers, worms and salmon eggs. The best action was reported by anglers fishing from float tubes.

SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday was 477cfs. Trout fishing was fair for anglers using egg patterns, red annelids, 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.

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: Fishing was fair using crank baits and small worms for 10-to-13 inch largemouth bass. We had no reports on other species. If you are looking to catch one of the big bass that are in this lake, try using big trout, bass or bluegill colored swim baits.

CABALLO LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

ELEPHANT BUTTE: Fishing was good for anglers using chicken liver, stink bait and cut bait for catfish. The best reports again this week came from anglers fishing the upper end of the lake. Fishing was fair using slab spoons, tail spinners, crank baits and jig and minnow combinations for white bass. 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 again this past week. A few black bass were taken by anglers using 4 inch worms, spinner baits, baby brush hogs and jig and pig combinations. We had no reports on other species.

GLENWOOD POND: We had no recent reports from anglers but the pond was recently stocked and the summer grass and weeds should be dying off making for some good fall trout fishing. Give it a try.

ESCONDIDA LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

GILA RIVER: Water flow near Gila was 23cfs as of Monday. We had one angler on the Middle Fork this past week who reported fishing was very slow.

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

PERCHA DAM: Fishing was slow for all species.

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

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 good for anglers using salmon eggs, power bait, worms and spinners.

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 again this past week.

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

PECOS: Below Sumner Lake, water flow on Monday was 94cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow at Ruidoso as of Monday was 35cfs. Trout fishing was reported as slow.

SANTA ROSA LAKE: Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair-to-good this past week. Anglers did best using tubes, jerk baits, worms, spinner baits and crank baits. Anglers fishing for bass also reported catching a few walleye. We had no reports on other species.

SUMNER LAKE: Fishing was fair for anglers using road runners and crank baits for a mixed bag of largemouth bass, white bass and small walleye. We had no reports on other species.