4/16/2007

Weekly Fishing Report

April 17, 2007
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.

REMINDER TO ALL ANGLERS: The new license year began April 1. You may obtain a license at one of the many license vendors around the state, at Department of Game and Fish offices in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Raton or Roswel. You also can buy a license online by clicking here.

Catches of the week

Cochiti Lake : April 12, Nick Nardacci of Albuquerque caught a 16.5-inch smallmouth bass. He was using a white spinner bait and fishing west of the tower.

Conchas Lake : April 14, Ron Pigg of   Fritch , Texas , caught a 7.2-pound largemouth bass. He was using a topwater lure. Also April 14, Daniel Martinez of Bayard caught a 6.5-pound walleye. He was using a   Bomber crank bait. His brother Eric caught a nice limit of walleye and was using white Road Runners and white Bombers.

Ute Lake : April 15, Chance Shaw, 9, of Clovis , caught a 4-pound, 12-ounce smallmouth bass. He was using a yellow Road Runner. Also April 15, David Ingles of Amarillo caught a 4-pound smallmouth bass. He was working the shallows with a deep Wiggle Wart.

If you have a catch of the week story, send it to us at billfishnm@hotmail.com . Include date, location, type of fish, length and bait used to catch the fish.

NORTHEAST AREA

CHARETTE LAKES: Weather kept anglers away most of this past week and we had no reports.

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

CLAYTON LAKE: Trout fishing was reported as excellent this past weekend by anglers using Colorado spinners. A few trout were also taken on power bait. Fishing for all other species was slow with just a few small walleye taken on worms.

COCHITI LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers fishing for bass. A few smallmouth were taken on spinner baits, crank baits and jigs. A few white bass were taken on minnows and grubs. Anglers fishing for northern pike caught a few small fish while using minnows and spinner baits. A few catfish were taken by anglers using minnows and stink bait. We had no reports on other species.

CONCHAS LAKE: Walleye fishing this past week was quite good for anglers working the north side of the lake. Some good size walleye and several limits were taken by anglers trolling and casting grubs, crank baits and spinners. A few were also taken on bottom bouncer/crawler rigs. Fishing for white bass was slow-to-fair for anglers trolling crank baits. Fishing for black bass was good for anglers using top water lures, jerk baits, crank baits, tubes, spinner baits and jigs. Fishing for catfish was fair for anglers using dough bait and liver. Fishing for crappie was good for anglers fishing near the north dock area and using minnows and small jigs.

COYOTE CREEK: Before the snows hit over the weekend, trout fishing was very good for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, corn and spinners.

EAGLE NEST LAKE: Bank fishing for trout and perch was very good this past week. Anglers did well using roe sacs, power bait, worms and salmon eggs for trout. Anglers fishing for perch did best using worms, small jigs and roe sacs.

LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE: Trout fishing picked up this past week at Lake Maloya but was still slow at Lake Alice. Anglers at Lake Maloya did well using power bait, corn, salmon eggs and bead head nymphs. Anglers fishing the stream below Maloya did well using salmon eggs. Worms and wooly buggers can also be very productive on this stretch of stream.

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

MCALLISTER LAKE: Fishing was slow. A few trout were taken by anglers using spinners and power bait.

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

MORPHY LAKE: Trout fishing was very good for anglers using copper john barrs, bead head wooly buggers, power bait, salmon eggs, spinners, corn and worms.

PECOS RIVER: As of Monday, water flow near Pecos was 106cfs. Trout fishing was rated as fair for anglers using night crawlers, spinners and salmon eggs.

RED RIVER: Water flow below the hatchery on Monday morning was 78cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

RIO GRANDE: The water flow Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 679cfs. Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using wooly buggers, spinners, night crawlers and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species.

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

STORRIE LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using cheese, power bait and corn. We had no reports on other species.

STUBBLEFIELD: We had no reports from anglers this week.

UTE LAKE: Fishing was good this past week for anglers fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Most of the fish caught were in less than 10 feet of water. Best baits were Wiggle Warts, finesse worms, spinner baits and jerk baits. Anglers fishing with jerk baits in 4-to-6 feet of water also reported catching several walleye. Walleye were also caught by anglers using bottom bouncer/worm rigs. Anglers fishing for white bass reported catching a few up Ute Creek and a few on the Canadian arm. They were trolling crank baits. A few were also taken on minnows and grubs. Fishing for catfish was good for anglers using stink baits over baited holes.

NORTHWEST AREA

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

BLUEWATER LAKE : Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs and spinners. Fishing for tiger musky was slow.

CHAMA RIVER : Water flow below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 105cfs and 201cfs below Abiquiu. Trout fishing below El Vado was fair for anglers using Panther Martins and night crawlers for brown trout and power bait for rainbow trout. We had no reports from below Abiquiu.

CONSERVANCY PARK LAKE ( Tingley Beach ): Fishing for catfish was very good for anglers using stink bait, night crawlers and hot dogs. Most of the fish caught were in the 16-to-20 inch range. Fishing for trout at the catch and release pond was fair for anglers using small pheasant tail nymphs and copper john barrs.

EL VADO LAKE: Bank fishing near the dam was fair for anglers using salmon eggs, garlic cheese power bait for brown and rainbow trout. A few trout were also taken on spinners.

FENTON LAKE : Trout fishing was good for anglers using power bait, Pistol Petes, salmon eggs, worms, corn and spinners.

HERON LAKE : Trout fishing from the bank was fair this past week for anglers using power bait, corn and salmon eggs. Fishing from boats was slow.

JACKSON LAKE : Trout fishing was good for anglers using spinners, spoons, salmon eggs, power bait and cheese.

JEMEZ WATERS: As of Monday, water flow on the Jemez near Jemez Springs was 188cfs. Trout fishing was slow on this river but fair-to-good on the Cebolla, Rio Las Vacas and Clear Creek. Anglers did well using small bead head nymphs and salmon eggs.

LAKE FARMINGTON : Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using power bait, spinners and salmon eggs.

MANZANO LAKE : Trout fishing was fair for anglers using power bait and fishing just off the bottom.

NAVAJO LAKE : Crappie fishing was fair this past week. Anglers doing best were fishing in the back of Francis Canyon. They were using jigs and minnows. Light line trollers looking for trout picked up a few northern pike. They were working the San Juan and Pine arms of the lake. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair for anglers using tubes, jigs and small worms off main lake points. Bank fishing for trout was fair for anglers using power bait and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species.

RAMAH LAKE : Trout fishing was good for anglers using spinners, small spoons, salmon eggs and power bait.

SANTA CRUZ LAKE : Trout fishing was very good again this past week. Anglers did well using small trout colored crank baits, Tasmanian Devils, small spoons, power bait, salmon eggs and Pistol Petes.

SAN JUAN : Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 709cfs. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters and further downstream was fair-to-good for anglers using San Juan worms, red copper john barrs and small bead head pheasant tails. A few trout were also taken by anglers using egg patterns, salmon eggs, jerk baits, spinners and garlic cheese.

SEVEN SPRINGS BROOD POND : The pond is open to fishing for children under age 12.

SOUTHWEST AREA

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

BILL EVANS LAKE : Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using power bait, cheese, corn, worms, spinners and salmon eggs. A few largemouth bass were taken by anglers using senkos and tubes. A few bluegills were taken by anglers using worms.

BURN LAKE : Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using power bait and salmon eggs for trout. We had no reports on other species.

CABALLO LAKE : Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using sassy shad and crank baits for a mixed bag of walleye and white bass. We had no reports on other species.

ELEPHANT BUTTE : Fishing for white bass slowed considerably this past week as the fish appear to have scattered. A few were taken by anglers trolling crank baits near the Black Bluffs and by others trolling in McRae Canyon. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was slow-to-fair for anglers using tubes, worms, jerk baits and top water lures. Most of the black bass were taken in less than 10 feet of water. Fishing for striped bass was slow but there were a few taken by anglers trolling crank baits in 15 feet of water. Fishing for catfish was fair for anglers fishing from boats and using stink bait and dough bait over baited holes.

GLENWOOD POND: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

GILA RIVER : Water flow near Gila on Monday was 156cfs. Fishing on the Forks was fair for anglers using small bead head nymphs, egg patterns and salmon eggs.

LAKE ROBERTS : Fishing from boats was good for anglers drifting salmon eggs and power bait for trout. A few were also taken on spinners.

PERCHA DAM: Fishing was fair using minnows for white bass. We had no reports on other species.

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

RIO GRANDE : Water flow below Elephant Butte as of Monday was 2,350cfs. On the river below Caballo Lake, fishing was good using silver Rat-L-Traps and white curly tail grubs for walleye. We had no reports on other species.

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

BONITO LAKE : Trout fishing was very good for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, prop flies under a bubble, spinners and small spoons.

BOSQUE REDONDO: Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using salmon eggs, corn, worms and spinners for trout. We had no reports on other species.

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

SOUTHEAST AREA

BRANTLEY LAKE : 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 : Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using power bait. Fishing was fair using tubes and spinners for small bass. We had no reports on other species.

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

LAKE VAN : Trout fishing was fair-to-good using spinners, power bait, corn and salmon eggs.

PECOS RIVER : Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 98cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

PERCH LAKE : Fishing was slow.

RUIDOSO RIVER : Water flow at Ruidoso as of Monday was 13cfs. Trout fishing was slow.

SANTA ROSA LAKE : Bass fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using jerk baits, tubes, chatter baits, jigs, crank baits and senkos. Most of the bass caught were in the 2 pound class and were taken in 2-to-10 feet of water. Fishing was fair using jigs and crank baits for crappie. A few catfish were taken by anglers using liver and cut bait. We had no reports on other species.

SUMNER LAKE : Fishing was fair using crank baits, jerk baits, tubes and grubs for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was slow-to-fair using grubs and crank baits for walleye and white bass. We had no reports on other species.