Weekly Fishing Report

May 8, 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

Seven Springs Brood Pond: On April 28, Michelle Gonzales age 8 of Albuquerque caught a 19 inch brown trout. She was using Gulp eggs for bait.

Navajo Lake: On April 29, Rhonda Howze caught a 17.5 inch, 4 pound smallmouth bass. She was fishing in Francis Canyon and using minnows. On May 5, Curt Palmer of Farmington caught a 4.95 pound largemouth bass.

Bonito Lake: On May 5, Carl Lukesh Sr. of Socorro caught a 16 inch rainbow trout while fishing with night crawlers.

Ute Lake: On May 6, Joe Ellis of Logan caught a 3.98 largemouth bass. He was using a tube bait.

Sumner Lake: On May 6, Pam Bycraft of Alamogordo caught a 3pound 12 ounce walleye. On the same day Ward Bycraft caught a 6 pound 4 ounce walleye. They were trolling shallow crank baits.

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: Trout fishing picked up this past week. Anglers did well using Pistol Petes, power bait, corn and spinner/worm combinations. Most of the trout caught were in the 11-to-15 inch range. Fishing was good using worms for perch.

CIMARRON RIVER: Trout fishing was good for anglers fishing the upper canyon area toward Eagle Nest Lake. Anglers did best using size 12 and 14 bead head San Juan worms. A few trout were also taken on spinners.

CLAYTON LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good this past week for anglers using power bait and worms. Fishing for 14-to-16 inch walleye was fair for anglers trolling spinners and spinner/crawler combinations. We had no reports on other species.

COCHITI LAKE: When the winds weren't blowing too hard, fishing was fair for anglers using minnows for crappie, white bass, catfish and walleye. Most of the fish caught were taken by anglers fishing along the riprap area of the dam and near Tetilla Peak.

CONCHAS LAKE: Crappie fishing was good for anglers using small jigs, grubs and minnows. Our best reports came from anglers fishing the north side of the lake. Fishing for largemouth bass was good for anglers fishing the shallows with lizards and tubes. Fishing for smallmouth bass was good for anglers using buzz baits, jerk baits, spinner baits, tubes, sweet beavers and lizards. Fishing for walleye was fair-to-good for anglers trolling crank baits and bottom bouncer rigs tipped with night crawlers or minnows. Anglers fishing the flats with grubs also reported catching several walleye. Fishing was good using worms, minnows and jigs for bluegill. Fishing for catfish was fair-to-good for anglers using liver, dough baits and night crawlers.

COYOTE CREEK: Trout fishing was good for anglers using small spinners, salmon eggs and rainbow power bait.

EAGLE NEST LAKE: Bank fishing for trout was very good this past week. Anglers did well using roe sacs and power bait for 12-to-17 inch fish. A few trout were also taken on spinners and Pistol Petes. The best reports came from anglers fishing near the Honey Hole. Fishing for perch was fair for anglers using worms.

HOPEWELL LAKE: Trout fishing was good for anglers using black wooly buggers and power bait.

LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE: Trout fishing was good at Lake Maloya this past week for anglers using black wooly buggers with crystal flash, power bait and Rooster Tails. At Lake Alice fishing was fair for anglers using power bait.

MAXWELL LAKES: Fishing was good using power bait for 13-to-17 inch rainbow trout. We had no reports on other species.

MCALLISTER LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using power bait and salmon eggs.

MONASTERY LAKE: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using corn, Pistol Petes and power bait.

MORPHY LAKE: Trout fishing was good this past week for anglers using Pistol Petes, copper john barrs, spinners, power bait, salmon eggs and worms. Most of the fish caught were in the 9-to-12 inch range.

PECOS RIVER: As of Monday, water flow near Pecos was 308cfs. Trout fishing was rated as slow. A few fish were taken by anglers using wooly buggers, San Juan worms, spinners and night crawlers.

RED RIVER: Water flow below the hatchery on Monday morning was 127cfs and the water was murky. Trout fishing was slow.

RIO GRANDE: The water flow Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 1,140cfs. The water was off color and fishing was slow through this area. Try working the edges with weighted wooly buggers or night crawlers.

SPRINGER LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using water dogs, cut bait, Rat-L-Traps and big spinners for northern pike. Fishing was good using jigs and water dogs for largemouth bass. Anglers using cut bait and water dogs also caught a few catfish.

STORRIE LAKE: Trout fishing was rated as fair this past week. Anglers did best fishing near the inlet and using power bait and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species.

STUBBLEFIELD: We had no reports from anglers this week.

UTE LAKE: Fishing for walleye slowed some and was rated as fair this past week. Most of the fish caught were taken at depths of 20-to-30 feet. Anglers did best trolling bottom bouncer rigs tipped with night crawlers or minnows and crank baits. Crappie fishing continued to improve as anglers did well using small jigs, crank baits, spinners, grubs and minnows. The best reports came from anglers fishing at night. Fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass was fair for anglers using tubes, drop shot/worm rigs, split shot/worm rigs, imitation crawdads and jerk baits. A few white bass were taken by anglers trolling crank baits and sassy shad. Fishing for catfish was fair for anglers using liver, dough bait and night crawlers over baited holes.

NORTHWEST AREA

ABIQUIU LAKE: Fishing for rainbow trout picked up a bit this past week. Anglers fishing from the bank did best using power bait and worms. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair-to-good for anglers using tubes, crank baits and jerk baits. We had no reports on other species.

BLUEWATER LAKE: Trout fishing was rated as slow again this past week. Anglers using spinners and power bait picked up a few fish. They were trolling spinners. Fishing for catfish was slow-to-fair for anglers using worms and liver. A few tiger musky were caught and released by anglers using large spinners.

CHAMA RIVER: Water flow below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 1,140cfs. Trout fishing here and below Abiquiu slowed drastically due to the high flows. A few browns were taken by anglers using weighted wooly buggers and spinners.

EL VADO LAKE: Bank fishing for trout was fair this past week for anglers using night crawlers and power bait. We had no reports from boaters.

FENTON LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using small spoons, worms, wooly buggers and salmon eggs.

HERON LAKE: Trolling for lake trout continued to be slow this past week. A few small fish were taken by anglers using Daredevles and flat fish. Fishing for rainbow trout was fair for anglers fishing from the bank and using power bait. The rainbows ranged in size from 11-to-18 inches.

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

JEMEZ WATERS: As of Monday, water flow on the Jemez near Jemez Springs was 288cfs and the water was murky. The best stream fishing report we received this past week was from anglers fishing the East Fork. They were using parachute adams, copper john barrs and salmon eggs. On the Cebolla below Fenton Lake trout fishing was slow-to-fair using salmon eggs and red copper john barrs.

LAGUNA DEL CAMPO: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

MANZANO LAKE: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using Pistol Petes.

NAVAJO LAKE: Crappie fishing was good for anglers using jigs and minnows in the Francis Canyon and La Jara Canyon areas. Fishing for northern pike was described as awesome by anglers fishing over the past weekend. They were using jerk baits and fishing the San Juan arm of the lake. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair-to-good for anglers using tubes, brush hogs and jerk baits. Fishing for largemouth bass was good using tubes, imitation crawdads, senkos, worms and tubes. We had no reports on other species.

RAMAH LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using bead head wooly buggers, Pistol Petes, salmon eggs, corn and power bait.

SANTA CRUZ LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good this past week for anglers using spinners, power bait and salmon eggs.

SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 5,070cfs. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters and further downstream was fair for anglers using big egg patterns and bead head wooly buggers. Below the Quality waters, anglers did best using spinners, jerk baits and night crawlers. The high flow is expected to continue for two weeks then ramp back down by May 20.

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

TINGLEY BEACH: Fishing for catfish was slow-to-fair for anglers using hot dogs, liver and worms. Trout fishing at the catch and keep and youth ponds was slow. At the catch and release pond, anglers did best using small Griffiths gnats and egg patterns.

SOUTHWEST AREA

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

BILL EVANS LAKE: Fishing was fair for anglers using power bait, worms and salmon eggs for trout. Fishing for bluegill was fair for anglers using worms. We had no report on other species.

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

CABALLO LAKE: Fishing for walleye was fair for anglers using minnows, bottom bouncer/worm rigs, crank baits and grubs. A few crappie and white bass were taken by anglers using minnows and grubs. We had no reports on other species.

ELEPHANT BUTTE: Fishing for white bass was fair-to-good for anglers using crank baits, grubs and sassy shad. Anglers did best working the Monticello, Kettle Top and old Hot Springs Landing areas. Fishing was fair using tubes, jerk baits, jigs, spinner baits and crank baits for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Fishing was good using liver and night crawlers over baited holes for catfish. A few striped bass were taken by anglers using live bait and jerk baits.

GLENWOOD POND: Trout fishing was good for anglers using power bait.

ESCONDIDA LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

GILA RIVER: Water flow near Gila on Monday was 128cfs. Trout fishing on the Middle Fork and East Fork was fair-to-good for anglers using small bead head nymphs, small spinners, worms and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species.

LAKE ROBERTS: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using wooly buggers, Pistol Petes and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other species.

PERCHA DAM: We had no reports from anglers this week.

QUEMADO LAKE: Trout fishing was slow but there were a few good size fish taken by anglers using wooly buggers, Pistol Petes and power bait. A few tiger musky were caught and released by anglers using large spinners.

RIO GRANDE: Water flow below Elephant Butte as of Monday was 1,510cfs. Fishing was fair using white and chartreuse grubs and spinners for white bass and walleye. On the river below Caballo Lake, fishing was slow. A few walleye were taken by anglers using white curly tail grubs. We had no reports on other species.

SOUTHEAST AREA

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

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

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

BOTTOMLESS LAKES: Trout fishing was slow.

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: We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

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

OASIS PARK LAKE: The State Park will be draining the lake for maintenance. As a result, anglers are allowed to catch and keep unlimited numbers of fish through Sunday, May 13. For more information contact the park office at 505-356-5331.

PECOS RIVER: Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 100cfs. Fishing was slow. A few catfish were taken by anglers using worms and liver.

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

RIO BONITO: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using bead head nymphs.

RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow at Ruidoso as of Monday was 19cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

SANTA ROSA LAKE: Bass fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using senkos, jerk baits, tubes, spinner baits and jigs. Most of the fish caught were in the 2-to-3.5 pound class. Fishing was fair using small jigs, small spinner baits and minnows for crappie. Fishing was fair trolling crank baits and casting curly tail grubs and sassy shad in the shallows for walleye. We had no reports on other species.

SUMNER LAKE: Fishing was very good this past week for anglers trolling shallow running crank baits for walleye up to six pounds. Anglers using Rat-L-Traps and bottom bouncer/worm rigs in deeper water caught smaller fish. Fishing was good using tubes, minnows and grubs for crappie. Fishing was good using crank baits, jerk baits and tubes for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. We had no reports on other species.