Weekly Fishing Report

August 7 , 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: New Mexico's license year is April 1 through March 31. 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 Roswell. You also can buy a license online by clicking here.

Catches of the week

San Juan : On July 31, Jason Adkison of Albuquerque caught a 22 inch rainbow trout. He was fishing the upper flats and using a size 24 parachute adams .

Cochiti Lake : On August 1, Cory Kershaw age 8 of Albuquerque caught a 31 inch northern pike. He was using a black Panther Martin. On August 4, Matt Olson age 11 of Santa Fe caught a 21-inch, 8-pound channel catfish. He was using live bait.

Navajo Lake : On August 1, Valerie Cooper of Santa Fe caught two northern pike, each weighing 4.5 pounds. She was using a black and gold Rapala.

Percha Dam : On August 4, Greg Rossberg of El Paso, TX caught a 30-pound flathead catfish. He was using shad for bait.

Chama River : On August 4, Joseph Crespin of Santa Fe caught an 18-inch and a 21-inch german brown. He was using night crawlers and fishing the river below El Vado Lake .

Abiquiu Reservoir : On August 5, Mike Alvarado of Santa Fe caught a 31.5-inch, 11-pound 6-ounce walleye. He was trolling a white bomber.

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

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

CHARETTE LAKES : Trout fishing was fair this past week for anglers using corn, salmon eggs, power bait and spinners and fishing at night. Daytime fishing was slow-to-fair using worms for perch and power bait and salmon eggs for trout.

CIMARRON RIVER : Water flow below Eagle Nest this past Monday was 9.3cfs. Fishing was fair using humpys, spinners and salmon eggs for trout.

CLAYTON LAKE : With the exception of a few carp and mud cats taken on worms this past week, fishing was very slow.

CONCHAS LAKE : Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair this past week. Best baits were senkos, tubes, salt craws, baby brush hogs and crank baits. Most of the fish were taken in less than 12 feet of water. Fishing was slow-to-fair trolling crank baits and bottom bouncer/night crawler rigs for walleye. Fishing was fair trolling crank baits and using jig and grub and jig and minnow rigs for white bass. A few bluegill were taken by anglers using worms and poppers. Night fishing was fair using liver, shrimp and night crawlers for catfish.

COYOTE CREEK : Trout fishing was good this past week for anglers fishing early and late in the day and using worms and black gnat, renegade and mosquito fly patterns.

EAGLE NEST LAKE : Fishing for kokanee was fair this past week for anglers trolling double whammies, wedding rings and needlefish tipped with corn. Most of the fish caught were taken in 14-to-29 feet of water. Anglers trolling for kokanee also caught several rainbow trout. Fishing from the bank was fair for anglers using worms for perch and salmon eggs, power bait and spinners for trout.

HOPEWELL LAKE : Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using power bait, Pistol Petes and parachute adams.

LAKE MALOYA / LAKE ALICE : Trout fishing was good this past week at both lakes. Anglers did best at Lake Maloya fishing the coves and using power bait, prop flies, wooly buggers and mosquito pattern flies. At Lake Alice fishing was good using assorted power baits.

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

MCALLISTER LAKE : There has been a fish kill on the lake and there are no plans to restock the lake with trout at this time.

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

MORPHY LAKE : Trout fishing was considered fair and getting better as anglers did well using several fly patterns and Pistol Petes from boats. Fishing from the bank was slow.

PECOS RIVER : As of Monday, water flow near Pecos was 133cfs. Trout fishing was fair-to-good using night crawlers, stimulators, elk hair caddis, small bead head wooly buggers, copper john barrs and spinners.

RED RIVER : Water flow below the hatchery on Monday morning was 83cfs. Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using wooly buggers, spinners and night crawlers. Fishing between Questa and Red River was non-existent due to the recent mud slides.

RIO GRANDE : The water flow Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 464cfs. Trout fishing was fair for anglers using wooly buggers, jerk baits, stimulators, night crawlers and spinners. A few northern pike were taken by anglers using jerk baits and large bunny leeches.

SHUREE PONDS : Trout fishing was good this past week for anglers using Kastmasters, wooly buggers, stimulators, small Daredevles and worms.

SPRINGER LAKE : Fishing was fair for anglers using cut bait, liver and night crawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

STORRIE LAKE : Trout fishing was slow but there were a few fish taken by anglers using power bait and salmon eggs in the late evening hours.

STUBBLEFIELD : We had no reports from anglers this week.

UTE LAKE : Bass fishing was slow this past week. Anglers using drop shot rigs managed to find some smallmouth bass but most of those were under the size limit. Fishing for catfish was best at night for anglers using liver, water dogs and cut bait. The few that were taken during daylight hours were taken at depths of 35-to-45 feet. Fishing for white bass and walleye was slow with a few taken by anglers trolling crank baits at depths of 25-to-40 feet. We had no reports on other species.

NORTHWEST AREA

ABIQUIU LAKE : Walleye fishing was fair this past week for anglers using crank baits, jig and grub combinations and bottom bouncer/night crawler rigs. The best reports came from anglers trolling crank baits and those working jigs in the brush at the upper end of the lake. Fishing was fair using liver and night crawlers at night for catfish. Fishing was fair using tubes, crank baits, spinners and senkos for smallmouth bass. We had no reports on other species.

BLUEWATER LAKE : Fishing was fair using jerk baits and spinner baits from the bank for tiger musky. Best reports again this week came from anglers working the shoreline between the boat ramp and the dam. A few musky were also taken by boaters trolling spinners. Fishing for all other species was slow.

CHAMA RIVER : Water flow below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 169cfs and 255cfs

below Abiquiu. Fishing below El Vado was good over the past weekend before the flow was lowered. Anglers did well using power bait and night crawlers for stocked rainbows and brown trout. Fishing below Abiquiu was slow-to-fair for anglers using spinners, wooly buggers and worms for trout.

COCHITI LAKE : Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using minnows and worms for a variety of fish including white bass, crappie, perch, catfish and smallmouth bass. Anglers using spinners and crank baits also caught several white bass and a few northern pike. Fishing was good using minnows, cut bait and liver for catfish. A few cats were also taken by anglers using night crawlers. Fishing was fair using senkos, grubs, tubes, worms, salt craws and top water lures for smallmouth bass and a few largemouth bass. We had no reports on other species.

EL VADO LAKE : Fishing was generally slow but there were a few trout taken by anglers using night crawlers and power bait.

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

HERON LAKE : Fishing for kokanee was fair-to-good this past week for anglers trolling wedding rings, Panther Martins, double whammies and kokanee killers tipped with corn at 20-to-32 feet. Anglers trolling for kokanee also picked up a few rainbow trout. Trout fishing from the bank was best early and late in the day. Best baits were spinners, power bait, worms and salmon eggs.

JEMEZ WATERS : As of Monday, water flow on the Jemez near Jemez Springs was 31cfs. Trout fishing was rated as very good here and on the San Antonio , the Rio Las Vacas and the East Fork. Anglers did very well using mayfly imitations, small rubber legged stimulators, parachute adams and worms. Fishing on the Guadalupe was fair-to-good for anglers using caddis patterns and spinners. There were periods of slow fishing on all streams when they muddied up from heavy showers in the area.

LAGUNA DEL CAMPO : Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using small spoons, spinners, prop flies under a bubble and power bait.

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

NAVAJO LAKE : Smallmouth bass fishing was fair for some and slow for others this past week. Anglers who found the bass were using tubes, senkos, baby brush hogs, grubs, top water lures and crank baits. Top water was working best in the early morning hours. Anglers using crank baits, jerk baits, buzz baits and spinner baits for bass reported catching several northern pike. Most of the pike this past week were taken off structure on the Pine arm. Fishing for bluegill was fair for anglers using worms under a bobber. Fishing for crappie was slow-to-fair using 3 inch white and chartreuse grubs. Fishing for catfish was rated as slow-to-fair for anglers fishing at night and using cut bait and liver. Fishing for kokanee was slow with a few reports of fish being taken at depths of 20-to-45 feet. Bank fishing was fair using salmon eggs and corn for rainbow trout.

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

SANTA CRUZ LAKE : Trout fishing was fair for anglers using salmon eggs, corn, cheese, small spoons and power bait.

SAN JUAN : Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 794cfs. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters continued to be very good early and late in the day using dead chickens, parachute adams, RS2s, red annelids and small egg patterns. A few fish were also taken by anglers using small bead head pheasant tail nymphs and copper john barrs. Fishing through the bait waters was good for anglers using hoppers, worms, jerk baits, San Juan worms, wooly buggers and night crawlers for a mix of rainbow and brown trout.

TINGLEY BEACH : Fishing was generally slow at all ponds this past week. At the catch and release pond, a few trout were caught by anglers using San Juan worms, dead chickens, egg patterns and Griffith's gnats.

SOUTHWEST AREA

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

BILL EVANS LAKE : Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using small swim baits, senkos and tubes for largemouth bass. A few bluegill were taken by anglers using worms and poppers. We had no reports on other species.

BURN LAKE : Fishing was slow for all species.

CABALLO LAKE : Fishing action on the lake was slow again this past week with only a few white bass and walleye taken by anglers. They were using white and chartreuse crank baits and working the east side of the lake. We had no reports on other species.

ELEPHANT BUTTE : Fishing was slow-to-fair this past week for striped bass. Most of the fish caught were taken by anglers using live bait. Fishing for catfish was fair for anglers using cut bait, shrimp, liver and night crawlers. The best action was reported by anglers fishing at night. Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using tubes, worms and senkos for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Most of the fish caught were taken off main lake points. Fishing was fair using crank baits, live bait and grubs in the evening hours for walleye. Fishing was fair using jig and minnow rigs and crank baits for white bass. We had no reports on other species.

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

ESCONDIDA LAKE : Fishing was slow.

GILA RIVER : Water flow near Gila on Monday was 267cfs. Trout fishing was slow as the waters muddied from recent rains. A few trout were taken by anglers using worms and wooly buggers.

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

PERCHA DAM : Fishing was fair using minnows, crank baits and grubs for white bass. Fishing was slow for all other species.

QUEMADO LAKE : Fishing was fair for anglers using in line spinners and jerk baits for tiger musky. Trout fishing was slow.

RIO GRANDE : Water flow below Elephant Butte as of Monday was 1,830cfs. We had no reports from anglers fishing this section but had reports of anglers catching white bass below Caballo. They were using live bait and grubs.

SOUTHEAST AREA

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

BONITO LAKE : Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using salmon eggs, power bait, prop flies under a bubble and spinners. The best reports came from anglers fishing early and late in the day.

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

BRANTLEY LAKE : Anglers are to practice catch and release for all fish here as high levels of DDT were found in several fish. The water level is up and this would be a good place for anglers to try different techniques.

CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL LAKE : Fishing was fair using grubs, craws and worms for small bass. We had no reports on other species.

GRINDSTONE RESERVOIR : We had no reports from anglers this week. Rainbow trout stocking has been temporarily suspended while the Village of Ruidoso treats the lake to control algae blooms.

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 and renovation. Work is expected to be complete around the end of summer. For more information contact the park office at 505-356-5331.

PECOS RIVER : Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 100cfs. Fishing was fair using liver and night crawlers for catfish. We had no reports on other species.

RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow at Ruidoso as of Monday was 6.7cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

SANTA ROSA LAKE : Fishing was slow-to-fair using tubes, senkos, worms, salt craws, jerk baits, top water lures and crank baits for largemouth and smallmouth bass. A few crappie were taken by anglers fishing for bass and by others using minnows. We had no reports on other species.

SUMNER LAKE : Fishing was slow-to-fair trolling crank baits and bottom bouncer rigs for white bass and a few walleye. A few black bass were taken by anglers using grubs and tubes in 6-to-15 feet of water. We had no reports on other species.