Weekly Fishing Report

August 21, 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

Bluewater Lake: On August 14, Don and Pat Daily of Albuquerque caught and released 6 tiger musky ranging in length from 36-to-40 inches. They were using 5-inch jerk baits.

Green Acres Lake: On August 14, Rusty Radloff of Portales caught a 30-inch flathead catfish. He was using night crawlers for bait.

Winsor Creek: On August 12, Troy Martinez of Santa Fe caught a 16-inch rainbow trout. He was using salmon eggs.

San Gregorio Lake: On August 18, Dave Baca of Bosque Farms and Vincent Baca of Belen each caught a 19-inch rainbow trout. Dave was using a black bead head wooly bugger and Vincent was using power bait.

Conchas Lake: On August 18, Robert English of Rio Rancho caught a 4.87-pound largemouth bass. He was using a tube. On the same day, Dave Behm of Albuquerque also caught and weighed in a 4.87-pound largemouth.

Navajo Lake: On August 17, Julian Gurule caught a 28.5-inch, 10-pound carp. He was using worms.

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 power bait, worms, spinners and salmon eggs.

CHARETTE LAKES: Trout fishing was good this past week using power bait, worms and hoppers. Fishing was fair using worms for perch. The best reports came from anglers fishing early and late in the day.

CIMARRON RIVER: Water flow below Eagle Nest this past Monday was 27cfs. Trout fishing was very good using assorted dry flies. A few trout were also taken by anglers using spinners and worms.

CLAYTON LAKE: Fishing was generally slow for all species. There were a few trout and catfish taken by anglers fishing at night and using night crawlers and power bait.

CONCHAS LAKE: Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was good using senkos, tubes, and salt craws. A few bass were also taken by anglers using buzz baits and spinner baits. Fishing for catfish was fair for anglers fishing at night and using liver and cut bait. Fishing for bluegill was fair using worms. We had no reports on other species.

COYOTE CREEK: Trout fishing was fair this past week for anglers using renegades, worms and power bait.

EAGLE NEST LAKE: Fishing from the bank was good using worms for perch. Anglers fishing from the bank also caught a few rainbow trout and kokanee. Fishing from boats was sporadic. Anglers trolling christmas tree/spinner combinations caught a few kokanee and rainbow trout.

HOPEWELL LAKE: Trout fishing was fair using power bait, worms and small parachute adams.

LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE: This week's report was pretty much the same as last week with the best fishing taking place in the evening hours. Anglers did best fishing from boats and working the middle of Lake Maloya with power bait, mosquito patterns and black gnats.

MAXWELL LAKES: Fishing was slow.

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 spinners, Pistol Petes, worms, salmon eggs and power bait.

MORPHY LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, mosquito patterns, damsel flies and millers.

PECOS RIVER: As of Monday, water flow near Pecos was 76cfs. Trout fishing was good for anglers using elk hair caddis, parachute adams, copper john barrs, power bait and night crawlers.

RED RIVER: Water flow below the hatchery on Monday morning was 62cfs. Trout fishing was slow due to muddy water conditions. A few trout were taken by anglers working worms and wooly buggers along the banks.

RIO COSTILLA: Trout fishing was very good for anglers using PMDs, yellow sallies, humpys and small bead head nymphs.

RIO GRANDE: The water flow Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 464cfs. Fishing for all species was slow.

RIO PUEBLO: Trout fishing was very good using small parachute adams, royal wulffs and royal coachmen.

SHUREE PONDS: We had no reports from anglers this week. These are special trout waters and only artificial flies or lures with single, barbless hooks may be used.

SPRINGER LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using large in line spinners for northern pike. We had no reports on other species.

STORRIE LAKE: Trout fishing in the early morning and late evening hours was fair for anglers using worms and power bait. We had no reports on other species.

UTE LAKE: Fishing was generally slow but there were a few smallmouth bass and white bass caught. Some were taken on top water lures while others hit jig and minnow combinations and grubs. A few catfish were taken by anglers fishing at night and using night crawlers and cut bait. Fishing for walleye was slow. A few bluegill were taken by anglers using worms. We had no reports on other species.

NORTHWEST AREA

ABIQUIU LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

BLUEWATER LAKE: Fishing for tiger musky was good again this past week as anglers landed several fish in the 30-to-40 inch range. Best lures were 5 inch jerk baits, top water lures and in line spinners. We had no reports on other species.

CHAMA RIVER: Water flow below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 534cfs and 554cfs below Abiquiu. Trout fishing below El Vado was fair-to-good for anglers using bead head wooly buggers, copper john barrs, night crawlers and power bait. Fishing below Abiquiu was slow.

COCHITI LAKE: Water conditions changed this past week as the lake became quite murky from recent rains. There were a few white bass caught by anglers using jig and minnow rigs and crank baits. We had no reports on other species.

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

FENTON LAKE: Anglers reported trout fishing as slow this past week. There was heavy fishing pressure over the past weekend and the water was quite murky.

HERON LAKE: Fishing for kokanee was fair trolling wedding rings, double whammies and kokanee killers tipped with corn at 20-to-29 feet. Anglers trolling for kokanee also caught several rainbow trout. Trout fishing from the bank was slow with only a few rainbows caught by anglers using power bait.

JEMEZ WATERS: As of Monday, water flow on the Jemez near Jemez Springs was 16cfs. Trout fishing here, on the Rio Guadalupe and on the East Fork was good for anglers using parachute adams, black irresistibles, royal wulffs and stimulators. A few fish were also taken by anglers using spinners, salmon eggs and worms.

LAGUNA DEL CAMPO: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using spinners, Pistol Petes, small spoons and power bait.

MANZANO LAKE: Trout fishing was slow.

NAVAJO LAKE: Fishing was fair using worms for bluegill. Anglers using worms also reported catching several smallmouth bass. Several bass in the 1-to-3 pound class were taken by anglers using senkos, tubes and grubs. Fishing was fair trolling christmas tree/Arnie/corn combinations for kokanee. The fish were deep and most were taken at depths of 50-to-90 feet. Fishing for northern pike slowed down but there were a few taken by anglers using spinner baits, plastics and top water lures. Fishing for carp was good using worms.

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

SAN GREGORIO LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair using power bait and wooly buggers for rainbow trout.

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

SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 787cfs. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters was fair for anglers using dead chickens, parachute adams, small bead head pheasant tail nymphs, sparkle worms and small egg patterns. Fishing through the bait waters was fair for anglers using jerk baits, wooly buggers and night crawlers for a mix of rainbow and brown trout.

TINGLEY BEACH: We had no reports from anglers this week.

SOUTHWEST AREA

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

BILL EVANS LAKE: Fishing was fair using worms and small grubs for bluegill. Fishing was slow for all other species.

BURN LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

CABALLO LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair using crank baits and white, green and chartreuse grubs for white bass. Fishing for all other species was slow.

ELEPHANT BUTTE: Fishing was fair using senkos, tubes, worms and crank baits for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Most of the fish caught were small. Fishing was slow-to-fair using crank baits, grubs and minnows for white bass. A few striped bass were taken by anglers using live bait. Fishing was slow-to-fair using liver, shrimp and cut bait for catfish. The best catfish reports came from anglers fishing over baited holes. We had no reports on other species.

GLENWOOD POND: The pond was recently stocked and should provide some great action. If you are in the area, check it out.

ESCONDIDA LAKE: Fishing was slow.

GILA RIVER: Water flow near Gila on Monday was 109cfs. Fishing on the Forks was slow-to-fair for anglers using small bead head nymphs and stimulators for trout.

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

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

QUEMADO LAKE: Fishing was fair for anglers using jerk baits for tiger musky. Trout fishing was slow but a few were taken by anglers using bead head wooly buggers.

RIO GRANDE: Water flow below Elephant Butte as of Monday was 1,410cfs. Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using night crawlers and cut bait for catfish. Anglers fishing for catfish also caught several carp. A few trout were taken by anglers using spinners and worms.

SOUTHEAST AREA

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

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

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. This would be a good lake for anglers to practice different casting and tackle techniques.

CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL LAKE: Fishing was slow. There were a few bass taken by anglers using grubs, worms and jerk baits. 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: Fishing was slow for all species.

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 95cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow at Ruidoso as of Monday was 2.4cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

SANTA ROSA LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair using tubes, senkos, worms, salt craws and crank baits for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Most of the bass caught were small. We had no reports on other species.

SUMNER LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.