New Mexico Department of Game and Fish

Weekly Fishing Report

Oct. 2, 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.

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Catches of the week

Conchas Lake : Sept. 22, Renee Wright caught a 9-pound channel catfish. She was using homemade bait at the time and caught several other good size catfish.

San Juan River: Sept. 22, Brenden Maves of Denver caught a 21-inch rainbow trout. He was fishing the quality waters and using an Andy's Candy fly.

Navajo Lake : Sept. 25, Dan Murphy of Albuquerque caught an 11-pound, 35-inch northern pike. He was using a crawdad-colored baby hot lips crank bait.

Ute Lake : Sept. 27, Billy Roach of Portales caught a 5.2-pound largemouth bass. He was using live bait.

Bluewater Lake : Sept. 30, Anthony Madrid of Albuquerque caught a 32-inch, 12-pound catfish. He was using a night crawler.

If you have a catch of the week story, send it to us at fishforfun2@hotmail.com. Include date, location, type of fish, length and bait used to catch the fish.

NORTHEAST AREA

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

CHARETTE LAKES : Trout fishing continued to be good this past week. Anglers did well using power bait, salmon eggs and cow bell/worm combinations for trout. A few trout were also taken on spinners. Fishing was good using worms for perch.

CIMARRON RIVER : Water flow Monday morning below Eagle Nest was 13cfs. Trout fishing was good for anglers using copper john barrs, hares ears, worms and salmon eggs.

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

CONCHAS LAKE : Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was fair-to-good for anglers using jerk baits, tubes and top water lures. Fishing was fair using crank baits and slab spoons for white bass. A few walleye were taken by anglers using crank baits and bottom bouncer/night crawler rigs. Fishing was good using liver, dough bait and night crawlers for catfish.

COYOTE CREEK: Trout fishing was good this past week for anglers using power bait and salmon eggs.

EAGLE NEST LAKE : Fishing was fair-to-good for angler using spinners, power bait and salmon eggs for trout. Fishing was good using worms for perch. Fishing for kokanee was slow. The kokanee snagging season opened here Monday but we had no reports.

HOPEWELL LAKE : Trout fishing was fair for anglers using salmon eggs, power bait, parachute adams and pheasant tail nymphs.

LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE : Trout fishing was reported as good at both lakes this past week. Anglers did well using salmon eggs and an assortment of flies.

LOS PINOS: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using salmon eggs, worms, spinners, prince nymphs and copper john barrs.

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 good for anglers using corn, salmon eggs and power bait.

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

PECOS RIVER : Water flow near the town of Pecos as of Monday morning was 37cfs. Trout fishing was good for anglers using bead head pheasant tail nymphs, elk hair caddis, parachute adams , salmon eggs, spinners and worms for a mix of brown and rainbow trout.

RED RIVER : Water flow below the hatchery was 69cfs. Trout fishing was fair this past week for anglers using night crawlers, copper john barrs and wooly buggers.

RIO GRANDE : The water flow Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 476cfs. Fishing on the upper Rio was fair using wooly buggers and spinners for trout.

RIO PUEBLO : Trout fishing was fair using copper john barrs, bead head hares ears and salmon eggs.

SHUREE PONDS: We had no reports from anglers this week.

SPRINGER LAKE : Fishing was slow for all species.

STORRIE LAKE : Fishing was slow for all species.

UTE LAKE: Top water action continued to improve this past week as anglers reported doing well using buzz baits, Ricos, Zara Spooks and Pop Rs for largemouth and smallmouth bass. A few bass were also taken by anglers using tubes and senkos. Fishing was fair using RatL Traps in 10-to-12 feet of water for walleye. Fishing was fair using liver, cut bait and dough baits for catfish.

NORTHWEST AREA

ABIQUIU LAKE : Anglers trolling reef runners at 20 feet reported the best luck this past week. They caught lots of walleye along with several perch, crappie and smallmouth bass. Other lures that worked well for smallmouth were tubes, senkos and jerk baits. Anglers reported good fishing in the Canones Creek area and in the upper part of the lake.

BLUEWATER LAKE : Fishing was fair for anglers using swim baits, inline spinners and jerk baits for tiger musky. Fishing improved a bit for catfish as anglers reported some success using night crawlers and liver. Fishing for all other species was slow.

CHAMA RIVER : Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 67cfs and 80cfs respectively. Fishing was reported as fair-to-good below El Vado and fair below Abiquiu. Anglers did best using small wet flies, worms and salmon eggs.

COCHITI LAKE : Anglers reported similar conditions and results as the previous week. Most of the fish caught were small white bass and smallmouth bass along with a few perch and crappie. Best baits were slab spoons, minnows and crank baits. A few catfish were taken by anglers using liver and minnows. We had no reports on other species.

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

FENTON LAKE : Trout fishing was good this past week for anglers using salmon eggs, worms and power bait. Action over the weekend was a bit slower than that of mid week.

HERON LAKE : Fishing for kokanee was slow-to-fair for anglers trolling Cripplures, kokanee killers and double whammies tipped with corn at 20-to-35 feet. The fish ranged in size from 10-to-16 inches. Fishing from the bank was fair for anglers using power bait for trout. Anglers are reminded that kokanee snagging does not open here, on Willow Creek or on the Pine River until November 10.

JEMEZ WATERS: Trout fishing on the Jemez, East Fork and Rio Cebolla was good this past week for anglers using elk hair caddis, parachute adams, prince nymphs, copper john barrs, small spinners, salmon eggs and worms.

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

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

NAVAJO LAKE : Fishing for smallmouth bass continued to be quite good this past week. Anglers did well using crank baits, small senkos, tubes, Robo worms and top water lures for bass to 3.5 pounds. Fishing was good using tubes, crank baits and jerk baits for northern pike. Bank fishing was fair using power bait and spinners for trout. Kokanee snagging began on Monday but we had no reports from anglers.

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

SAN GREGORIO LAKE: Fishing was slow.

SANTA CRUZ LAKE : Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using spinners and jerk baits for trout.

SAN JUAN : Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 1,010cfs. Trout fishing through the Quality Waters this past weekend was good for anglers using parachute adams, Griffith 's gnats, dead chickens and streamers. Fishing through the bait waters was fair-to-good using jerk baits, wooly worms, night crawlers, salmon eggs and spinners.

TINGLEY BEACH: Fishing for bass and catfish continued to be quite good at the Central Pond. Anglers did well using chicken liver, worms and stink bait for the catfish and spinners and senkos for the bass. Fishing for trout was slow.

SOUTHWEST AREA

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

BILL EVANS LAKE : We had no reports from anglers this week.

BURN LAKE : Fishing was slow for all species.

CABALLO LAKE : Fishing was fair-to-good using crank baits, spinners and grubs for white bass. The best action was reported by anglers fishing near the dam. A few walleye were taken by anglers trolling crank baits at 8-to-14 feet. We had no reports on other species.

ELEPHANT BUTTE : Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was good for anglers using top water lures, jerk baits and whacky worm rigs. Most of the fish were taken in less than 10 feet of water. Fishing was good using Lytle secrets, crank baits and slab spoons for white bass. Fishing was fair-to-good using liver, shrimp and cut bait for catfish. Most of the cats were taken by anglers fishing over baited holes. A few striped bass were taken by anglers using live bait and umbrella rigs.

GLENWOOD POND: We had no reports from this week.

ESCONDIDA LAKE : Fishing was slow for all species.

GILA RIVER : Water flow near Gila on Monday was 109cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

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

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

QUEMADO LAKE : Fishing was fair for anglers using jerk baits, inline spinners and spoons for tiger musky. Fishing for trout was slow-to-fair using power bait.

RIO GRANDE : Water flow below Elephant Butte on Monday was 985cfs. Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using liver and stink bait for catfish. Fishing was good using worms and dough bait for carp.

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

SOUTHEAST AREA

BATAAN LAKE : Fishing was slow for all species.

BONITO LAKE : Trout fishing was fair for anglers using worms and salmon eggs. A few trout were also taken by anglers using prince nymphs and spinners.

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 : We had no reports from anglers this week.

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 : Fishing was slow. A few catfish were taken by anglers using night crawlers and liver.

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 87cfs. Fishing was fair using night crawlers, shrimp and minnows for channel catfish and a few flathead catfish. We had no reports on other species.

RUIDOSO RIVER : Water flow at Ruidoso on Monday was 2.5cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.

SANTA ROSA LAKE : Fishing was fair using top water lures, jerk baits, crank baits, tubes and drop shot rigs for largemouth and smallmouth bass. We had no reports on other species.

SUMNER LAKE : Fishing was fair for anglers fishing along the riprap area and using whacky worm rigs and crank baits for walleye and smallmouth bass. Most of the bass caught were small. Fishing was slow-to-fair using worms and liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species.