Attention anglers
Don't forget to buy a 2008-2009 fishing license. New Mexico's annual
fishing licenses are good from April 1 through March 31 and are available
at license vendors statewide, Department of Game and Fish offices in
Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Raton, Roswell and Las Cruces, and online.
April 8, 2008
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.
Catches of the week
Sumner Lake: April 4, Dennis Duran of Albuquerque
caught a 6-pound largemouth bass. He was using a white spinner bait. April
5, Kenny Hansel of Los Alamos caught a 5.15-pound and a 6.4-pound
largemouth bass. He was using plastics.
Ute Lake: April 6, Billy Joe Burns of Clovis caught a 4.
37-pound largemouth bass. He was using live bait.
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
CHARETTE LAKES: Trout fishing was fair for anglers who
managed to get on the lower lake between the winds. They did well using
home made dough baits, salmon eggs and worms. A few perch were taken by
anglers using worms.
CIMARRON RIVER: Water flow below Eagle Nest Lake as of
Monday was 2.2cfs. Trout fishing was slow.
CLAYTON LAKE: Fishing slowed some this past week but
there were a few good size trout and walleye caught by anglers using night
crawlers and extra scented power baits. The water level is low and anglers
should not attempt to launch larger boats.
CONCHAS LAKE: Fishing was a bit tough this past week but
some anglers found walleye, white bass and smallmouth bass on the north
side of the lake. Walleye fishing was good for a few anglers who trolled
crank baits between Jose Maria and Big Island. There were also a few white
bass taken in the same area. Fishing for smallmouth was best for anglers
using tubes, lizards, senkos and crank baits in 5-to-14 feet of water. We
had no reports on other species.
COYOTE CREEK: Fishing was good this past week for anglers
using salmon eggs and small spinners for a mixed bag of brown and rainbow
trout.
EAGLE NEST LAKE: As of Monday the lake was free of ice
and open to boating. Trout fishing from the bank was fair-to-good for
anglers using power bait, garlic cheese, corn, salmon eggs and wax worms.
LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE: As of Monday both lakes were free
of ice. Fishing at Lake Alice was very good this past week for anglers
using salmon eggs, home made dough bait, worms and power bait for trout up
to 12 inches. At Lake Maloya anglers did well using the same baits and
silver spoons and spinners.
MAXWELL LAKES: We had no reports from anglers this week.
MCALLISTER LAKE: Due to poor water quality, the lake will
remain closed until further notice.
MONASTERY LAKE: Trout fishing was good for anglers using
wax worms, salmon eggs, power bait and Pistol Petes under a bubble.
MORPHY LAKE: Trout fishing was very good for anglers
using corn, worms, salmon eggs, power bait, cheese and home made dough
baits.
PECOS RIVER: Water flow near the town of Pecos as of
Monday morning was 124cfs. Trout fishing was fair using spinners, wooly
buggers, copper john barrs and salmon eggs.
RED RIVER: Water flow below the hatchery was 115cfs.
Trout fishing was fair for anglers using worms and wooly buggers.
RIO GRANDE: The water flow Monday morning at the Taos
Junction Bridge was 1,700cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.
SPRINGER LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.
STORRIE LAKE: As of this past Monday, the water was off
color and fishing was slow for all species.
UTE LAKE: Fishing for white bass was good for anglers
working the creeks in 10-to-20 feet of water with assorted crank baits.
Anglers fishing for white bass also reported catching several crappie.
Fishing for largemouth bass was good for anglers fishing secondary points
and to the backs of coves and using senkos, crank baits, spinner baits,
jigs and live bait. Fishing for catfish was good for anglers fishing
shallow in the creeks and using stink baits. Fishing for walleye was a bit
slow during the daytime hours but good at night for anglers using live
bait. Water surface temps ranged from 51-to-56 degrees with the warmer
temps found up the creek arms.
NORTHWEST AREA
ABIQUIU LAKE: Fishing for german browns was fair for
anglers trolling crank baits or drifting fat head minnows. Fishing for all
other species was slow. The water was stained.
ALBUQUERQUE AREA DRAINS: Trout fishing was fair this past
week for anglers using wax worms, parachute adams, copper john barrs and
salmon eggs. Our best reports came from anglers fishing the Corrales,
Peralta and Belen Drains.
BLUEWATER LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species. The
water was rising and the boat ramp was open for launching boats.
CHAMA RIVER: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and
Abiquiu were 1,390cfs and 1,620cfs respectively. Fishing was slow at both
locations.
COCHITI LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species. A few
catfish were taken by anglers using stink bait.
EL VADO LAKE: As of Monday the lake was free of ice and
open to fishing. We had no reports from anglers.
FENTON LAKE: Over the weekend the lake was free of ice
and provided some excellent trout fishing. Several anglers took home
limits. Most of the fish caught were rainbows but there were a few brown
and cutthroat trout mixed in. Best baits were wax worms, salmon eggs,
Pistol Petes and wooly buggers.
HERON LAKE: The last of the ice came off the lake over
the past weekend and the lake was opened to boat and bank fishing. Trout
fishing from the bank was fair for anglers using salmon eggs, power bait,
worms and spinners.
JACKSON LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
JEMEZ WATERS: Water flow on the Jemez as of Monday
morning was 224cfs near Jemez Springs and fishing was slow. Trout fishing
on the Cebolla, San Antonio and East Fork was fair-to-good for anglers
using worms, copper john barrs, egg patterns and salmon eggs.
NAVAJO LAKE: Trout fishing was good on the main lake for
anglers using spinners, crank baits and power bait and fishing close to
the bank. Fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass was slow-to-fair
for anglers using tubes, worms and senkos. The best reports came from
anglers fishing La Jara Canyon and Francis Canyon. Anglers fishing for
bass also caught a few northern pike. We had no reports on other species.
RAMAH LAKE: Trout fishing was good for anglers using
salmon eggs, Gulp eggs, Super Dupers and Panther Martins.
SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Lake will be reduced
to 1600cfs today while maintenance work is being performed. The flow will
remain at this level for two days then ramp back up to 4,000cfs by
Saturday, April 12. Fishing this past week through the Quality Waters was
fair for anglers using red hots, grey Johnny flashes, red annelids, San
Juan worms and sculpin streamers. Fishing in the bait waters was fair
using the same flies and with spinners, salmon eggs and night crawlers.
SANTA CRUZ LAKE: Trout fishing was very good this past
week for anglers using small tubes, jigs, crank baits, jerk baits,
spinners, worms and salmon eggs. Anglers did well fishing from the bank
and from boats.
TINGLEY BEACH: Trout fishing at the Youth Pond and the
Central Pond was slow-to-fair for anglers using spinners, spoons, salmon
eggs, power bait and leeches. A few bass were caught by anglers using
worms, tubes and jigs. At the Catch and Release Pond best baits were
leeches, red hots, foam ants, red annelids and Griffith’s gnats.
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: We had no reports from anglers this week.
CABALLO LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers
trolling crank baits for a mix of white bass and walleye. A few were also
taken on live bait. We had no reports on other species.
ELEPHANT BUTTE: When the winds weren’t too strong,
fishing was fair using live bait and large deep running crank baits for
striped bass. White bass fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using live
bait, crank baits, jigs and spoons. Most of the white bass action was
north of McRae Canyon. Fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass was
slow-to-fair for anglers using jigs, tubes, senkos, lizards and spinner
baits. Fishing for walleye was slow-to-fair for anglers using jigs, spoons
and crank baits. Fishing was good using liver and shrimp for catfish.
GLENWOOD POND: We had no reports from anglers this week.
ESCONDIDA LAKE: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for
anglers using worms, home made dough bait, power bait and salmon eggs.
GILA RIVER: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday
was 193cfs. Fishing on the Forks was fair using salmon eggs, small bead
head nymphs and small spinners for trout. We had no reports on other
species.
LAKE ROBERTS: We had no reports from anglers this week.
PERCHA DAM: Fishing was fair for anglers using white
grubs for a mixed bag of white bass and walleye.
QUEMADO LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
RIO GRANDE: Water flow below Elephant Butte on Monday was
2,920cfs. On the river south of Williamsburg, fishing was fair using
minnows and grubs for walleye and white bass. Fishing below Caballo was
fair using minnows and crank baits for white bass. We had no reports on
other species.
SOUTHEAST AREA
BATAAN LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
BONITO LAKE: Trout fishing was fair in the morning hours
but slow in the afternoon. Best baits were power bait, salmon eggs and
worms. Anglers fishing Bonito Creek did very well using salmon eggs and
small bead head nymphs.
BOSQUE REDONDO: Trout fishing was fair using Pistol Petes
under a bubble, salmon eggs, power bait, worms and corn. We had no reports
on other species.
BOTTOMLESS LAKES: Fishing was slow. Stocking has been
suspended due to a golden algae bloom.
BRANTLEY LAKE: Anglers are to practice catch and release
for all fish here as high levels of DDT were found in several fish.
CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL LAKE: We had no reports from anglers
this week.
GRINDSTONE RESERVOIR: Trout fishing was very good for
anglers using salmon eggs and power bait.
JAL LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
LAKE VAN: Fishing was slow for all species.
MANZANO LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using
power bait, worms and salmon eggs.
PECOS RIVER: Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was
100cfs. Fishing was good this past weekend for trout, walleye, bass and
catfish. Anglers did well using power bait and minnows.
PERCH LAKE: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers
using power bait, spinners and Pistol Petes under a bubble.
ROSWELL KIDS POND: Fishing was good using assorted power
baits, salmon eggs and worms on the bottom for trout.
RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow at Ruidoso on Monday was
3.3cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
SANTA ROSA LAKE: Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth
bass slowed a bit this past week. Anglers reported catching fewer numbers
and smaller fish than in the previous few weeks. Best baits were tubes,
crank baits and spinner baits. Fishing for walleye and crappie was
slow-to-fair for anglers using minnows, tubes, grubs and crank baits. We
had no reports on other species.
SUMNER LAKE: Fishing was very good this past week for
bass and walleye. Anglers fishing for bass caught several largemouth bass
while using grubs, sweet beavers, tubes, senkos, spinner baits, crank
baits and live bait. All the bass reported were taken in less than 10 feet
of water. The best walleye reports came from anglers using crank baits,
jigs and minnows. A few white bass were taken by anglers fishing for
walleye.
