FISHING LINE
CATCH OF THE WEEK
Layle Sanchez of Portales caught an 18-inch, 3.3-pound, smallmouth bass on Dec. 29 at Ute Lake. She was using a minnow.
NOTES from GAME & FISH: Trout fishing at TINGLEY BEACH’S Youth and Central ponds was good using PowerBait, salmon eggs, wax worms and Pistol Petes. Fishing at the Bob Gerding Catch and Release Pond was good using San Juan worms, small chamois leech patterns, small streamers and custom tied nymphs for trout.
Fishing in the ALBUQUERQUE, BELEN and CORRALES DRAINS was very good using meal worms, PowerBait, corn, Berkley trout worms, San Juan worms and salmon eggs for trout.
At MANZANO LAKE, fishing was fair to good using PowerBait and salmon egg corn combinations for trout.
Warm weather melted the ice, and FENTON LAKE reopened to fishing. Trout fishing from the bank was very good using worms, salmon eggs and PowerBait. For updated conditions, contact the state park office at 575-829-3630.
Monday morning water flows on the CHAMA RIVER below El Vado and Abiquiu were 125 cfs and 102 cfs, respectively. Fishing below El Vado was fair using woolly buggers, bead-head hares’ ears, San Juan worms and night crawlers for brown and rainbow trout. Fishing below Abiquiu was excellent using woolly worms, crane fly larvae, egg patterns, small midge patterns, olive woolly buggers, small bead-head pheasant tail nymphs, salmon eggs and PowerBait.
Streamflow on the SAN JUAN RIVER on Monday morning was 382 cfs, and visibility was about 1 foot. Fly fishing through the high-quality waters was fair using red larvae, OJs, desert storms, egg patterns, olive and black woolly buggers, bunny leeches and San Juan worms. Trout fishing through the bait waters was fair using night crawlers, PowerBait and small spoons.
Fishing at LAKE FARMINGTON was good using salmon eggs, and PowerBait for trout.
At MONASTERY LAKE, fishing was very good using garlic PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout. The lake could ice over any day with the cold temperatures. It is closed to ice fishing.
Streamflow on the PECOS RIVER near Pecos on Monday was 22.9 cfs. Fishing downstream from Pecos to Villanueva was good using salmon eggs for trout.
At LAKE MALOYA, trout fishing in the boat ramp area was very good for anglers using corn. As of Sunday, there was still open water for bank fishing. For updates on ice conditions, call the state park office at 575-445-5607.
As of Sunday, the ice at LAKE ALICE was about 8 inches thick and ice fishing was very good using corn and ice jigs tipped with earthworms and meal worms for trout up to 16 inches.
EAGLE NEST LAKE completely froze over last week and is unsafe for fishing. For updated ice conditions, contact the state park office at 575-377-1594.
Fishing at STORRIE LAKE was slow with just a few trout caught by anglers using PowerBait. As of Sunday, there was still plenty of open water for bank fishing. For updated ice conditions, call the state park office at 505-425-7278.
Fishing at BEAR CANYON LAKE was very good using salmon eggs, corn, night crawlers and PowerBait for trout.
Fishing at ESCONDIDA LAKE was very good using PowerBait, Gulp eggs, Zeke’s trout bait and Fire Balls for trout.
Fishing at GLENWOOD POND was very good using PowerBait and salmon eggs for trout.
At LAKE ROBERTS, fishing was good using PowerBait, salmon eggs, worms and small spoons for trout.
Fishing at ELEPHANT BUTTE LAKE was fair using curly tail grubs, small swim baits, jigging spoons and Super Dupers for walleye. Fishing was fair to good using blade baits, spoons and deep diving crank baits for white bass.
As of Sunday, about 50 percent of BLUEWATER LAKE was covered with ice. The main boat ramp was closed. Fishing was slow.
Trout fishing at ALTO LAKE was good during the week but slowed over the weekend. Anglers did best using PowerBait and salmon eggs.
Fishing at Devil’s Inkwell at BOTTOMLESS LAKES was good using PowerBait for trout.
At PERCH LAKE, fishing was very good using PowerBait for trout.
Fishing was very good at GRINDSTONE RESERVOIR using PowerBait, Gulp trout dough and Kastmasters for trout.