FISHING LINE
CATCHES OF THE WEEK
JP Schreiner of Albuquerque caught and released a 40-inch, 18-pound tiger muskie July 4 at Bluewater Lake. It was his first trip to Bluewater, and he was using a silver and dark blue Rapala husky jerk.
Art Gonzales of Albuquerque caught a 24-inch brown trout Saturday at Navajo Lake. He was using a spinner.
Evelyn Salcido of Carlsbad caught a 21-inch, 6-pound largemouth bass Saturday at Brantley Lake. She was using a red spinner.
Dylann Zalma-Woffard, 2, of Santa Fe caught her first fish, a 20-inch rainbow trout, July 4 at Charette Lakes. She was using PowerBait.
Daniel Lopez of Lyden caught a 28-inch northern pike July 8 on the Rio Grande. He was fishing the Pilar area and using a Rapala.
AROUND THE STATE
SANTA FE NATIONAL FOREST: The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has scheduled fish stocking in waters including Monastery Lake, the Pecos River and Fenton Lake.
HERON LAKE: Water is being released and is up to 500 cubic feet per second. This may have had an affect on the fish, as fishing has slowed. Although it was slower for most, Bill Dolski and Susan Kabala, both from Piñon Ridge, each caught their limits last weekend. They were trolling 13 to 18 feet deep, and their best lure was the quarter-ounce yellow Panther Martin spinner with red dots. Fishing from shore was also pretty slow. Recently, 1,070 rainbow trout were released in the Chama River above El Vado and 1,250 were released in Heron Lake. The size of the fish were about 12¼ inches. Don Wolfley, Stone House Lodge
SHADY LAKES: The rainbow trout are averaging 10 to 12 inches. Trout are biting on night crawler worms, salmon eggs and PowerBait. Catch-and-release largemouth bass and bluegill activity is strong. Bass are ranging 2½ to 4½ pounds. Bass and bluegill are biting on plastics and top-water lures.
NOTES from GAME & FISH
At ELEPHANT BUTTE, anglers reported catching limits of walleye. They were using curly tail grubs, Flicker Shad, Walley Divers, Mepps spinners, sassy shad and spoons. Fishing was very good using cut bait, shrimp, minnows, homemade dough bait, beef liver and chicken liver for catfish.
Streamflow on the RIO GRANDE below Elephant Butte Monday morning was 2,180 cfs. Fishing was good using liver, shiners, cut bait, night crawlers and shrimp for catfish.
Fishing at ABIQUIU LAKE was excellent using micro tubes, small crank baits and small white and chartreuse curly tail grubs for crappie. Fishing was very good using chartreuse curly tail grubs or night crawlers on quarter-ounce jig heads for walleye.
Fishing at NAVAJO LAKE was good using curly tail grubs, tubes, senkos, spinner baits, crank baits, swim baits and chatter baits for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass.
The stream flow on the SAN JUAN RIVER below Navajo Lake was raised to 1020 cfs Monday afternoon. Hatches were sporadic and nymphing was a better way to go for the fly fishermen. Fishing through the quality waters was fair to good using red annelids, cream larva, small bead-head pheasant tail nymphs, mini Macs and RS2s. Trout fishing through the bait waters was fair to good using Pistol Petes, copper John Barrs, chamois leeches, Panther Martins, jerk baits, worms and Fire Balls.
Fishing at COCHITI LAKE was fair to good using worms, hot dogs, spinners and liver for catfish.
Fishing at EAGLE NEST LAKE was very good using PowerBait, worms, Platte River specials, Arnies and Panther Martins for rainbow trout.
At LAKE MALOYA, fishing was very good using marshmallows, PowerBait, Pistol Petes, Panther Martins, Kastmasters, bead-head hare’s ears, elk hair caddis, copper John Barrs and bead-head pheasant tail nymphs for trout.
At UTE LAKE, fishing was very good using worms for bluegill.