FISHING LINE
of Albuquerque caught and released a 30-inch, 20-pound brown (with another trout in its mouth) May 5 on the San Juan River. He was using a cream-colored egg pattern fly.
of Cochiti Lake caught a 27.75-inch, 6-pound, 7-ounce walleye May 2 at Cochiti Lake. He was using minnows.
of Albuquerque caught and released a 21-inch, 5.4-pound largemouth bass May 6 at Conchas Lake. He was using a pumpkin pepper green soft bait.
Fishing for trout and salmon remains very slow trolling from boats and fair bait fishing from shore. Kevin Pohl, from Los Lunas, spent last Friday and Saturday trolling in the main channel, and in the area between the dam and the Los Ojos boat ramp. He is an experienced fisherman, but had only two strikes. He caught a nice 21-inch Kokanee using a white Z-Ray with red dots at 12 feet deep on Friday. On Saturday, he had one good strike at 15 feet, but unfortunately it never “hooked up.” This strike was on a yellow Panther Martin with red spots. On Friday, he was the only boat on the lake and Saturday morning up until about noon he was one of four boats on the water. He was rotating his lures and tipping them with corn. He rotated the depth on the downriggers between 12 feet and 30 feet. A few rainbows are being caught with salmon eggs and garlic-flavored PowerBait. Water level is still up to where it was last year, and both boat ramps at Ridge Rock and Los Ojos are accessible.
Rainbow trout are biting on nightcrawler worms, salmon eggs and PowerBait. Trout were caught over this past week ranging up to 22 inches, but are averaging under 15 inches. Large mouth bass are catch and release only. The bass activity is strong, with several 4- to 6-pound bass caught. Bass are biting on plastics and top water lures.
Fishing has been slow for catfish, best baits still being garlic chicken liver, worms and garlic chicken blood (Magic Bait). Very few trout being caught. Best baits are green garlic PowerBait. We are expecting a full stocking of channel catfish this week. Streamflow on the SAN JUAN RIVER on Monday morning was at 678 cfs, with a scheduled decrease to 500 cfs at 4 p.m. Fly fishing action through the highquality waters was good using cream egg and larva patterns, mono midges, bead-head pheasant tail nymphs, baetis nymphs, Mini Mac midges, ants, red larva and San Juan worms. Trout fishing through the bait waters was fair using jerk baits, spoons, night crawlers and Fire Balls. At CLAYTON LAKE, fishing was very good using PowerBait for trout up to 17 inches. Streamflow on the CIMARRON RIVER below Eagle Nest on Monday morning was 27.3 cfs. Trout fishing was good using elk hair caddis, bead-head hares’ ears and Platte River specials. Fishing at COWLES POND was very good using red worms, marshmallows and PowerBait for trout. Fishing from the bank at EAGLE NEST LAKE was good using PowerBait, Fire Balls and worms for rainbow trout up to 20 inches. At LAKE ALICE, trout fishing was good using Pistol Petes, gold spoons, Fire Balls and PowerBait for trout. At LAKE MALOYA, fishing was good using PowerBait, Pistol Petes, spinners and gold spoons for trout. Fishing at UTE LAKE continued to be very good using minnows for crappie. Fishing at EL VADO LAKE continued to be very good using crank baits, jerk baits, tubes, Panther Martins, swim baits and worms for smallmouth bass. Trout fishing at TINGLEY BEACH’S Youth and Central ponds was slow to fair using PowerBait, Zeke’s trout bait, Velveeta cheese, worms and Pistol Petes. At ELEPHANT BUTTE LAKE, fishing was good using spoons, crank baits, jerk baits, curly tail grubs, streamers and minnows for white bass. Trout fishing at GRINDSTONE RESERVOIR was very good using PowerBait, salmon eggs, worms, spoons and spinners.