Angler opportunities abound
This fishing report, provided by Dustin Berg and Go Unlimited (supporting disabled anglers) and the Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.
If you have a catch of the week story or just want to tell us about your latest New Mexico fishing experience, send it to us at funfishingnm@gmail.com. We may include your story in our next report. For catches of the week, include name, date and location; type of fish, length and weight, if possible; and bait, lure or fly used.
Catches of the Week
Stubblefield Lake: Kaden Martinez, age 14, of Maxwell caught a 21-inch walleye using a white and chartreuse Booyah spinner bait Aug. 10. Gila River: Matthew Kennedy of Silver City caught an 11-pound, 8-ounce flathead catfish using chicken liver Aug. 9.
Pecos River: Zachary Valdez of Río Rancho caught and released a 28-inch brown trout using a black and yellow Panther Martin spinner Aug. 9.
Bill Evans Lake: Joe Rodriguez of Silver City caught and released a 12-pound largemouth bass using a jig Aug. 8.
Chama River below El Vado Lake: Joseph Pacheco, age 10, of Moriarty caught an 18-inch brown trout using worms Aug. 8.
Hopewell Lake: Addison Nolz, age 8, of Albuquerque caught a 20-inch rainbow trout using worms Aug. 6. Santa Rosa Lake: Diane Ciampolillo of Albuquerque caught a 20-inch largemouth bass using a Texas rig with an orange bead and night crawler Aug. 6.
Río De Los Pinos: Melody Pacheco, age 5, of Moriarty caught a 12-inch carp using worms Aug. 7.
Area lakes and streams NORTHWEST
Abiquiú Lake: Fishing for walleye and smallmouth bass was fair using curly tail grubs with jig heads. Anglers reported having success using black, blue, white, pink, yellow and chartreuse colors fished on rocky underwater slopes. Fishing for catfish was fair using worms at night and early in the morning. Due to low water levels, anglers are advised to use four-wheel drive vehicles to launch boats and watch for obstructions on the water. Animas River: Water flow below Aztec Monday morning was 853 cubic feet per second (cfs). We had no reports from anglers this week. Albuquerque Area Drains: Fishing for bass was fair to good using micro crankbaits, senko worms and jitter bug crank baits. Fishing for bluegill was good using small dry flies.
Bluewater Lake: Fishing for tiger muskie was fair to good using segmented crank baits, top water lures, flies and jerk baits. Fishing for catfish was fair using stink bait and hotdogs. We had no reports on other species.
Brazos River: Fishing for trout was fair to good using Panther Martin spinners, worms and salmon eggs. Canjilon Lakes: Fishing for trout was fair using Pistol Petes and PowerBait.
Chama River: Monday morning flows below El Vado and Abiquiú were 261 cfs and 246 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was good using Panther Martin spinners, night crawlers, nymph flies, egg pattern flies and PowerBait worms. We had no reports from below Abiquiú. Cochiti Lake: Fishing for catfish was good using cut bait. We had no reports on other species
Heron Lake: Fishing was slow for all species. The best bank fishing was reported to be on the lake’s western edge using worms and PowerBait for trout.
Jemez Waters: Streamflow on the Jemez near the town of Jemez Monday morning was 28.0 cfs. Fishing on the upper Río San Antonio in the Valles Caldera National Preserve was good using dry flies such as small hoppers. Using stealth to approach feeding fish is a key to success. At higher elevations the biting horseflies are present and anglers are encouraged to have bug spray and long sleeves/ pant legs. Fishing for trout on the lower Jemez waters was slow to fair probably due to recent rainstorms muddying the waters.
Laguna del Campo: We had no reports from anglers this week. Lagunitas Lakes: Fishing for trout was fair to good using white dry flies.
Navajo Lake: Fishing for bass and pike was slow with the best reports coming from anglers fishing in 20 to 30 feet of water using senkos and tubes. Fishing for bluegill was good using worms and small flies. Fishing for kokanee salmon was good using pink and purple spinners tipped with corn fished 40 to 50 feet deep. Anglers reported having success fishing for kokanee using Double Whammies, Kokanee Killers and other assorted spinners. We had no reports on other species.
San Gregorio Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good using PowerBait, top-water flies and Pistol Pete spinners.
San Juan River: Streamflow Monday morning was 1,070 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality water was good using red and crème midge larva fly patterns, size 22 black midge clusters, dark color zebra midges and crystal flash size 24 and 26. Further downstream, trout fishing is good using baetis patterns such as root beers and RS2s. Anglers reported that some trout are rising and that dry flyfishing is fair.
Seven Springs Brood Pond: Fishing for trout was fair using PowerBait, wax worms, salmon eggs and small flies including leech patterns and woolly buggers. Anglers reported large clumps of moss growing in the pond.
Tingley Beach: Fishing for catfish in bait ponds was fair using shrimp, homemade dough bait, chicken liver and raw chicken.
NORTHEAST
Cimarron River: Streamflow near Cimarron Monday morning was 26.9 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using nymphs and small dry flies such as hoppers.
Clayton Lake: Fishing for all species was slow with anglers reporting only a couple of trout and bass being caught. The boat ramp is closed due to low water levels. Conchas Lake: Fishing was good using worms for bluegill. Fishing was good using tubes and creature baits for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Fishing was fair to good using crank baits for white bass and walleye. Fishing was good using cut bait, worms and liver for catfish
Costilla Creek: Streamflow near Costilla on Monday (Aug. 12) was 68.7 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using small dry flies such as yellow sallies, hoppers and spruce moth flies.
Eagle Nest Lake: Fishing for trout was fair using PowerBait. Fishing for perch was fair to good using worms. Fishing for pike was fair using spoons. There is moss build up on the lake and the best fishing reports came from areas clear of moss. We had no reports on other species.
The last report was that high runoff water has created poor fishing conditions
Hopewell Lake: Fishing for trout was fair to good using PowerBait, worms, woolly buggers and Pistol Petes.
Lake Maloya: Fishing for trout was fair to good using Pistol Petes, spoons, spinners and PowerBait. Los Pinos River: Fishing for trout was good using woolly buggers and Parachute Adams flies.
Maxwell Lake 13: Fishing for trout was fair to good using flies. Morphy Lake: Closed for a renovation project on the dam and no firm opening date has been set.
Pecos River: Streamflow near the town of Pecos Monday morning was 93.8 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using PowerBait, worms, salmon eggs, woolly buggers, leech pattern flies and Panther Martin spinners. Red River: Streamflow below the hatchery Monday morning was 102.0 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using rooster tail spinners, salmon eggs and Panther Martin spinners. Río Grande: Streamflow at the Taos Junction Bridge was 1,590 cfs. The river level was high and water clarity was low. Fishing for brown trout and pike in the Wild Rivers area was fair using Panther Martin spinners. Fishing near Albuquerque for catfish was fair to good using cut bait and dough bait. Anglers are advised to bring bug spray.
Río Hondo: Streamflow Monday morning near Valdez was 42.1 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using small dry flies such as hoppers. Aria Garcia, age 6, of Albuquerque caught an 18-inch catfish using chicken liver at Tingley Beach. Please send
Taos News your photos. Include your name, age and hometown; date and location; type of fish, length and weight, if possible; and bait, lure or fly used. Email: sports@taosnews. com.
Streamflow Monday morning was 35.8 cfs. Fishing the upper river for trout was fair to good using small hopper flies and worms.
Río Pueblo: Streamflow Monday morning near Peñasco was 17.0 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using beadhead nymphs and small hopper flies.
Shuree Ponds: We had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing is open on the Valle Vidal, including Shuree Ponds, July 1-Dec. 31. Stubblefield Lake: Fishing for bass was fair to good using swim jigs. Fishing for walleye was slow but anglers did report having limited success. Fishing for catfish was good using night crawlers.
Ute Lake: Fishing for bass was good using soft plastic stick baits such as Berkley General and Ned Rigs. Fishing for bass using top water lures was fair using Pop R’s and Whopper Ploppers. Fishing for walleye was slow but there were a few reports from anglers who caught them jigging live minnows. Fishing for crappie was slow. Fishing for white bass was fair to good – white bass were suspended at 25 to 30 feet deep, in deeper water, and were hitting vertically jigged blade baits and jigging spoons. Fishing for catfish was fair using night crawlers and chicken liver. Fishing for catfish using trotlines rigged with cut bait were also producing well. Fishing for bluegill was good using night crawlers. The main lake was clear and the water temperature was in the lower 80s.