CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Joe McElreath from Farmington caught and released two northern pike in the 30-inch range at Navajo Lake on Saturday. He was using a Rat L Trap.

Robyn Manley of Albuquerque caught and released a 32-inch tiger muskie at Bluewater Lake on Saturday. She was using a fire craw colored Dynamic HD Ice jig.

AROUND THE STATE

ISLETA LAKES: Fishing has been very good with most anglers limiting out. At this writing both lakes are experiencing freezing and vary on amount of open space. Best baits are reported as rainbow, salmon peach PowerBaits, worms, Pistol Pete’s and flies. As more area opens another full stocking of trout will take place. Carlos Trujillo, Isleta Lakes & RV Park

SANDIA LAKES: The lakes remain fully stocked with nice rainbows ranging from 10 to 18 inches and larger. Most success reported on PowerBaits this week, however, warmer weather for the weekend will likely increase success on all bait types. Contact the Lake Store at 505-771-5190 for the latest in bait preferences and for more information. Jason Wiebenga, Wildcat Environmental Services

TINGLEY BEACH: Trout fishing at the Central Pond was fair to good using wax worms, PowerBait and garlic cheese. Children’s Pond was good over the weekend using PowerBait and salmon eggs. Fishing at the Catch and Release Pond was slow to fair for anglers using zebra midges, red annelids and small streamers. The warmer weather has opened a bit more water to fishing. Joe Martinelli, curator

NOTES from GAME & FISH: Water flow on the SAN JUAN RIVER below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 345 cfs. Fishing in the quality water section was good using egg patterns, red annelids, dark colored leeches, dead chickens and small streamers. Fishing through the bait waters was fair to good using, wax worms, salmon eggs, small spoons and San Juan worms.

Fishing pressure was light at NAVAJO LAKE and fishing was slow for all species. There were a few northern pike taken on Rat L Traps and swim baits. This is a good time of year for light line trolling for big browns here.

At ESCONDIDA LAKE, trout fishing was good using garlic cheese, salmon eggs, PowerBait and homemade dough baits.

Trout fishing on the ALBUQUERQUE-AREA DRAINS was good this past week. Anglers did well drifting salmon eggs, PowerBait, wax worms, small copper John Barrs, parachute adams and Griffith’s gnats.

Water flow on the JEMEZ RIVER as of Monday morning was 14cfs. Trout fishing on the lower Jemez was slow to fair using small copper John Barrs and salmon eggs.

BLUEWATER LAKE ice thickness as of Sunday was about 12 inches. Fishing for trout was fair using PowerBait and jigs tipped with wax worms and worms. Fishing for tiger muskie was slow but anglers were managing one or two each day. They were using ice jigs. For updated ice conditions contact the Bluewater State Park office at 505-876-2391.

Monday morning water flows on the CHAMA RIVER below El Vado and Abiquiu were 155 cfs and 65 cfs respectively. Below Abiquiu, fishing was good using salmon eggs, worms, small wooly buggers and copper John Barrs.

As of this past Saturday the ice thickness at EAGLE NEST LAKE was 15 to 18 inches. The lake is open to all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles. Through Saturday, fishing was very good using ice jigs tipped with worms or night crawlers for perch. Fishing for trout was fair using worms and PowerBait. Fishing for northern pike was slow.

Ice conditions at LAKE MALOYA over the weekend ranged from a depth of 10 to 13 inches. Fishing was good using homemade dough baits, salmon eggs and PowerBait for trout up to 12 inches.

Trout fishing at MANZANO LAKE was fair using PowerBait and wax worms.

The water flow Monday on the RIO GRANDE at the Otowi Bridge was 411 cfs. Ice affected flow readings farther upstream. Fishing was slow with just a few trout taken by anglers using copper John Barrs and salmon eggs.