CATCHES OF THE WEEK
Analeigh Tapia, 6, of Santa Fe caught a 14-inch rainbow trout at Alto Lake using PowerBait on March 12.
At Elephant Butte Lake, Alex Flores of Las Cruces caught a 16-pound flathead catfish using shad cut bait March 15. … Kris Flores of Las Cruces caught an 18-pound striper using shad cut bait March 15. … Hayden, Ira, Cheyvonne and Scott Trowbridge of Chinle, Arizona, caught a 41-pound blue catfish using cut shad bait March 14. … Justin Alford of Albuquerque caught and released a 7-pound largemouth bass using a black-and-silver, square-billed crankbait March 12. … Max Maldonado, age 12, of El Paso, Texas, caught a 4-pound, 8.6-ounce smallmouth bass using a silver-and-blue Rapala lure March 11.
At Lake Roberts, Emmy Valles, 6, of Silver City caught a 14-inch rainbow trout using a rainbow-pattern spoon March 18. … Noah Valles, 9, of Rio Rancho caught a 12-inch rainbow trout using a crawdad-pattern lure March 18.
Jonathan Newman of Fort Worth, Texas, caught and released a 21-inch rainbow trout at Morphy Lake using a brown-trout-pattern Thomas spoon March 13.
Lilee Peacock, 8, of Clovis caught her first fish, and a total of four trout, at Ned Houk Ponds using salmon-peach PowerBait on March 14.
Virginia Chavez of Los Lunas caught a 25-inch rainbow trout on the Pecos River using worms March 19.
Nate Kornetzke of Albuquerque caught a 17-inch brown trout on the Rio Chama using an articulating black streamer fly below Abiquiú Lake on March 15.
Jared Fishburn of Farmington caught an 18-inch brown trout on the San Juan River using a size-20, red annelid fly March 14.
Joseph Vigil of Albuquerque caught an 18-inch rainbow trout at Tingley Beach using salmon-peach PowerBait on March 14.
At Ute Lake, Ryan Fought of Tucumcari caught a 4-pound walleye at using a Rough Neck Tackle Green Craw on March 13. … Jayden LeClear, 16, of Clovis caught a 25-inch, 6-pound walleye using a crankbait March 3.
If you have a catch of the week story, send it to funfishingnm@gmail.com.
NOTES FROM GAME & FISH
Northeast fishing report
Cabresto Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Charette Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.
Streamflow on the Cimarron River near Cimarron on Monday morning was not measured due to ice.
Fishing for trout at Clayton Lake was fair to good using worms and PowerBait.
Conchas Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
At Costilla Creek, the Valle Vidal is closed to fishing until July.
Cowles Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.
Coyote Creek had no reports from anglers this week.
The Eagle Nest Lake surface is closed to all activities due to deteriorating ice conditions. For updated lake conditions, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594.
Eagle Rock Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access on the Gallinas River. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information.
Hopewell Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Alice is closed due to unsafe ice conditions.
Lake Maloya had no reports from anglers this week.
Los Pinos River had no reports from anglers this week.
Maxwell Lake 13 had no reports from anglers this week.
Monastery Lake has been freshly stocked with trout and reopened for fishing. The Benedictine Monastery Lake is part of the Department’s Open Gate Program. Please visit our website for more information about this property.
Fishing for trout at Morphy Lake was good using Thomas spoons.
Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Monday morning was 62 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using worms and olive Woolly Bugger flies.
Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 50 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow using streamer flies, Woolly Bugger flies and San Juan worm flies. Fishing for trout at the hatchery was slow to fair using egg-pattern flies and Kastmaster lures.
Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 619 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow to fair using PowerBait and nightcrawler worms.
Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Monday morning was not measured due to ice.
Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Monday morning was not measured due to ice.
Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Peñasco on Monday morning was not measured due to ice. Fishing for trout was good using pink and purple nymph flies.
Fishing for trout at the Santa Cruz Reservoir was good using bright-yellow PowerBait.
Shuree Ponds is closed to fishing until July.
Springer Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Storrie Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Stubblefield Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for walleye at Ute Lake was slow to fair using crawdad-pattern jigs and crankbaits. Fishing for white bass was slow vertical jigging using jigging spoons and Berkley Gulp Minnows. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass was slow using crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Fishing for crappie was fair to good using live minnows at night with lights in 15-20 feet of water. The main lake water surface temperature was in the upper 40s and the water was clear.
Northwest fishing report
Abiquiú Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Streamflow on the Animas River below Aztec on Monday morning was 369 cfs.
Fishing for trout at the Albuquerque Area Drains was fair to good using salmon eggs and peach PowerBait.
Fishing for all species was slow at Bluewater Lake.
Brazos River had no reports from anglers this week.
Canjilon Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for crappie and pike at Cochiti Lake was fair to good using white swimbaits. Fishing for catfish was good using nightcrawler worms and chicken liver.
El Vado Lake is closed due to dam construction project. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Park’s webpage or call 575-588-7247.
Due to deteriorating and dangerous ice conditions, Fenton Lake is now closed for ice fishing. Going onto the ice or throwing objects onto the ice is strictly prohibited. The park will remain open for day use and camping. For updated lake conditions, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-829-3630.
The city is in the final stages of repairs at Grants Riverwalk Pond and stocking will resume soon.
Heron Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near Jemez Monday morning was 122 cfs. Fishing for trout above Fenton Lake was fair to good using pink Trout Magnet lures. Due to the rising popularity of fishing in Valles Caldera National Preserve, the National Park Service will begin charging a fee for its fishing permits starting April 1, 2023 to support the management of its fishing program. The new fee schedule will be $20 for an annual pass ($10 for youth 12-17) and $5 for a 7-day pass ($3 for youth 12-17). A State of New Mexico fishing license is also required to fish within Valles Caldera. For more information visit nps.gov/vall.
Laguna del Campo had no reports from anglers this week.
Lagunitas Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Farmington had no reports from anglers this week.
Stocking efforts have been suspended at McGaffey Lake due to extremely low water levels and unstable ground conditions. Lake conditions will be monitored and stocking will resume once conditions improve.
Fishing for pike at Navajo Lake was fair using large streamer flies and jerkbaits.
Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 226 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiú Lake Monday morning was 491 cfs. Anglers reported the water clarity below El Vado Lake was murky. Fishing for trout below Abiquiú Lake was good using black streamer flies. Please remember, from the river-crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiquiú upstream 7 miles to the base of Abiquiú Dam is special trout waters with a bag limit of two trout only.
Rio Grande had no reports from anglers this week.
Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1) had no reports from anglers this week.
San Gregorio Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Monday morning was 289 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was fair to good using midge-pattern flies and red annelid flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters section was fair to good using PowerBait and black-and-gold Panther Martin spinners.
Seven Springs Brood Pond had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Tiger Park Reservoir was good using olive, beadhead streamer flies.
Fishing for trout at Tingley Beach was good using homemade salmon-peach PowerBait. Fishing for trout in the catch-and-release pond was good using black-and-olive, leech-pattern flies.
Trout Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.
Southwest fishing report
Fishing for trout at Alumni Pond was fair to good using chunky cheese PowerBait, Velveeta cheese and black Pistol Pete spinner flies. Fishing for bass was fair to good using gold, gray and green streamer flies.
Bear Canyon Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
The department is conducting a boater and angler improvement project at Bill Evans Lake from February to April. Improvements include the installation of a new concrete boat ramp and dock; improvements to the existing boat ramp; the installation of rock, fishing jetties; road improvements; and regrading the north camping access area. Anglers should expect road and lake closures during construction. For current conditions, contact the department’s Fisheries Management Division at 505-476-8055. Anglers are encouraged to visit surrounding lakes such as Bear Canyon Lake, Lake Roberts and Trees Lake for alternate fishing locations.
Fishing for crappie and white bass at Caballo Lake was fair using curly-tail grubs.
Fishing for largemouth bass at Elephant Butte Lake was good using black-and-silver, square-billed crankbaits and silver-and-blue Rapala lures. Fishing for white bass was fair to good using small, chartreuse jig heads with soft plastic baits and white, weighted black-streamer flies. Fishing for striped bass was fair using small swimbaits with a jig head. Fishing for crappie was good using small, dark-colored jigs and live minnows. Fishing for catfish was good using live minnows and cut bait.
Fishing for trout at Escondida Lake was good using salmon-peach PowerBait.
Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Monday morning was 796cfs.
Fishing for trout at Glenwood Pond was good using salmon eggs and orange PowerBait.
Fishing for trout at Lake Roberts was good using rainbow-pattern spoons, yellow-and-black Panther Martin spinners, crawdad-pattern lures and nymph flies from a boat. Fishing for trout was fair using PowerBait from the shore.
Percha Dam had no reports from anglers this week.
Quemado Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for all species was slow at the Rancho Grande Ponds.
Streamflow on the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam on Monday morning was 0 cfs. Fishing for walleye was fair to good using cut bait near Elephant Butte Lake.
Snow Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Trees Lake was good using PowerBait and worms.
Fishing for trout at Young Pond was fair to good using corn, midge-pattern flies and black-and-white streamer flies.
Southeast fishing report
Fishing for trout at Alto Lake was good using worms.
Bataan Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on Berrendo Creek. Fishing for bass was fair to good using red-and-black Senko worms.
Streamflow on the Black River at Malaga on Monday morning was 5 cfs.
Blue Hole Park Pond had no reports from anglers this week.
Bonito Lake is closed until further notice by the City of Alamogordo due to fire damage.
Bosque Redondo Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Bottomless Lakes was fair to good using green PowerBait.
Brantley Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Carlsbad Municipal Lake was fair to good using lime green PowerBait.
Chaparral Park Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Corona Pond had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Eunice Lake was fair to good using corn-flavored PowerBait.
Fishing for trout at Green Meadow Lake was good using worms fished beneath a bobber.
Greene Acres Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Grindstone Reservoir was good using marshmallows, garlic PowerBait and salmon-peach PowerBait.
Fishing for trout at Harry McAdams Park Pond was good using homemade dough bait. Fishing for bass was fair to good using purple plastic worms and creature baits.
Fishing for trout at Lake Van was good using PowerBait.
Fishing for trout at Oasis Park Lake was good using PowerBait.
Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Monday morning was 57 cfs.
Perch Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Rio Bonito had no reports from anglers this week.
Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Monday morning was 51 cfs.
Rock Lake Hatchery Kids’ Pond had no reports from anglers this week.
Santa Rosa Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Sumner Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Timberon Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.
