Fishing Line for Aug. 8, 2024

CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Aspen Tapia, 5, of Edgewood caught three rainbow trout, with the largest being 12 inches, using salmon eggs at Cowles Pond on Aug. 4.

Zariah, 11, caught his first fish, a 14-inch rainbow trout, using a pink Berkley Power Worm at Hopewell Lake on July 24.

Cash Lujan, 9, of Santa Fe caught his limit of rainbow trout on the Pecos River using Green PowerBait on July 29.

Owen Middagh of Albuquerque caught multiple 15- to 16-inch rainbow trout at Santa Cruz Reservoir using a size-22, brown nymph fly on July 28.

Carian Lee of Albuquerque caught a 16-inch rainbow trout at Bluewater Lake using a crankbait on Aug. 3.

At Cochiti Lake, Stephanie Perez of Bernalillo caught a 17-inch, 2.5-pound smallmouth bass using a spinner tipped with Garlic Rainbow PowerBait on Aug. 1. … Albert Castillo and Antonio Castillo of Albuquerque caught a 38-inch pike using a curly-tail grub on July 29.

At the Jemez Waters, Bruce Handrich of Socorro caught his limit of rainbow trout using corn and worms on the Rio Cebolla near Fenton Lake on July 30.

Santiago Soto of Las Cruces caught a 34-inch lake trout and a 26-inch brown trout on the Rio Chama on July 18.

On the San Juan River, Jonathon Casados of Albuquerque caught a 24-inch rainbow trout using a Red Annelid fly on Aug. 4. … Andrea Thomas of Granbury, Texas, caught a 32-inch rainbow trout using a size-26 nymph fly on July 7.

Cohen Rogers, 3, of Lakewood, Colorado, caught his first fish, a 5-inch bluegill using worms at Bill Evans Lake on July 28.

At Elephant Butte Lake, Alyssa Moody, 10, of El Paso caught a 24-inch striper using a silver Kastmaster lure on Aug. 3. … Joanne Tapia of Carnuel caught her first walleye and 18 white bass using Wally Diver lures on July 30.

Preston Cantu of Estancia caught a 28-inch catfish at Estancia Park Lake using chicken liver on July 31.

William Schroeder of Las Cruces caught an 18.5-pound catfish on the Rio Grande using shad near Hatch on Aug. 3.

Eli Renteria, 12, of Carlsbad caught and released a 20-inch catfish at Bataan Lake using cut bait on Aug. 1.

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.

Fishing for trout at Charette Lakes was good using spinners.

On the Cimarron River, streamflow near Cimarron on Monday morning was 48 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was good using worms, salmon eggs, San Juan worm flies, yellow Humpy flies and bead-head Hare’s ear flies. Fishing at the Gravel Pits was good using worms, salmon eggs, Glitter PowerBait and Woolly Bugger flies.

Fishing for trout at Clayton Lake was fair to good using spinners.

Fishing for bass at Conchas Lake was fair to good using green Rapala lures. Fishing for white bass was fair to good using Gulp minnows. Fishing for walleye was fair using Gulp minnows. Fishing for crappie was fair using Gulp minnows.

Fishing for trout at Costilla Creek was good using size-22 Mayfly flies, orange Stimulator flies, yellow Stimulator flies and dry-fly Hoppers with a nymph dropper fly.

Fishing for trout at Cowles Ponds was fair to good using salmon eggs.

Coyote Creek had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Eagle Nest Lake was good using garlic and cheese PowerBait. For updated lake conditions, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594.

Fishing for trout at Eagle Rock Lake was fair using salmon eggs and PowerBait.

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.

Fishing for trout at Hopewell Lake was fair to good using pink Berkley Power Worms.

Fishing for trout at Lake Alice was slow to fair using worms and PowerBait. Fishing for perch was slow to fair using worms.

Fishing for trout at Lake Maloya was fair to good using worms and PowerBait. Fishing for perch was fair to good using worms. The ADA dock is open to anglers with priority given to mobility-impaired persons.

Fishing for trout on the Los Pinos River was fair to good using Mayfly Nymph flies, Prince Nymph flies and Hare’s Ear flies.

Maxwell Lake 13 had no reports from anglers this week.

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 fair to good using Orange PowerBait Mousetails, Yellow Garlic PowerBait, Green Garlic PowerBait, PowerBait Salmon Egg Balls and spinners.

Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Monday morning was 103 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using Green PowerBait.

Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 42 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using salmon eggs, Panther Martin spinners and small nymph flies near the Red River Fish Hatchery.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 203 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using tungsten, bead-head nymph flies and gold spinners.

Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Monday morning was 16 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Monday morning was 61 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Peñasco on Monday morning was 11 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using Prince Nymph flies.

Fishing for trout at the Santa Cruz Reservoir was good using size-22, brown nymph flies.

Fishing for trout at Shuree Ponds was fair using dry fly Hoppers with a nymph dropper fly. Fishing the Red Chile sections of streams for trout was good using Elk Hair Caddis flies.

Fishing for pike at Springer Lake was fair using spoons.

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. Fishing for white bass was fair to good using slab spoons, blade baits and Gulp minnows in 30 feet of water. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass was fair using 4-inch, soft-plastic baits on drop-shot rigs and tubes fished off the bottom. Fishing for crappie was slow. Fishing for catfish was fair using nightcrawler worms in shallow water. Fishing for bluegill was good using worms and small jigs. The main lake’s water surface temperature was in the low-80s and the water was clear.

Northwest fishing report

Fishing for walleye at Abiquiú Lake was fair using jig heads tipped with worms. Contact the Abiquiú Lake Main Office at 505-685-4371 for updated lake conditions and closure information.

Streamflow on the Animas River below Aztec on Monday morning was 95 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Bluewater Lake was fair to good using crankbaits, worms and corn.

Brazos River had no reports from anglers this week.

Canjilon Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for smallmouth bass at Cochiti Lake was fair using spinners. Fishing for white bass was fair to good using live minnows. Fishing for pike was fair to good using white Flicker Shad lures, white Rapala X-Rap lures, curly-tail grubs, lipless white crankbaits and spoons. Fishing for crappie was fair using minnows and curly-tail grubs. Fishing for catfish was slow.

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.

Fishing for trout was slow at Fenton Lake. For updated lake conditions and potential closure information, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-829-3630.

Grants Riverwalk Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for carp at Heron Lake was good using fake corn.

At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near Jemez on Monday morning was 18 cfs. Fishing for trout on the Rio Cebolla near Fenton Lake was good using corn and worms. Fishing streams on the Valles Caldera for trout was fair to good using Hopper flies. Fishing the East Fork for trout was very good using spinners, Copper John flies, Pheasant-Tail Nymph flies, Prince Nymph flies and Caddis Stimulator dry flies.

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.

Liam Knight Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

McGaffey Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for kokanee salmon at Navajo Lake was fair to good using spinners tipped with corn 70 feet deep. Fishing for pike was fair to good using chartreuse swimbaits. Fishing for bass was fair to good using 3-inch watermelon with red-flake plastic worms.

Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 473 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiú Lake on Tuesday morning was 513 cfs. 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 only two trout.

Fishing for catfish on the Rio Grande was good using shrimp.

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 Tuesday morning was 1,210 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good using Red Annelid flies, size-26 midge-pattern flies and large hair jigs.

Fishing for trout at the Seven Springs Kids’ Pond was fair to good using salmon eggs with glitter. Rio Grande chub are native fish to the Jemez River drainage and can be found in the Seven Springs Kids’ Ponds. Anglers often mistake these fish for an invasive species and leave them on the banks to die. If you catch a Rio Grande chub, please do not leave it on the bank; return it to the water where it can survive as part of our native ecosystem.

Tiger Park Reservoir had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Tingley Beach was fair to good using nightcrawler worms.

Trout Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.

Southwest fishing report

Alumni Pond is closed for repairs until further notice.

Bear Canyon Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for bluegill at Bill Evans Lake was good using worms.

Caballo Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for bass at Elephant Butte Lake was good using drop-shot rigs, and red-and-white Bomber lures. Fishing for white bass was good using pink Wally Diver lures, Flicker Shad lures and vertical-jigging Kastmaster lures. Fishing for walleye was good using Wally Diver lures, chartreuse grubs and silver spinners. Fishing for striper was fair using white slab spoons and silver Kastmaster lures. Fishing for crappie was very good using live minnows near the Dam Site Marina. Fishing for catfish was good using live minnows and shrimp.

Fishing for catfish at Escondida Lake was fair to good using chicken liver.

Fishing for catfish at Estancia Park Lake was fair to good using chicken liver.

Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Monday morning was 64 cfs.

Glenwood Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Lake Roberts was good using hot dogs and stink bait.

Percha Dam had no reports from anglers this week.

Quemado Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Rancho Grande Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam on Tuesday morning was 2,020 cfs. Fishing for catfish was good using shad near Hatch.

Snow Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Trees Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Young Pond was fair using chicken and nightcrawler worms.

Southeast fishing report

Alto Lake is closed indefinitely due to extensive damage caused by the South Fork Fire. The wildfire has left significant impacts on the natural environment and infrastructure surrounding the lake, necessitating immediate and prolonged closure for safety and restoration efforts. Please visit ruidoso-nm.gov for the most current information.

Fishing for catfish at Bataan Lake was fair to good using cut bait and worms.

Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on Berrendo Creek.

Streamflow on the Black River at Malaga on Monday morning was 4 cfs.

Blue Hole Park Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Bonito Lake remains closed due to wildfire impacts. Visit nmfireinfo.com for the latest information.

Fishing for catfish at Bosque Redondo Lake was fair using worms.

Bottomless Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.

Brantley Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Carlsbad Municipal Lake was fair using nightcrawler worms.

Chaparral Park Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Corona Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Dennis Chavez Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for bass at Eunice Lake was fair using pink plastic worms.

Green Meadow Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Greene Acres Lake was good using cut bait.

Evacuation orders in the Ruidoso area have been lifted, but please continue to exercise caution at Grindstone Reservoir.

Harry McAdams Park Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Jal Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Van had no reports from anglers this week.

Ned Houk Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.

Oasis Park Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Monday morning was 113 cfs. Fishing for catfish was good using chicken breasts and hot dogs.

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 Tuesday morning was not reported. The area has been experiencing heavy flooding because of recent fire activity in conjunction with heavy rains.

Rock Lake Hatchery Kids’ Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Albuquerque District announced that it has scheduled a block release of water from Santa Rosa Lake to start Monday at 8 a.m. This release will force closure of the boat ramp. The boat ramp will remain closed until the lake returns to a safe level from monsoon rain and runoff.

Fishing for catfish at Spring River Pond was good using shrimp bait.

Sumner Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Timberon Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.