Fishing Line for Dec. 4, 2025

CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Luther Martinez caught a 21½-inch rainbow trout at Eagle Nest Lake using worms on Nov. 27.

Maddox McCluskey caught a trout using a Kastmaster while fishing with his grandpa at Monastery Lake on Nov. 28.

Sienna Day, 5, caught a trout using PowerBait on the last cast of the day at Monastery Lake on Nov. 28.

Ace, 14, caught a smallmouth bass using a 12-inch, silver-and-black Rapala crankbait at Ute Lake on Nov. 22. The group caught a nice-sized channel catfish, some walleye and several more smallmouth bass as well.

Mario and Monica Velasco of Portales, along with Kim Ochoa and MJ Velasco of Las Cruces, combined to catch eight trout at Alto Lake using PowerBait on Nov. 29.

Carlos Sifuentes caught and released two striped bass weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce, and 7 pounds, eight ounces, using a jerkbait, as well as two white bass using a shad-colored crankbait at Elephant Butte Lake on Nov. 24.

Luke Hernandez caught a flathead catfish on the Black River using shad chunks on a trot line on Nov. 27.

Let the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish know how your fishing trip went with the iFish form: wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/fishing/weekly-report or email darren.vaughan@dgf.nm.gov.

NOTES FROM GAME & FISH

Northeast fishing report

Streamflow on the Cimarron River near Cimarron on Wednesday morning was 4 cubic feet per second (cfs).

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

The most recent report for Hopewell Lake was received Nov. 20. At that time, fishing for trout was good using yellow glitter Gulp and spinners.

The most recent report for Lake Maloya was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for trout was very good using Rainbow PowerBait.

Fishing for trout at Monastery Lake was good using Kastmasters, worms and PowerBait. The lake is part of the Department’s Open Gate Program. Please visit our website for more information about this property.

Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Wednesday morning was 37.8 cfs. The most recent report was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for trout was good using worms.

Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 32.8 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 687 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Wednesday morning was 6.01 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Wednesday morning was 12.9 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Peñasco on Wednesday morning was 2.75 cfs.

The most recent report for Santa Cruz Reservoir was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using lures.

The most recent report for Ute Lake was received Nov. 20. At that time, fishing for walleye, crappie, catfish and white bass was fair to good using 3-inch and 4-inch Gulp minnows.

The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Cabresto Lake, Clayton Lake, Charette Lakes, Conchas Lake, Cowles Ponds, Coyote Creek, Eagle Rock Lake, Gallinas River, Harris Pond, Lake Alice, Los Pinos River, Maxwell Lake 13, Morphy Lake, Red River City Ponds, Red River Hatchery, Rio Costilla, Shuree Ponds, Springer Lake, Storrie Lake and Stubblefield Lake.

Northwest fishing report

Contact the Abiquiú Lake Main Office at 505-685-4371 for updated lake conditions and closure information. The most recent report was received Nov. 20. At that time, fishing for walleye was slow to fair using Rapala sinking minnows.

Streamflow on the Animas River below Aztec on Wednesday morning was 307 cfs.

The most recent report for Belen Riverside Drain was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for trout was good using salmon eggs.

Visit Bluewater Lake State Park’s webpage or call 505-876-2391 for more information.

The most recent report for Cochiti Lake was received Nov. 13. At that time, fishing for northern pike was slow to fair using spinners. Fishing for crappie was slow to fair using silver-and-black spinners.

El Vado Lake is open to boating and angling with a primitive boat ramp available at the Dam Day Use Area, as well as the main (concrete) boat ramp and courtesy dock at El Vado Lake State Park. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Park’s webpage or call 575-588-7247.

Fishing for trout at Fenton Lake was fair to good using Garlic PowerBait.

At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near the Village of Jemez Springs on Wednesday morning was 10.6 cfs.

The most recent report for Navajo Lake was received Nov. 27. At that time, snagging for kokanee was slow.

Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake on Wednesday morning was 700 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiú Lake on Wednesday morning was 991 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.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande at Albuquerque on Wednesday morning was 967 cfs.

Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Wednesday morning was 289 cfs. The most recent report was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout was good using red annelid flies in the quality waters.

Fishing for trout at Seven Springs Kids’ Pond was very good using salmon eggs. If you catch a native Rio Grande chub in the Kid’s Pond, please do not leave it on the bank; return it to the water where it can survive as part of our native ecosystem.

The most recent report for Tingley Beach was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using Garlic PowerBait.

The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Albuquerque Area Drains, Brazos River, Canjilon Lakes, Grants Riverwalk Pond, Heron Lake, Jackson Lake, Laguna del Campo, Lagunitas Lakes, Lake Farmington, Liam Knight Pond, McGaffey Lake, Navajo Lake, Rio Cebolla, Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1), San Gregorio Lake, Tiger Park Reservoir and Trout Lakes.

Southwest fishing report

Fishing conditions have been adversely affected at Bear Canyon Lake in the aftermath of the Trout Fire.

The most recent report for Bill Evans Lake was received Nov. 20. At that time, fishing for catfish was fair to good using natural scent trout bait. Fishing for largemouth bass was good using crawdads.

Fishing for white bass at Elephant Butte Lake was slow to fair using shad-colored crankbaits. Fishing for striped bass was slow to fair using jerkbaits.

The most recent report for Escondida Lake was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for catfish was good using PowerBait.

Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Wednesday morning was 117 cfs.

At the Gila Waters, streamflow near Gila Hot Springs on Wednesday morning was 52.8 cfs.

Quemado Lake is currently closed due to an algal bloom. It will reopen when the New Mexico Environment Department advises that the lake is safe for public use. For more information, visit the Gila National Forest website.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was 0 cfs.

The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Caballo Lake, Elephant Butte Lake, Glenwood Pond, Lake Roberts, Percha Dam, Rancho Grande Ponds, Snow Lake, Trees Lake and Young Pond.

Southeast fishing report

Fishing for trout at Alto Lake was very good using PowerBait, multicolored Kastmasters and worms.

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

Streamflow on the Black River at Malaga on Wednesday morning was 3.77 cfs. Fishing for flathead catfish was slow to fair using shad chunks.

The most recent report for Bonito Lake was received Nov. 27. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using multicolored Kastmasters, worms and size-12 nymph flies. Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake.

The most recent report for Chaparral Park Lake was received Nov. 13. At that time, fishing for catfish was fair to good using corn.

The most recent report for Grindstone Reservoir was received Nov. 13. At that time, fishing for trout was very good using green leeches and red or purple squirmy worms. Grindstone Reservoir is currently open for fishing. Due to changing wildlife impact closures, please see the Grindstone Reservoir Webpage before planning a visit.

Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Wednesday morning was 20.1 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 4.40 cfs. Fishing conditions will be adversely affected for an extended period of time due to recent flooding in the area.

The most recent report for Sumner Lake was received Nov. 20. At that time, fishing for smallmouth bass was good using Panther Martin Spinners.

The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Bataan Lake, Blue Hole Park Pond, Bosque Redondo Lake, Bottomless Lakes, Brantley Lake, Carlsbad Municipal Lake, Corona Pond, Dennis Chavez Pond, Estancia Park Lake, Eunice Lake, Green Meadow Lake, Greene Acres Lake, Harry McAdams Park Pond, Jal Lake, Lake Van, Ned Houk Ponds, Oasis Park Lake, Perch Lake, Rio Bonito, Rock Lake Hatchery Kids’ Pond, Santa Rosa Lake, Spring River Pond and Timberon Ponds.