Fishing Line for Oct. 23, 2025

A REEL CHANGE

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish wants to hear from you. Submit your latest New Mexico fishing adventure, or your catch of the week, at the department’s fishing and stocking report website (wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/fishing/weekly-report) and use the iFish form at the bottom of the page. For catches of the week include: your name, age, hometown, date, location, type of fish, length and weight if possible, and bait, lure or fly used. Submissions received by 5 p.m. Monday will be considered for inclusion in that week’s fishing report.

CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Kaylee Canales caught a northern pike using worms and salmon eggs at Eagle Nest Lake.

Cooper Luke Sanchez caught a 20-inch, 5-pound rainbow trout at Hopewell Lake using grey bunny leeches on his fly rod.

John Smith caught four trout, including a 18-inch, 2.5-pounder, at Hopewell Lake using green PowerBait.

Thomas E. Chrobocinski caught and released 35 trout at Hopewell Lake using gold spinnerbaits.

Isabel Abeyta caught a rainbow trout using PowerBait with extra scent at Lake Maloya.

Isaiah Gurule caught his limit of trout within one hour using PowerBait at Bluewater Lake.

Thomas E. Chrobocinski caught two trout using a Joe’s fly at Canjilon Lake.

Madanok, from Kewa Pueblo, caught five trout, including a 20-inch rainbow at Canjilon Lake.

Nicholas, from Tesuque Pueblo, caught an 18-inch rainbow trout at Canjilon Lake using night crawlers.

Eli caught three catfish at Cochiti Lake using cheese-filled hot dogs.

Mapiya Rakestraw and his wife caught several trout at Fenton Lake using cheese power bait.

Michael Trujillo caught and released nine trout in an hour and a half using Lime Green PowerBait on the San Juan River.

Stephen C. Dail caught a largemouth bass using a black back silver bomber at Elephant Butte Lake.

Eli caught a small bass at Blue Hole Park using a Whopper Plopper. He caught it at dusk as his family was passing through town.

Nielah Charo caught two catfish at Eunice Lake using cherry Kool-Aid chicken.

Alex Puskar of Albuquerque caught 15 bass at Santa Rosa Lake. He reported caughing two nice smallmouth bass at the same time (one on each treble hook) using a shad-colored Rapala Shad Rap.

John Childress caught two largemouth bass and seven white bass using lures at Sumner Lake.

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 13.4 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was good using a small black midge fly.

Fishing for Northern pike at Eagle Nest Lake was slow using worms and salmon eggs. For updated lake conditions, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594.

The most recent report for Harris Pond was received Oct. 9. At that time, fishing for catfish was good using roast beef.

Fishing for trout at Hopewell Lake was good to very good using grey bunny leeches, Joe’s fly, and green PowerBait.

Fishing for trout at Lake Maloya was good using PowerBait with extra scent.

The most recent report for Monastery Lake was received Oct. 2. At that time, fishing for trout was good using nightcrawlers. 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 116 cfs. Fishing for trout was very good using salmon peach PowerBait.

Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 41.2 cfs. The most recent report for was received on Oct. 14. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout was slow below the Red River Hatchery using worms.

Fishing for trout at Red River City Ponds was very good using beadhead nymphs and homemade dough bait.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 207 cfs. The most recent report for was received on Oct. 14. At that time, fishing for trout was good using worms and Panther Martin spinners.

Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Wednesday morning was 17 cfs. The most recent report for was received Oct. 2. At that time, fishing for trout was slow to fair using black and gold Panther Martin spinners.

Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Wednesday morning was 38.2 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Peñasco on Wednesday morning was 14.4 cfs.

The most recent report for Shuree Ponds was received on Oct. 14. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using grasshopper-pattern and blowtorch flies.

Fishing for white bass, smallmouth bass and walleye at Ute Lake was fair to good using 3- and 4-inch Gulp minnows and Flicker Shad.

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, Lake Alice, Los Pinos River, Maxwell Lake 13, Morphy Lake, Red River Hatchery, Rio Costilla, Santa Cruz Reservoir, Springer Lake, Storrie Lake and Stubblefield Lake.

Northwest fishing report

The most recent report for Abiquiú Lake was received Oct. 2. At that time, fishing for brown trout was fair to good using flies. 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 Wednesday morning was 4,430 cfs.

Fishing for trout at Bluewater Lake was good using PowerBait. Visit Bluewater Lake State Park’s webpage or call 505-876-2391 for more information.

Fishing for trout at Canjilon Lakes was very good with nightcrawlers. Fishing for trout at the middle lake was slow using Joe’s Fly.

Fishing for catfish at Cochiti Lake was slow to fair using cheese filled hot dogs.

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 good using various flies, dough and cheese PowerBait. Visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-829-3630 for updates.

At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near the Village of Jemez Springs on Wednesday morning was 31.4 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow using worms and salmon eggs.

The most recent report for Navajo Lake was received Oct. 14. At that time, fishing for northern pike was good using crankbaits and spinnerbaits.

Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake on Wednesday morning was 501 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiú Lake on Wednesday morning was 150 cfs. The most recent report for was received Oct. 14. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using flies below Abiquiú Lake. 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 106 cfs.

Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Wednesday morning was 418 cfs. Fishing for trout was good in the bait waters using lime green PowerBait.

If you catch a native Rio Grande chub in the Seven Springs Kids’ 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 department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Albuquerque Area Drains, Brazos River, Grants Riverwalk Pond, Heron Lake, Jackson Lake, Laguna del Campo, Lagunitas Lakes, Lake Farmington, Liam Knight Pond, McGaffey Lake, Rio Cebolla, Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1), San Gregorio Lake, Tiger Park Reservoir, Tingley Beach and Trout Lakes.

Southwest fishing report

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

Fishing for catfish at Elephant Butte Lake was slow to fair using minnows from the bank. Fishing for white bass, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was fair to good using black bait silver bombers, worms and minnows from the bank.

Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Wednesday morning was 131 cfs.

Streamflow at the Gila Waters near Gila Hot Springs on Wednesday morning was 38.7 cfs.

The most recent report for Quemado Lake was received Oct. 9. At that time, fishing for trout was good using Pautzke Fire Balls.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was 0 cfs. The most recent report for was received Oct. 2. At that time, fishing for catfish was fair to good using worms in the San Marcial area.

The most recent report for Young Pond was received Oct. 9. At that time, fishing for bluegill was very good using hot dogs and shrimp.

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

Southeast fishing report

The most recent report for Alto Lake was received Oct. 9. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using Green PowerBait.

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

Streamflow on the Black River at Malaga on Wednesday morning was 13.9 cfs.

Fishing for trout at Blue Hole Park Pond was slow to fair using whopper ploppers.

Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake.

Fishing for largemouth bass at Brantley Lake was fair to good using plastic crawdads.

The most recent report for Chaparral Park Lake was received Oct. 2. At that time, fishing for catfish was fair to good using chicken livers.

Fishing for catfish at Eunice Lake was fair to good using cherry Kool-Aid chicken breast.

Fishing for trout at Grindstone Reservoir was very good using PowerBait. Grindstone Reservoir is currently open for fishing. Due to changing wildlife impact closures, please see the Grindstone Reservoir Webpage before planning a visit.

The most recent report for Lake Van was received Oct. 2. At that time, fishing for catfish was good using Cherry Kool-Aid-soaked gizzards.

Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Wednesday morning was 61.6 cfs. The most recent report was received Oct. 2. At that time, fishing for catfish was slow to fair using hot dogs at Pecos River Park in Carlsbad.

Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 38.6 cfs. Fishing conditions will be adversely affected for an extended period of time due to recent flooding in the area.

Fishing for smallmouth bass at Santa Rosa Lake was fair to good using crankbait.

Fishing for white bass at Sumner Lake was slow using lures.

The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Bataan Lake, Bosque Redondo Lake, Bottomless Lakes, Brantley Lake, Carlsbad Municipal Lake, Chaparral Park Lake, Corona Pond, Dennis Chavez Pond, Estancia Park 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, Spring River Pond and Timberon Ponds.