Fishing Line for Sept. 12, 2024

CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Davin Valencia and Kristy Valencia, 2, of San Felipe Pueblo caught their limits of trout using Green PowerBait at Monastery Lake on Sept. 7.

Seth Hardy of Red River caught and released a 17-inch brown trout on the Rio Grande using a white streamer fly near Questa on Sept. 8.

Daniel Marcum of Rio Rancho caught an 18-inch rainbow trout on the Brazos River using a size-16 Parachute Adams dry fly on Sept. 1.

Matt Cordova and Yvonne Gallegos caught and released their limits of rainbow trout, including a 16-inch rainbow trout caught by Yvonne, using garlic-scented, natural-colored PowerBait at Canjilon Lakes at the middle pond Sept. 1.

Hopper Shannon of Hatch caught several smallmouth bass using a Mepps spinner and a pike at Navajo Lake using a green crankbait on Sept. 8.

William Schroeder of Las Cruces caught a 27-inch catfish at Bear Canyon Lake using bluegill on Aug. 31.

At Elephant Butte Lake: Jameson Jones, 7, caught her first fish, a white bass, using a slab spoon on Sept. 8. … Elila Valles, 6, of Silver City caught her biggest white bass using a white slab spoon on Sept. 8. … Remi Valles, 3, of Silver City caught multiple white bass using a chrome Kastmaster lure on Sept. 8. … Emberly Valles, 5, of Silver City caught multiple white bass using a chrome Kastmaster lure on Sept. 9.

Elena Trodden of Belen caught a Gila trout using an Elk-Hair Caddis fly at the Gila Waters near the Catwalk on Sept. 1.

William Fallis of Rio Rancho caught an 18-inch rainbow trout at Quemado Lake using Orange PowerBait on Aug. 31.

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 fair using spinners.

Streamflow on the Cimarron River near Cimarron on Monday morning was 21 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was fair to good using worms and bead-head flies.

Fishing for bass at Clayton Lake was fair to good using crankbait lures.

Fishing for walleye at Conchas Lake was fair using salmon eggs and curly-tail grubs.

Fishing for trout at Costilla Creek was good using Mayfly flies.

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

Fishing for trout at Coyote Creek was fair using small dry flies.

Fishing for trout at Eagle Nest Lake was good using various PowerBait. Fishing for pike was fair to good using large rainbow trout-pattern spinners. Fishing for trout was fair to good using PowerBait. Fishing for perch was slow to fair using worms. 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 to good using Pistol Pete spinner flies fished with a bobber and Panther Martin spinners.

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 good using garlic-scented, natural-colored PowerBait and 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 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.

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

Morphy Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Monday morning was 80 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using Mepps spinners.

Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 48 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using Mayfly dry flies and small nymph flies near the town of Red River.

Red River Hatchery pond is currently closed in order to replace the water supply line. The maintenance project is expected to be completed this month with water flows to the pond resuming shortly after.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 220 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using white streamer flies and worms near Questa.

Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Monday morning was 20 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Monday morning was 34 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Peñasco on Monday morning was 13 cfs.

Santa Cruz Reservoir had no reports from anglers this week.

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.

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. Fishing for white bass was good using jigging spoons in 20-40 feet of water. Fishing for smallmouth bass was fair using topwater lures in the back of coves. Fishing for crappie was slow. Fishing for catfish was good using chicken liver and nightcrawler worms. The main lake’s water surface temperature was in the mid-70s and the water was clear.

Northwest fishing report

Fishing for walleye at Abiquiú Lake was fair to good using clown-pattern crankbaits and 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 201 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Bluewater Lake was slow to fair using Rapala Countdown lures. Fishing for tiger muskie was fair using water dogs.

Fishing for trout on the Brazos River was fair to good using size-16 Parachute Adams dry flies.

Fishing for trout at Canjilon Lakes was good using garlic-scented, natural-colored PowerBait and worms.

Fishing for smallmouth bass at Cochiti Lake was fair using Firetiger-pattern crankbaits. Fishing for walleye was slow to fair using rainbow trout-pattern crankbaits. Fishing for pike was fair to good using Firetiger-pattern crankbaits, white Flicker Shad lures, white Rapala X-Rap lures and chartreuse spinners with gold Colorado blades.

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 at Fenton Lake was fair using salmon eggs, PowerBait and Kastmaster lures. 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.

Heron Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near the Village of Jemez Springs on Monday morning was 8 cfs. Fishing for trout on the Rio Cebolla near Fenton Lake was fair using attractor dry flies. Fishing streams on the Valles Caldera for trout was fair to good using Hopper 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.

Fishing for catfish at Liam Knight Pond was slow to fair using worms. Fishing for bass was slow using worms.

McGaffey Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for kokanee salmon at Navajo Lake was slow using spinners tipped with corn. Fishing for pike was fair using chartreuse crankbaits. Fishing for bass was fair to good using Mepps spinners.

Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 97 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiú Lake on Tuesday morning was 143 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using San Juan worms, white Sparkle Minnow flies, emerger flies and egg-pattern flies near Chama. 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 590 cfs. The Bureau of Reclamation has scheduled an increase in the release from Navajo Dam from 600 cfs to 800 cfs for Sept. 10, at 4 a.m. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good using size-22, zebra midge-pattern flies and chocolate midge-emerger flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good using nightcrawler worms and size-18, black Zebra Midge flies.

Seven Springs Kids’ Pond had no reports from anglers this week. Rio Grande chub are native fish to the Jemez River drainage and can be found in the Seven Springs Kids’ Ponds. 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 using dough bait. Fishing for bass was fair using topwater lures and spoons.

Anglers reported dirty water and poor fishing conditions at Trout Lakes.

Southwest fishing report

Alumni Pond is closed for repairs until further notice.

Fishing for catfish at Bear Canyon Lake was fair to good using bluegill cut bait. Fishing for bluegill was good using worms.

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

Caballo Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for bass at Elephant Butte Lake was good using crankbaits, drop-shot rigs and red-and-white Bomber lures. Fishing for white bass was good using white slab spoons and chrome Kastmaster lures. Fishing for walleye was good using Wally Diver lures, chartreuse grubs and silver spinners. Fishing for striped bass 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 good using catfish dough bait.

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 38 cfs.

Fishing for Gila trout at the Gila Waters was fair to good using Elk-Hair Caddis flies near the Catwalk.

Glenwood Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Lake Roberts was good using nightcrawler worms and Panther Martin spinners. Fishing for bass was fair to good using Panther Martin spinners. Fishing for crappie was slow to fair using Panther Martin spinners.

Percha Dam had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Quemado Lake was fair using Orange PowerBait.

Rancho Grande Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam on Tuesday morning was 919 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 to good using stink bait, shrimp and 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 5 cfs.

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

Fishing for trout at Bonito Lake was fair using Panther Martin spinners. The lake reopened to fishing-only on Aug. 30. Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake. All City of Alamogordo properties along the Rio Bonito and around Bonito Lake remain closed for any recreational activities at this time. Visit nmfireinfo.com for the latest information.

Fishing for catfish at Bosque Redondo Lake was good using hotdogs.

Bottomless Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for bass at Brantley Lake was fair using Whopper Plopper lures.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

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.

Anglers reported poor fishing conditions due to large amounts of algae at Eunice Lake.

Green Meadow Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Greene Acres Lake was fair to good using nightcrawler worms.

Fishing for trout at Grindstone Lake was good using worms. Grindstone Lake is currently open for fishing. Due to changing wildfire impact closures, please see the Grindstone Lake Webpage before planning a visit.

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.

Fishing for bass at Oasis Park Lake was fair to good using Texas-rigged Robo Worms.

Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Monday morning was 96 cfs. Fishing for catfish was good using chicken breasts and cut bait. Fishing for bass was fair using nightcrawler worms.

Fishing for catfish at Perch Lake was good using worms and hot dogs. Fishing for bass was fair using hot dogs.

Rio Bonito had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Monday morning was 12 cfs. 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.

Fishing for walleye at Santa Rosa Lake was fair using green Wally Diver lures. The boat ramp will remain closed until the lake returns to a safe level from monsoon rain and runoff after the recent water release. The lake remains open to non-motorized vessels.

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

Sumner Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Timberon Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.