Fishing Line for Feb. 27, 2026

CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Lexi Castillo, 6, caught her first fish, a trout, casting and reeling it in all by herself using salmon eggs on the Pecos River on Feb. 23.

Andrew Luna, Adrian Garcia and Nathan Jones caught and released more than 30 rainbow and brown trout using mealworms, Joe’s flies and Panther Martins at Santa Cruz Reservoir on Feb. 22.

Sara and Vincent Jaramillo caught nine trout using PowerBait at Santa Cruz Reservoir on Feb. 15.

Chris Ricci caught and released a brown trout that ate a 3-inch paddle-tail swimbait over a deep water transition at Navajo Lake on Feb. 16.

Cisco, 7, caught his first fish, a trout at Tingley Beach, using PowerBait and worms on Feb. 21.

Malia Lujan, celebrating her fourth birthday, caught her first fish, a trout at Lake Roberts, using Corn PowerBait on Feb. 14.

Let the New Mexico Department of Wildlife 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 not measured due to ice.

Eagle Nest Lake is now open for boating, though the courtesy docks have not been installed. The lake surface may have a thin layer of ice early in the morning that burns off by midday. Avoid the boat ramp when there is snow and ice on it. 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 slow to fair using PowerBait.

Anglers reported Lake Alice is closed to ice fishing and shore fishing. For more information, visit Sugarite Canyon State Park’s webpage or call 575-445-5607.

Anglers reported Lake Maloya is closed to ice fishing and shore fishing. For more information, visit Sugarite Canyon State Park’s webpage or call 575-445-5607.

Monastery Lake is closed due to unsafe ice conditions. Monastery Lake is part of the Department’s Open Gate Program. Please visit our website for more information about this property.

Morphy Lake State Park is closed for the season until Feb. 28.

Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Wednesday morning was not measured due to ice. Fishing for trout was fair to good using salmon eggs.

Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 38.7 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 435 cfs. The most recent report was received Feb. 19. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout was slow using a variety of midges, perdigon flies and dry flies.

Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Wednesday morning was not measured due to ice.

Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Wednesday morning was 7.91 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Peñasco on Wednesday morning was not measured due to ice.

Fishing for trout at Santa Cruz Reservoir was very good using PowerBait, mealworms, Joe’s Flies and Panther Martins.

The most recent report for Ute Lake was received Feb. 12. At that time, fishing for walleye was good to very good using deep-diving lures, 4-inch Gulp minnows and blade baits. Fishing for catfish was good using 4-inch Gulp minnows and blade baits. Fishing for white bass was very good using 4-inch Gulp minnows and blade baits.

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, Gallinas River, Harris Pond, Los Pinos River, Maxwell Lake 13, Red River City Ponds, Red River Hatchery, Rio Costilla, Shuree Ponds, Springer Lake, Storrie Lake and Stubblefield Lake.

Northwest fishing report

The most recent report for Abiquiú Lake was received Feb. 19. At that time, fishing for kokanee salmon and rainbow trout was good trolling Shad Rap Deep Runners from a boat. Contact the Abiquiú Lake Main Office at 505-685-4371 for updated lake conditions and closure information.

The most recent report for Albuquerque Area Drains was received Feb. 12. At that time, fishing for largemouth bass was good using curly tail shad.

Streamflow on the Animas River below Aztec on Wednesday morning was 248 cfs.

Bluewater Lake is now free of ice and is open to recreational boating and fishing. Visit Bluewater Lake State Park’s webpage or call 505-876-2391 for more information. Fishing for tiger muskie was slow using lures.

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.

The boat ramp/launch area is closed due to ice accumulations on Fenton Lake. It will remain closed until conditions exist for safe ice fishing or the lake has completely thawed. For more information, visit Fenton Lake State Park’s webpage or call 575-829-3630.

At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near the Village of Jemez Springs on Wednesday morning was 25.1 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using barbless nymph flies.

The most recent report for Liam Knight Pond was received Feb. 12. At that time, fishing for trout was good using red earthworms.

Fishing for brown trout at Navajo Lake was good using 3-inch paddle tail swimbaits. Fishing for crappie was good using crappie jigs. Fishing for northern pike was good, and anglers noted they are feeding on “everything.”

Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake on Wednesday morning was 90.4 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiú Lake on Wednesday morning was 42.2 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 454 cfs.

Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Wednesday morning was 311 cfs.

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.

Fishing for trout at Tiger Park Reservoir was very good using pink-and-silver and blue-and-silver ¼-ounce Joe’s Flies Super Strikers.

Fishing for trout at Tingley Beach was very good in the kids’ pond using worms and PowerBait.

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

Southwest fishing report

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

The most recent report for Bill Evans Lake was received Feb. 12. At that time, fishing for trout was good using Kastmasters from a boat.

The South Monticello boat ramp is currently closed and access to Rattlesnake Island is currently restricted due to low water levels at Elephant Butte Lake. The closures will be lifted when water levels rise and conditions allow.

The most recent report for Escondida Lake was received Feb. 19. At that time, fishing for trout was slow to fair using Garlic PowerBait and corn.

Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Wednesday morning was 102 cfs.

At the Gila Waters, streamflow near Gila Hot Springs on Wednesday morning was 67.3 cfs.

Fishing for trout at Lake Roberts was fair to good using Corn PowerBait.

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

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was 0.08 cfs.

The most recent report for Young Pond was received Feb. 12. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using inline spinners.

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

Southeast fishing report

The most recent report for Alto Lake was received Feb. 12. At that time, fishing for trout was very good using PowerBait Rainbow Nuggets and Green Trout Nuggets, and fair to good using Kastmasters, worms and Rainbow Twist PowerBait.

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

Streamflow on the Black River at Malaga on Wednesday morning was 5.6 cfs.

The most recent report for Bonito Lake was received Feb. 19. At that time, fishing for trout was good using worms and fair to good using Salmon Peach Glitter PowerBait and Rainbow Glitter PowerBait. Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake.

The most recent report for Corona Pond was received Feb. 12. At that time, fishing for trout was very good using cut bait.

The most recent report for Eunice Lake was received Feb. 19. At that time, fishing for largemouth bass was good using rooster tails.

The most recent report for Green Meadow Lake was received Feb. 5. At that time, fishing for trout was good using PowerBait Corn Nuggets.

The most recent report for Grindstone Reservoir was received Feb. 12. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using multicolored Kastmasters and worms. Grindstone Reservoir is currently open for fishing. Due to changing wildfire impact closures, please see the Grindstone Reservoir Webpage before planning a visit.

Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Wednesday morning was 113 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 18.50 cfs. Fishing conditions will be adversely affected for an extended period of time due to recent flooding in the area.

The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Alto Lake, Bataan Lake, Blue Hole Park Pond, Bosque Redondo Lake, Bottomless Lakes, Brantley Lake, Carlsbad Municipal Lake, Chaparral Park Lake, Dennis Chavez Pond, Estancia Park 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 Sumner Lake.