Fishing Line for Jan. 29. 2026

CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Eric Ockerhausen caught two trout using flicker shad at Bill Evans Lake on Jan. 21.

Arturo Salas and his son, Evan, caught five white bass at Elephant Butte Lake using a Rat-L-Trap on Jan. 17.

Ambrose Romero caught a largemouth bass at Escondida Lake using a spinner on Jan. 21.

Andrew Luna, Ashton Johnson, Bryant Tafoya, Nathan Jones and Adrian Garcia caught five rainbow trout at the same time using worms at Escondida Lake on Jan. 25.

Matt Ney and Joe Suter had a successful day of walleye fishing on the Rio Grande using minnows on Jan. 17.

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 open for ice fishing after recent cold temperatures thickened the ice to safe levels. For updated lake conditions, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594.

The boat dock and the ADA dock at Lake Maloya are closed for winter lake conditions. For more information, visit Sugarite Canyon State Park’s webpage or call 575-445-5607.

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 Wednesday morning was 50.9 cubic feet per second (cfs). The most recent report was received on Jan. 22. At that time, trout fishing was good with clown salmon eggs, midges, hoppers and elk-hair caddis flies.

Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 37.5 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 411 cfs. The most recent report was received Jan. 15. At that time, fishing for brown trout was very good using red worms.

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 11.1 cfs.

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

The most recent report for Ute Lake was received Jan. 15. At that time, fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good using clown-colored jerkbaits.

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, Hopewell Lake, Lake Alice, Los Pinos River, Maxwell Lake 13, Red River City Ponds, Red River Hatchery, Rio Costilla, Santa Cruz Reservoir, 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.

Streamflow on the Animas River below Aztec on Wednesday morning was 179 cfs.

Visit Bluewater Lake State Park’s webpage or call 505-876-2391 for more information. The most recent report for was received on Jan. 15. At that time, trout fishing was fair to good when using Cheese PowerBait.

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

Fishing for trout at Grants Riverwalk Pond was fair to good using PowerBait.

At Jemez Waters, streamflow near the Village of Jemez Springs on Wednesday morning was 17.1 cfs. The most recent report was received Jan. 22. At that time, fishing for trout was very good using orange Master Casts.

Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake on Wednesday morning was 91.7 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiú Lake on Wednesday morning was 52.7 cfs. The most recent report was received Jan. 22. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using bait 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 473 cfs.

Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Wednesday morning was 302 cfs. The most recent report for was received Jan. 15. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout was slow to fair when using San Juan worms in the quality waters.

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, Canjilon Lakes, Cochiti Lake, 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, 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 trout at Bill Evans Lake was good trolling trout lures from a kayak and when using PowerBait from the bank.

Fishing for white bass at Elephant Butte Lake was very good using Rat-L-Traps. The South Monticello boat ramp is currently closed, and access to Rattlesnake Island is currently restricted due to low water levels. The closures will be lifted when water levels rise and conditions allow.

Rainbow trout fishing at Escondida Lake was very good using worms. Fishing for largemouth bass was fair to good when using spinners.

Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Wednesday morning was 131 cfs. The most recent report for was received on Jan. 8. At that time, fishing for Gila trout was slow to fair when using flies in the west fork.

At the Gila Waters, streamflow near Gila Hot Springs on Wednesday morning was 64 cfs.

Quemado Lake has reopened to the public.

Fishing for trout on the Rio Grande was fair to good using worms. Fishing for walleye was good using minnows. Streamflow below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was 0.21 cfs.

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

Southeast fishing report

The most recent report for Alto Lake was received Jan. 8. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using Rainbow Glitter PowerBait and worms.

The most recent report for Berrendo Creek was received Jan. 8. At that time, fishing for trout was slow to fair using worms. Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on the property.

Streamflow on the Black River at Malaga on Wednesday morning was 9.23 cfs.

The most recent report for Bonito Lake was received Jan. 22. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using Yellow PowerBait and Rainbow Glitter PowerBait, and slow using rooster tails, Kastmasters, and Dardevle lures. Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake.

The most recent report for Grindstone Reservoir was received Jan. 8. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using Rainbow Glitter PowerBait. 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 14.7 cfs.

The most recent report for Perch Lake was received Jan. 15. At that time, fishing for trout was very good using multiple types of PowerBait and PowerBalls.

Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 8.67 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: Bataan Lake, Blue Hole Park Pond, Bosque Redondo Lake, Bottomless Lakes, Brantley Lake, Carlsbad Municipal Lake, Chaparral Park 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, Rio Bonito, Rock Lake Hatchery Kids’ Pond, Santa Rosa Lake, Spring River Pond, Sumner Lake and Timberon Ponds.