Fishing Line for March 19, 2026

CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Gregory Henington caught five largemouth bass at Conchas Lake using plastic tubes on March 14.

Robert Trujillo caught five trout on the Pecos River using worms on March 15.

Makena and Isla Montoya caught eight trout using a variety of PowerBait while fishing with their dad at Santa Cruz Reservoir on March 12.

Greg Sanchez caught a trout using Garlic PowerBait in the early morning at Tingley Beach on March 12.

Gilbert Salas, Jr. caught a smallmouth bass and three trout, keeping one 15-inch trout, using a Pistol Pete at Tingley Beach on March 12.

Matthew Armijo of Socorro caught a tiger muskie and also caught and released 10 trout measuring 16 inches or larger using a Trout Slayer while fishing with his fiancée at Quemado Lake on March 13.

Brian Powers caught 10 trout, releasing five and keeping five, at Alto Lake on March 14. He caught six using a multicolored Kastmaster and four using worms.

The Sibley family, from El Paso, caught more than 20 trout at Alto Lake using PowerBait and Pautzke Fire Balls on March 11.

Mario Gonzalez and his grandsons, Isaiah and Marcelo, caught 10 trout in 2½ hours using red worms and Rainbow Garlic-Scented PowerBait at Bonito Lake on March 13.

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 NMDOW

Northeast fishing report

The upper and lower lakes at Charette Lakes have reopened to the public.

Clayton Lake has reopened to the public.

Streamflow on the Cimarron River near Cimarron on Wednesday morning was 7.3 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Fishing for largemouth bass at Conchas Lake was slow to fair using plastic tubes.

The most recent report for Eagle Nest Lake was received March 5. At that time, fishing for rainbow trout was fair to good using Rainbow PowerBait from the bank. The 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.

The most recent report for Eagle Rock Lake was received Feb. 26. At that time, fishing for trout was slow to fair using PowerBait.

For more information on Lake Alice, visit Sugarite Canyon State Park’s webpage or call 575-445-5607.

The most recent report for Lake Maloya was received March 5. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using floating PowerBait. For more information, visit Sugarite Canyon State Park’s webpage or call 575-445-5607.

Lakes 13 and 14 at Maxwell Lakes have reopened to the public.

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

The most recent report for Morphy Lake was received March 5. At that time, fishing for trout was very good using Salmon Peach PowerBait.

Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Wednesday morning was 23.5 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using worms.

Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 31.7 cfs.

Red River City Ponds have reopened to the public.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Wednesday morning was 603 cfs. The most recent report was received March 5. At that time, fly-fishing for rainbow trout was slow using midges, blue wing olives and dry flies.

Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Wednesday morning was 8.7 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Wednesday morning was 6.58 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Peñasco on Wednesday morning was 12.6 cfs.

Fishing for trout at Santa Cruz Reservoir was good using a variety of PowerBait.

The most recent report for Storrie Lake was received March 12. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using floating bait.

The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Cabresto Lake, Cowles Ponds, Coyote Creek, Gallinas River, Harris Pond, Los Pinos River, Red River Hatchery, Rio Costilla, Shuree Ponds, Springer Lake, Stubblefield Lake and Ute 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 318 cfs.

The most recent report for Bluewater Lake was received March 12. At that time, fishing for trout was good using homemade bait. Visit Bluewater Lake State Park’s webpage or call 505-876-2391 for more information.

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 most recent report for Fenton Lake was received March 12. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using PowerBait. 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 31.8 cfs. The most recent report was received March 12. At that time, fishing for brown trout was slow to fair using red worms.

The most recent report for Liam Knight Pond was received March 5. At that time, fishing for catfish was slow using worms. Fishing for rainbow trout was good using green jigs.

The most recent report for Navajo Lake was received Feb. 26. At that time, fishing for brown trout 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 49.5 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 468 cfs.

Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Wednesday morning was 268 cfs. The most recent report was received March 5. At that time, fly-fishing for rainbow trout was fair to good in the bait section, and slow using bead-head Woolly Buggers in the quality waters. Fishing for brown trout was slow using rabbit strip swing flies in the quality waters.

If you catch a native Rio Grande chub at 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 most recent report for Tiger Park Reservoir was received Feb. 26. At that time, fishing for trout 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 using Green Garlic PowerBait and good using Pistol Petes.

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, 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 March 12. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using PowerBait and garlic cheese.

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

The most recent report for Escondida Lake was received March 12. At that time, fishing for trout was good using PowerBait and garlic-scented marshmallows.

Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Wednesday morning was 66.7 cfs.

Streamflow at the Gila Waters near Gila Hot Springs on Wednesday morning was 62.9 cfs.

The most recent report for Lake Roberts was received March 12. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using PowerBait, cheese and red eggs.

Fishing for trout and tiger muskie at Quemado Lake was very good using Trout Slayers.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was 0.02 cfs.

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, Trees Lake and Young Pond.

Southeast fishing report

Fishing for trout at Alto Lake was very good using PowerBait, Pautzke Fire Balls, 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 2.77 cfs.

Fishing for trout at Bonito Lake was good using red worms and Rainbow Garlic-Scented PowerBait. Only fishing activities are permitted at Bonito Lake.

The most recent report for Chaparral Park Lake was received March 12. At that time, fishing for bass was very good using swim baits.

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

Fishing for catfish at Lake Van was fair to good using golden Kastmasters.

The most recent report for Oasis Park Lake was received March 5. At that time, fishing for trout was very good using PowerBait.

Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Wednesday morning was 70.8 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 16.2 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 Santa Rosa Lake was received March 12. At that time, fishing for bass was slow to fair using shallow square-bill crankbaits.

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, Ned Houk Ponds, Perch Lake, Rio Bonito, Rock Lake Hatchery Kids’ Pond, Spring River Pond and Sumner Lake.