Fishing Line for March 26, 2026

CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Mindee Joseph caught two rainbow trout and one brown trout using worms on the Rio Grande on March 14.

Wesley Gonzales caught multiple small brown trout, keeping a medium-sized one, drifting worms on a single hook on the Rio Grande on March 19.

Jerome Dominguez caught three trout using nightcrawlers at Santa Cruz Reservoir on March 22.

James Meeks caught 10 smallmouth bass, releasing the smaller ones, using minnows at Ute Lake on March 20.

Benjamin Apodaca caught a tiger muskie using a rooster tail lure at Bluewater Lake on March 22.

Elena Gonzales caught a trout using garlic cheese at Bluewater Lake on March 18.

Patrick Dyea caught a tiger muskie using PowerBait at Bluewater Lake on March 17. It was his biggest catch to date, following a 20-minute battle to land the fish.

Jamal Alonzo caught five trout using Orange Garlic PowerBait at Fenton Lake on March 13.

Chris Ricci caught his limit of crappie using jigs at Navajo Lake on March 20.

Elias “Chavo” Barela caught 11 fish, including a 15-inch rainbow trout, using an olive-colored Pistol Pete at Seven Springs Kids Pond on March 18 — his seventh birthday.

Greg Sanchez caught and released three trout using Garlic PowerBait and Chartreuse PowerBait at Tingley Beach on March 19.

Andrew Luna, Bryant Michael Tafoya, Rodney Morton and Nathan Jones caught an abundance of white bass while trolling diving Rapala crankbaits at Elephant Butte Lake on March 22.

Aaron Brewer caught a largemouth bass using a creature bait at Elephant Butte Lake on March 22.

Gene España of Las Cruces caught and released many bass using soft plastics at Elephant Butte Lake on March 21.

Brandon Hawkins of Las Cruces caught and released many bass using soft plastics at Elephant Butte Lake on March 21.

Gabriel Gutierrez caught a bass using a chatterbait at Escondida Lake on March 17.

Ruben Chavira’s grandson, Eli Chavira, caught an 18-inch, 4-pound rainbow trout, while his great-grandson, Xavier Hobbs, reeled in his first trout — a 14-inch, 1½-pound rainbow — using Green Garlic PowerBait at Quemado Lake on March 21.

Liam Garcia caught five walleye using white shad at Sumner Lake on March 20.

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 9.13 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 on 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.

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 will be opening soon. Monastery Lake is part of the department’s Open Gate Program. Please visit the department website for more information about the property.

The most recent report for Morphy Lake was received on 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 41.2 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using worms.

Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Wednesday morning was 33.2 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. Fishing for trout was fair to good using worms.

Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Wednesday morning was 12.1 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Wednesday morning was 9.4 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Peñasco on Wednesday morning was 21.7 cfs.

Fishing for trout at Santa Cruz Reservoir was fair to good using nightcrawlers.

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

Fishing for largemouth bass at Ute Lake was slow using black-and-blue skirted jigs with Rage Craw trailers. Fishing for smallmouth bass was very good using minnows.

The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Cabresto Lake, Cowles Ponds, Coyote Creek, Eagle Rock Lake, Gallinas River, Harris Pond, Los Pinos River, Red River Hatchery, Rio Costilla, Shuree Ponds, Springer 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 634 cfs.

Fishing for tiger muskie at Bluewater Lake was slow to fair using rooster tail lures and fair to good using PowerBait. Fishing for trout was very good using garlic cheese. 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.

Fishing for trout at Fenton Lake was slow to fair using Orange Garlic PowerBait. For more information, visit Fenton Lake State Park’s webpage or call 575-829-3630.

Anglers reported difficult conditions at Heron Lake, with receding water increasing the risk of getting stuck in mud or quicksand.

At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near the Village of Jemez Springs on Wednesday morning was 42.7 cfs. The most recent report was received on 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.

Crappie fishing was good with jigs at Navajo Lake. Fishing for northern pike was fair using swimbaits. Fishing for bass was slow.

Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake on Wednesday morning was 500 cfs; streamflow below Abiquiú Lake on Wednesday morning was 61.1 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 300 cfs.

Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Wednesday morning was 259 cfs. Fly-fishing for rainbow trout in the quality waters was slow to fair.

Fishing for trout at the Seven Springs Kids’ Pond was very good using olive-colored Pistol Petes. If you catch a native Rio Grande chub in the Kid’s 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 Tingley Beach was good using Garlic PowerBait and Chartreuse PowerBait.

The department received no reports for the following waterbodies over the past three weeks: Albuquerque Area Drains, Brazos River, Canjilon Lakes, Cochiti 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.

Fishing for trout at Bill Evans Lake was very good using Green and Orange PowerBait and yellow salmon eggs.

Fishing for bass at Elephant Butte Lake was very good using soft plastics and creature baits and trolling diving Rapala crankbaits. The South Monticello boat ramp is currently closed due to low water levels. The closure will be lifted when water levels rise and conditions allow.

Fishing for bass at Escondida Lake was good using chatterbaits.

Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Wednesday morning was 62.6 cfs.

Streamflow at the Gila Waters near Gila Hot Springs on Wednesday morning was 66.2 cfs.

Fishing for trout at Lake Roberts was slow to fair using PowerBait and good using rooster tail spinners from a kayak.

Fishing for trout at Quemado Lake was very good using Green Garlic PowerBait.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam on Wednesday morning was 0.13 cfs.

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

Southwest fishing report

The most recent report for Alto Lake was received on March 19. At that time, fishing for trout 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.

The most recent report for Bonito Lake was received on March 19. At that time, fishing for trout 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 on March 12. At that time, fishing for bass was very good using swim baits.

The most recent report for Grindstone Reservoir was received on March 19. At that time, fishing for trout 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.

The most recent report for Lake Van was received on March 19. At that time, fishing for catfish was fair to good using golden Kastmasters.

The most recent report for Oasis Park Lake was received on 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 96.3 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 16.6 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 on March 12. At that time, fishing for bass was slow to fair using shallow square-bill crankbaits.

Fishing for walleye at Sumner Lake was slow to fair using white shad.

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