Fishing Line for March 5, 2026

CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Jackson Chapman caught a rainbow trout using Rainbow PowerBait from the bank near the boat ramp at Eagle Nest Lake on Feb. 27.

Carol Valdez caught four trout using Salmon Peach PowerBait at Morphy Lake on March 1.

Kim Castillo Jaramillo caught three trout on the Pecos River using worms on March 1.

Lowell Smith caught a trout using a green, yellow and orange Kastmaster at Bluewater Lake on Feb. 27.

Benito Lujan caught a 28-inch catfish using a worm at Liam Knight Pond on March 1.

Laine, from Springfield, Missouri, caught 12 rainbow trout on the San Juan River while fly-fishing at Crusher Hole on Feb. 28.

William Defino caught a brown trout on the San Juan River using a rabbit strip swing fly on March 1, and a rainbow trout on the San Juan River using a bead-head Woolly Bugger on Feb. 22.

Greg Sanchez and his girlfriend, Annette, each caught two large trout at Tingley Beach using Garlic PowerBait and corn on March 1.

Bennie B, 3, caught two trout at Escondida Lake using Garlic PowerBait.

Mike Happeny (retired U.S. Air Force), of Alamogordo, and Mario (retired U.S. Air Force) and Monica Velasco (U.S. Air Force veteran), of Portales, each caught their limits of trout at Oasis Park Lake on Feb. 25. The three were stationed together at Travis AFB in California 24 years ago.

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 4.81 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Fishing for rainbow trout at Eagle Nest Lake 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 about Lake Alice, visit Sugarite Canyon State Park’s webpage or call 575-445-5607.

Fishing for trout at Lake Maloya was fair to good using floating PowerBait. 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 the property.

Fishing for trout at Morphy Lake was very good using Salmon Peach PowerBait.

Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Wednesday morning was 48.3 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow to fair using worms.

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 596 cfs. 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 10.1 cfs.

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 Santa Cruz Reservoir was received Feb. 26. At that time, fishing for trout 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 345 cfs.

Fishing for trout at Bluewater Lake was slow using green, yellow and orange Kastmasters. 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 at Fenton Lake is closed due to ice accumulations on the 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 34.2 cfs. The most recent report was received Feb. 26. At that time, fishing for trout was good using barbless nymph flies.

Fishing for catfish at Liam Knight Pond 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 373 cfs.

Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Wednesday morning was 299 cfs. 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 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 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 good using bead-head nymph flies, Garlic PowerBait and corn.

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.

Fishing for trout at Bill Evans Lake was very good trolling Woolly Buggers.

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.

Fishing for trout at Escondida Lake was fair to good using Garlic PowerBait.

Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Wednesday morning was 107 cfs.

At the Gila Waters, streamflow near Gila Hot Springs on Wednesday morning was 74.3 cfs.

The most recent report for Lake Roberts was received Feb. 26. At that time, fishing for trout was fair to good using Corn PowerBait.

The most recent report for Quemado Lake was received Feb. 26. At that time, fishing for trout 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 4.16 cfs.

Fishing for trout at Bonito Lake was good using PowerBait and salmon eggs. 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.

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 trout at Oasis Park Lake was very good using PowerBait.

Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Wednesday morning was 111 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Wednesday morning was 25.7 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, Green Meadow 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.