New Mexico Weekly Fishing Report - July 15
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July 15, 2008
This fishing report has been generated from the best information available from officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, however, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.
Catches of the week
Quemado Lake: July 4, Anthony Lukesh of Socorro caught a 20.5-inch rainbow trout. He was using night crawlers.
Navajo Lake: July 8, Dalton King of Aztec caught a 44-inch northern pike. He was fishing the main lake and using a spinner bait.
Tingley Beach: July 10, Jan B. Bernard of Tijeras, while using a yellow humpy, caught and released a 20-inch rainbow trout.
Chama River: July 12, Jared Zuniga, 15, of Albuquerque caught a 23-inch, 5.5-pound brown trout. He was fishing below El Vado and using a grasshopper. On the same day, Shawn Jones of Albuquerque caught a 22-inch brown. He was using a clown-colored jerk bait.
If you have a catch of the week story or just want to tell us about your latest New Mexico fishing experience, send it to us at fishforfun2@hotmail.com. We may include your story in our next report. For catches of the week include name, date, location, type of fish, length and bait used.
NORTHEAST AREA
CHARETTE LAKES: Trout fishing on the lower lake was fair for anglers using worms, salmon eggs, spinners and assorted power baits. Fishing was fair using worms for perch.CIMARRON RIVER: Water flow below Eagle Nest as of Monday was 24cfs. Trout fishing was good for anglers using spinners, salmon eggs, yellow sallies, elk hair caddis and humpys. Fishing at the Gravel Pit Lakes was fair-to-good for anglers using spinners, Pistol Petes, power bait and salmon eggs.
CLAYTON LAKE: Trout fishing was good from boats and from the bank. Anglers did best using worms and power bait. Fishing was fair using spinner/worm combinations and crank baits for walleye. We had no reports on other species.
CONCHAS LAKE: Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass continued to be quite good this past week although most of the fish caught were small. Anglers did well using top water lures, crank baits, tubes, worms, jerk baits and jigs. Walleye fishing was fair-to-good for anglers trolling crank baits and bottom bouncer/worm or minnow rigs. Fishing for white bass was -fair using crank baits, grubs and top water lures. Night fishing for catfish was fair using shrimp, stink bait and night crawlers. Fishing for bluegill was fair using worms and poppers. We had no reports on other species.
COYOTE CREEK: Trout fishing was very good this past week for anglers using elk hair caddis, garlic cheese, salmon eggs and Mepps, Blue Fox and Panther Martin spinners.
EAGLE NEST LAKE: Kokanee fishing was fair-to-good for anglers trolling kokanee killers, needlefish, Rooster Tails and Panther Martins. Doug McGregor of Clovis and his daughter Jaylene from T or C caught several kokanee in the 16 inch range while trolling Rooster Tails at 20-to-25 feet. Anglers trolling shallower caught a few rainbows and kokanee. Fishing from the bank was fair for anglers using power bait, Gulp eggs and corn and fishing on the bottom. Fishing was slow-to-fair using worms for perch.
HOPEWELL LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using elk hair caddis, black gnat and black ant patterns and salmon eggs.
LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE: Trout fishing was rated as fair-to-good at Lake Maloya but slow at Lake Alice. Anglers did best using Pistol Petes and bead head wooly buggers.
MAXWELL LAKES: Fishing was slow for all species.
MCALLISTER LAKE: Due to poor water quality, the lake will remain closed until further notice.
MONASTERY LAKE: Trout fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using Pistol Petes, salmon eggs and small spinners.
MORPHY LAKE: Trout fishing was good for anglers fishing from boats, fishing deep and using spinners and weighted scuds and bead head nymphs. Fishing from the bank was fair for anglers casting beyond the grass lines and using salmon eggs and power bait. Several fish caught were in the 15-to-16 inch range.
PECOS RIVER: Water flow near the town of Pecos as of Monday morning was 85cfs. Trout fishing this past week was very good using night crawlers, salmon eggs, spinners, stimulators, royal wulffs, black ants, copper john barrs and humpys.
RED RIVER: Water flow below the hatchery was 169cfs. Trout fishing was good using spinners, wooly buggers, yellow humpys, salmon eggs and night crawlers.
RIO GRANDE: The water flow Monday morning at Embudo was 868cfs. Trout fishing above this location was fair using jerk baits, night crawlers, wooly buggers and spinners. We had no reports on other species. A few smallmouth bass were taken by anglers using spinners, jerk baits and wooly buggers.
SHUREE PONDS: Trout fishing was good again this week for anglers using wooly buggers, stimulators, Pistol Petes, Kastmasters and Panther Martins.
SPRINGER LAKE: Fishing was fair using crank baits, bunny leeches and jigs for northern pike Anglers using jigs reported catching a few largemouth bass. We had no reports on other species.
STORRIE LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using pink power bait for limits of trout up to 14 inches. We had no reports on other species.
STUBBLEFIELD: We had no reports from anglers this week.
UTE LAKE: The lake level rose about 18 inches this past week from heavy rains in the area. The water turned murky but fishing was good using top water lures, crank baits and grubs for white bass. The fish have schooled and if you can find them busting on the surface, you’ll catch your limit. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was fair and the fish were scattered. Anglers reported catching them on a variety of baits including crank baits, jerk baits, top water lures, worms and tubes. Fishing for all other species was slow.
NORTHWEST AREA
ABIQUIU LAKE: Fishing was quite good this past week for anglers using Bevy Shad, Rip Shad, CB350s, Staysee 90s fat head minnows and grubs for a mixed bag of smallmouth bass and walleye. Most of the bass were in less than 10 feet of water while the walleye were at 10-to-20 feet over 10-to-40 feet of water. The water ranged from clear near the dam to stained at the upper end and the surface temp ranged from the low 60s to the low 70s.
ALBUQUERQUE AREA DRAINS: We had no reports from anglers this week.
BLUEWATER LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair using stink bait, shrimp and hot dogs for catfish. Fishing was slow-to-fair using worms and power bait for trout. A few tiger musky were caught by anglers fishing from boats and using swim baits, jerk baits and in line spinners.
CANJILON LAKES: Trout fishing was good for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, Pistol Petes, small Flat Fish and Kastmasters.
CHAMA RIVER: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 78cfs and 244cfs respectively. Trout fishing below El Vado was good using night crawlers, Panther Martins, jerk baits, grasshoppers and power bait for a mixed bag of browns and rainbows.
COCHITI LAKE: Night fishing was fair using minnows for white bass, catfish and smallmouth bass. Fishing was slow-to-fair using jerk baits, top water lures, jigs and tubes for smallmouth bass. A few walleye were taken by anglers using minnows, crank baits and Rooster Tails.
EL VADO LAKE: Trout fishing was fair this past week for anglers using night crawlers, spinners and power bait.
FARMINGTON LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
FENTON LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, elk hair caddis, Pistol Petes, small marshmallows and night crawlers. The water color was described as ranging from pea soup to iced tea.
HERON LAKE: Fishing was very good this past week for anglers trolling Cripplures, rainbow colored needle fish and double whammies tipped with corn for 13-to-17 inch kokanee. Most of the fish were at depths of 10-to-20 feet. Fishing for all other species was slow.
JEMEZ WATERS: Water flow on the Jemez as of Monday morning was 37cfs near Jemez Springs. Trout fishing on the Jemez, Rio Las Vacas, Cebolla, San Antonio and East Fork was good for anglers using parachute adams, elk hair caddis royal humpys, hoppers, small stone fly imitations, small gold and silver spinners, worms and salmon eggs. The good reports came from anglers who were able to fish before big rains muddied up the waters.
LAGUNA Del CAMPO: (Burns Canyon Lake) Trout fishing was good using Pistol Petes, spinners and salmon eggs and power bait under a bobber.
MANZANO LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
MCGAFFEY LAKE: Fishing for catfish was fair using dough bait, liver, hot dogs and night crawlers. A few trout were taken by anglers using worms and power bait.
NAVAJO LAKE: Fishing for kokanee and rainbow trout was good for anglers using Arnies, Panther Martins and kokanee killers tipped with corn. They were trolling at depths of 20-to-40 feet and working the main lake. Fishing was good using jerk baits, crank baits, spinner baits and buzz baits for northern pike. Fishing was fair using top water lures, tubes, worms and crank baits for smallmouth bass and a few largemouth bass. Fishing was fair using small jigs, worms and poppers for bluegill. Fishing for crappie and catfish was reported as slow.
RAMAH LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was at 519cfs. Trout fishing was good using orange sparkle worms, leech patterns, bead head pheasant tails, streamers, dead chickens, BWOs and parachute adams. Fishing through the bait waters was fair-to-good using night crawlers, Pistol Petes, spinners, salmon eggs and jerk baits.
SANTA CRUZ LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
SEVEN SPRINGS BROOD POND: It’s just for kids under 12 and the trout fishing was good again this past week. Best baits were power bait, spinners and salmon eggs.
TINGLEY BEACH: Fishing at the Youth and Central Ponds was good using worms, power bait, shrimp and stink bait for bluegill and catfish. Fishing was fair using worms and spinners for bass and a few trout. At the Catch and Release Pond trout fishing was fair for anglers using humpys, scuds, egg patterns and leeches.
SOUTHWEST AREA
BEAR CANYON: Fishing was slow for all species.
BILL EVANS LAKE: Fishing was fair using poppers and worms for bluegill. A few catfish were taken by anglers using night crawlers. We had no reports on other species.
BURN LAKE: Fishing was slow.
CABALLO LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair using crank baits, jigs and grubs for white bass and a few walleye. Most of the action was on the east side and at the upper end of the lake. We had no reports on other species.
ELEPHANT BUTTE: Night fishing under light was good for anglers using shiners. They caught a variety of fish including white bass, crappie and catfish. One anglers reported very good success while fishing in a cove near Rock Canyon marina. Anglers trolling and casting crank baits and grubs also reported catching several white bass and a few walleye. Striped bass fishing was fair again this past week for anglers using live shiners, gizzard shad, umbrella rigs and top water lures. Fishing for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass was slow-to-fair using top water lures, jerk baits, tubes, power worms and senkos. Most of the bass were in less than 10 feet of water. Fishing was good using cut bait, shrimp and Gulp crawlers for catfish.
ESCONDIDA LAKE: Fishing was fair using night crawlers, hot dogs, liver and dough baits for catfish. We had no reports on other species.
GILA RIVER: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 74cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
LAKE ROBERTS: We had no reports from anglers this week.
PERCHA DAM: Fishing was slow for all species.
QUEMADO LAKE: Trout fishing was fair using wooly buggers, Pistol Petes, power bait and night crawlers.
RIO GRANDE: Water flow below Elephant Butte on Monday was 844cfs. Below Elephant Butte fishing was slow-to-fair using shrimp and night crawlers for catfish. A few white bass were caught by anglers using minnows and white and chartreuse grubs. Fishing on the river below Caballo was slow. A few catfish were taken by anglers using shiners.
SNOW LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
SOUTHEAST AREA
BATAAN LAKE: Fishing was fair using worms and liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species.
BONITO LAKE: Trout fishing was good early in the day using power bait, salmon eggs, spinners and Pistol Petes.
BOSQUE REDONDO: Fishing was slow-to-fair using night crawlers and liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species.
BOTTOMLESS LAKES: Fishing was slow. Stocking has been suspended due to a golden algae bloom.
BRANTLEY LAKE: Anglers are to practice catch and release for all fish here as high levels of DDT were found in several fish.
CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
GRINDSTONE RESERVOIR: We had no reports from anglers this week.
JAL LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair using worms and liver for catfish.
LAKE VAN: Fishing was fair using night crawlers, hot dogs and stink bait for catfish. We had no reports on other species.
PECOS RIVER: Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was .26cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
PERCH LAKE: Fishing was fair using worms for bass. Anglers fishing with worms also reported catching a few trout.
RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow at Ruidoso on Monday was 34cfs. Trout fishing was slow but should pick up as the water recedes and clears.
SANTA ROSA LAKE: Fishing was fair trolling crank baits in the main channel for walleye. A few were also taken by anglers using grubs and jigs. Fishing was slow-to-fair using hot dogs, stink bait and liver for catfish. A few bass were taken by anglers using top water lures, tubes and crank baits. Fishing for crappie was slow. Fishing pressure was reported as light over the past week. The water has been rising some from the recent rains.
SUMNER LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good using spinner baits, crank baits, jerk baits and top water lures for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Fishing was fair trolling bottom bouncer/night crawler rigs and crank baits for walleye. Anglers trolling crank baits also caught several white bass. Fishing was fair using night crawlers and stink baits for catfish. The water was quite murky.