April 8, 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 

Sumner Lake: April 4, Dennis Duran of Albuquerque caught a 6-pound largemouth bass. He was using a white spinner bait. April 5, Kenny Hansel of Los Alamos caught a 5.15-pound and a 6.4-pound largemouth bass. He was using plastics.
Ute Lake: April 6, Billy Joe Burns of Clovis caught a 4. 37-pound largemouth bass. He was using live bait.

If you have a catch of the week story, send it to us at mailto:fishforfun2@hotmail.com

Include date, location, type of fish, length and bait used to catch the fish. 

NORTHEAST AREA

CHARETTE LAKES: Trout fishing was fair for anglers who managed to get on the lower lake between the winds. They did well using home made dough baits, salmon eggs and worms. A few perch were taken by anglers using worms.

CIMARRON RIVER: Water flow below Eagle Nest Lake as of Monday was 2.2cfs. Trout fishing was slow.

CLAYTON LAKE: Fishing slowed some this past week but there were a few good size trout and walleye caught by anglers using night crawlers and extra scented power baits. The water level is low and anglers should not attempt to launch larger boats.

CONCHAS LAKE: Fishing was a bit tough this past week but some anglers found walleye, white bass and smallmouth bass on the north side of the lake. Walleye fishing was good for a few anglers who trolled crank baits between Jose Maria and Big Island. There were also a few white bass taken in the same area. Fishing for smallmouth was best for anglers using tubes, lizards, senkos and crank baits in 5-to-14 feet of water. We had no reports on other species.

COYOTE CREEK: Fishing was good this past week for anglers using salmon eggs and small spinners for a mixed bag of brown and rainbow trout.

EAGLE NEST LAKE: As of Monday the lake was free of ice and open to boating. Trout fishing from the bank was fair-to-good for anglers using power bait, garlic cheese, corn, salmon eggs and wax worms.

LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE: As of Monday both lakes were free of ice. Fishing at Lake Alice was very good this past week for anglers using salmon eggs, home made dough bait, worms and power bait for trout up to 12 inches. At Lake Maloya anglers did well using the same baits and silver spoons and spinners.

MAXWELL LAKES: We had no reports from anglers this week.

MCALLISTER LAKE: Due to poor water quality, the lake will remain closed until further notice.

MONASTERY LAKE: Trout fishing was good for anglers using wax worms, salmon eggs, power bait and Pistol Petes under a bubble.

MORPHY LAKE: Trout fishing was very good for anglers using corn, worms, salmon eggs, power bait, cheese and home made dough baits.

PECOS RIVER: Water flow near the town of Pecos as of Monday morning was 124cfs. Trout fishing was fair using spinners, wooly buggers, copper john barrs and salmon eggs.

RED RIVER: Water flow below the hatchery was 115cfs. Trout fishing was fair for anglers using worms and wooly buggers.

RIO GRANDE: The water flow Monday morning at the Taos Junction Bridge was 1,700cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.

SPRINGER LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species.

STORRIE LAKE: As of this past Monday, the water was off color and fishing was slow for all species.

UTE LAKE: Fishing for white bass was good for anglers working the creeks in 10-to-20 feet of water with assorted crank baits. Anglers fishing for white bass also reported catching several crappie. Fishing for largemouth bass was good for anglers fishing secondary points and to the backs of coves and using senkos, crank baits, spinner baits, jigs and live bait. Fishing for catfish was good for anglers fishing shallow in the creeks and using stink baits. Fishing for walleye was a bit slow during the daytime hours but good at night for anglers using live bait. Water surface temps ranged from 51-to-56 degrees with the warmer temps found up the creek arms.

NORTHWEST AREA

ABIQUIU LAKE: Fishing for german browns was fair for anglers trolling crank baits or drifting fat head minnows. Fishing for all other species was slow. The water was stained.

ALBUQUERQUE AREA DRAINS: Trout fishing was fair this past week for anglers using wax worms, parachute adams, copper john barrs and salmon eggs. Our best reports came from anglers fishing the Corrales, Peralta and Belen Drains.

BLUEWATER LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species. The water was rising and the boat ramp was open for launching boats.

CHAMA RIVER: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 1,390cfs and 1,620cfs respectively. Fishing was slow at both locations.

COCHITI LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species. A few catfish were taken by anglers using stink bait.

EL VADO LAKE: As of Monday the lake was free of ice and open to fishing. We had no reports from anglers.

FENTON LAKE: Over the weekend the lake was free of ice and provided some excellent trout fishing. Several anglers took home limits. Most of the fish caught were rainbows but there were a few brown and cutthroat trout mixed in. Best baits were wax worms, salmon eggs, Pistol Petes and wooly buggers.

HERON LAKE: The last of the ice came off the lake over the past weekend and the lake was opened to boat and bank fishing. Trout fishing from the bank was fair for anglers using salmon eggs, power bait, worms and spinners.

JACKSON LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.

JEMEZ WATERS: Water flow on the Jemez as of Monday morning was 224cfs near Jemez Springs and fishing was slow. Trout fishing on the Cebolla, San Antonio and East Fork was fair-to-good for anglers using worms, copper john barrs, egg patterns and salmon eggs.

NAVAJO LAKE: Trout fishing was good on the main lake for anglers using spinners, crank baits and power bait and fishing close to the bank. Fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass was slow-to-fair for anglers using tubes, worms and senkos. The best reports came from anglers fishing La Jara Canyon and Francis Canyon. Anglers fishing for bass also caught a few northern pike. We had no reports on other species.

RAMAH LAKE: Trout fishing was good for anglers using salmon eggs, Gulp eggs, Super Dupers and Panther Martins.

SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Lake will be reduced to 1600cfs today while maintenance work is being performed. The flow will remain at this level for two days then ramp back up to 4,000cfs by Saturday, April 12. Fishing this past week through the Quality Waters was fair for anglers using red hots, grey Johnny flashes, red annelids, San Juan worms and sculpin streamers. Fishing in the bait waters was fair using the same flies and with spinners, salmon eggs and night crawlers.

SANTA CRUZ LAKE: Trout fishing was very good this past week for anglers using small tubes, jigs, crank baits, jerk baits, spinners, worms and salmon eggs. Anglers did well fishing from the bank and from boats.

TINGLEY BEACH: Trout fishing at the Youth Pond and the Central Pond was slow-to-fair for anglers using spinners, spoons, salmon eggs, power bait and leeches. A few bass were caught by anglers using worms, tubes and jigs. At the Catch and Release Pond best baits were leeches, red hots, foam ants, red annelids and Griffith’s gnats.

SOUTHWEST AREA

BEAR CANYON: We had no reports from anglers this week.
BILL EVANS LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
BURN LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
CABALLO LAKE: Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers trolling crank baits for a mix of white bass and walleye. A few were also taken on live bait. We had no reports on other species.
ELEPHANT BUTTE: When the winds weren’t too strong, fishing was fair using live bait and large deep running crank baits for striped bass. White bass fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using live bait, crank baits, jigs and spoons. Most of the white bass action was north of McRae Canyon. Fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass was slow-to-fair for anglers using jigs, tubes, senkos, lizards and spinner baits. Fishing for walleye was slow-to-fair for anglers using jigs, spoons and crank baits. Fishing was good using liver and shrimp for catfish.
GLENWOOD POND: We had no reports from anglers this week.
ESCONDIDA LAKE: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using worms, home made dough bait, power bait and salmon eggs.
GILA RIVER: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 193cfs. Fishing on the Forks was fair using salmon eggs, small bead head nymphs and small spinners for trout. We had no reports on other species.
LAKE ROBERTS: We had no reports from anglers this week.
PERCHA DAM: Fishing was fair for anglers using white grubs for a mixed bag of white bass and walleye.
QUEMADO LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
RIO GRANDE: Water flow below Elephant Butte on Monday was 2,920cfs. On the river south of Williamsburg, fishing was fair using minnows and grubs for walleye and white bass. Fishing below Caballo was fair using minnows and crank baits for white bass. We had no reports on other species.

SOUTHEAST AREA

BATAAN LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
BONITO LAKE: Trout fishing was fair in the morning hours but slow in the afternoon. Best baits were power bait, salmon eggs and worms. Anglers fishing Bonito Creek did very well using salmon eggs and small bead head nymphs.
BOSQUE REDONDO: Trout fishing was fair using Pistol Petes under a bubble, salmon eggs, power bait, worms and corn. 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: Trout fishing was very good for anglers using salmon eggs and power bait.
JAL LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week.
LAKE VAN: Fishing was slow for all species.
MANZANO LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers using power bait, worms and salmon eggs.
PECOS RIVER: Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 100cfs. Fishing was good this past weekend for trout, walleye, bass and catfish. Anglers did well using power bait and minnows.
PERCH LAKE: Trout fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using power bait, spinners and Pistol Petes under a bubble.
ROSWELL KIDS POND: Fishing was good using assorted power baits, salmon eggs and worms on the bottom for trout.
RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow at Ruidoso on Monday was 3.3cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
SANTA ROSA LAKE: Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass slowed a bit this past week. Anglers reported catching fewer numbers and smaller fish than in the previous few weeks. Best baits were tubes, crank baits and spinner baits. Fishing for walleye and crappie was slow-to-fair for anglers using minnows, tubes, grubs and crank baits. We had no reports on other species.
SUMNER LAKE: Fishing was very good this past week for bass and walleye. Anglers fishing for bass caught several largemouth bass while using grubs, sweet beavers, tubes, senkos, spinner baits, crank baits and live bait. All the bass reported were taken in less than 10 feet of water. The best walleye reports came from anglers using crank baits, jigs and minnows. A few white bass were taken by anglers fishing for walleye.