New Mexico Fishing Report May 2005
NORTHEAST AREA CHARETTE LAKES: Fishing was slow-to-fair for anglers using power bait for trout. CIMARRON RIVER: Water flow near Cimarron as of Monday was 77cfs. In the canyon area, fishing was good using Panther Martins and Mepps spinners for trout. A few were also taken on worms. CIMARRON GRAVEL PIT LAKES: We had no reports from anglers this week. CLAYTON LAKE: Trout and walleye provided most of the action this past week. Anglers using fly and bubble combinations caught several trout in the early morning and afternoon hours. A few walleye were taken on spinner/night crawler rigs. There were no reports on other species. COCHITI LAKE: The water color has turned from murky to muddy due to runoff conditions. Fishing was slow for all species. CONCHAS LAKE: The lake level continues to rise. Anglers reported good fishing this past week especially for walleye, crappie, white bass and smallmouth bass. The smallmouth bass were taken on jerk baits, tubes, jigs, salt craws and lizards worked in shallow water. Limits of walleye were taken by anglers trolling shad raps, wally divers and Bombers. The same technique was working well for white bass and crappie. The fish were scattered and we had good reports from both the north and south sides of the lake. COYOTE CREEK: Trout fishing was good using power bait, worms and spinners. The stream is running high and the water is stained. EAGLE NEST LAKE: The water continues to rise and anglers may launch boats. The best fishing reports this past week came from anglers fishing from anchored boats and from the bank. They were using power bait, roe sacks and salmon eggs for trout. Anglers trolling reported slow fishing conditions. LAKE MALOYA/LAKE ALICE: Fishing at both lakes was slow this past week due to muddy water conditions. However, anglers did well fishing the stream below Lake Maloya. They were using spinners, corn, salmon eggs and power bait for 8-to-10 inch trout. MAXWELL LAKES: There were no reports from anglers this week. MCALLISTER LAKE: Trout fishing was slow for anglers using bait and flies but very good for those trolling Kamloopers and Daredevles. The spoon trollers caught limits of 14-to-16 inch rainbow trout. MORPHY LAKE: The lake is full and the water is quite murky. We had no reports from anglers this week. PECOS RIVER: As of Monday morning, water flow was 706cfs near the town of Pecos. Fishing was fair for anglers using weighted bead head nymphs for trout. RED RIVER: Water flow near Questa was 215cfs as of Monday. We had no reports from anglers this week. RIO GRANDE: As of Monday, water flow near the Taos Junction Bridge was 2,050cfs and fishing was slow for all species. SANTA CRUZ: Fishing was fair for anglers using spoons, power bait and salmon eggs for trout. SPRINGER LAKE: Fishing was fair for anglers using cut bait and liver for catfish. We had no reports on other species. STORRIE LAKE: We had several good reports this past week from anglers fishing near the inlet. They were using salmon eggs, power bait and cheese and caught several limits of trout in the 8-to-15 inch size. STUBBLEFIELD: Anglers reported good fishing for catfish and bass. The catfish were taken on liver, stink bait and cut bait while the bass were taken on crank baits, worms and spinner baits. There were also reports of a few walleye taken on crank baits and spinner/night crawler rigs. UTE LAKE: The Ute Lake marina has closed temporarily but the boat ramps are open and in good condition. Fishing for walleye was good for anglers trolling crank baits along the edges of tree lines. Other anglers reported taking several walleye while working jig and grub combinations tipped with night crawlers. They were fishing in 5-to-15 feet of water. Crappie fishing was good for anglers using minnows, small jigs and crank baits. Fishing for black bass was good for anglers using tubes, senkos, jerk baits and crank baits. Most of the black bass were small and taken in less than 10 feet of water. Fishing was fair trolling crank baits for white bass. NORTHWEST AREA ABIQUIU LAKE: The lake level is rising fast and the water is off color. Fishing was slow this past week for all species. There were a few brown trout taken by anglers trolling jointed Rapalas. BLUEWATER LAKE: Trout fishing was fair for anglers fishing from the bank and good for anglers trolling spoons and spinners. Best baits from the bank were power bait and worms. Fishing for catfish is still a bit slow but picking up. BURNS CANYON LAKE: Fishing was good for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, spinners, spoons and prop flies for rainbow trout. CHAMA RIVER: Water flow below El Vado Lake on Monday morning was 3,840cfs and 1,810cfs below Abiquiu. Fishing was slow. EL VADO LAKE: Bank fishing was slow this past week but anglers fishing from boats did well. They were trolling near the dam and using spinners and Rapalas and catching 14-to-18 inch rainbow trout. FENTON LAKE: Trout fishing was good again this past week for anglers using power bait, worms, corn, salmon eggs, spoons, spinners, prop flies and wooly buggers. HERON LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species. The water level continues to rise and is quite murky. Anglers jigging ½ ounce to 1 ounce jigs tipped with cut bait caught a few small lake trout. They were in 12-to-17 feet of water. A few rainbows and small lake trout were also taken by anglers fishing from the bank and using roe sacks, salmon eggs, power bait and spinners. JEMEZ WATERS: As of Monday, water flow on the Jemez River near Jemez Springs was 428cfs and the water was stained. Our best reports this past week came from anglers fishing the Cebolla and using worms, salmon eggs, spinners and copper John Barrs for trout up to 12 inches. Fishing on the San Antonio and East Fork was rated as fair by anglers using bead head nymphs and spinners. MANZANO LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using prop flies, salmon eggs, corn, power bait and cheese for trout. MCGAFFEY LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week. NAVAJO LAKE: Big numbers of small bass were caught this past week by anglers using senkos, crank baits, tubes, lizards, jerk baits and spinner baits. The fish are scattered and most were taken in less than 15 feet of water. Fishing for crappie was fair for anglers using minnows and small jigs. A few trout and kokanee were taken by anglers trolling at four colors and using spinners and jointed crank baits. There were no reports on other species. RAMAH LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using prop flies, bead head wooly buggers, small senkos, tubes and worms for a mix to trout and bass. SAN JUAN: Water flow below Navajo Dam on Monday morning was 4,050cfs. Fishing this past week was reported as slow with tough wading conditions in the higher flows. A few trout were taken on rabbit hair leaches, leather leaches and wooly buggers. With the high flows, wading is difficult and anglers should use extreme caution. The flows will be increased to 5,000cfs by May 25. The flow will remain at this level until June 15 th . SEVEN SPRINGS BROOD POND: This water is open to children under age 12. Fishing has been very good for the youngsters using power bait, salmon eggs and fly and bubble combinations. SOUTHWEST AREA BEAR CANYON: Fishing was slow for all species. BILL EVANS LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week. CABALLO LAKE: Good reports came in again this week from anglers fishing for white bass and walleye. Anglers did well using crank baits, grubs, spinner/night crawler rigs and minnows. They were fishing from boats as well as from the bank. Fishing was good using shrimp, liver, dough bait and cut bait for catfish. ELEPHANT BUTTE: Tough fishing for black bass again this past week. There were a few taken on jerk baits, jig and pig combinations, crank baits and tubes. Anglers fishing for black bass also caught a few stripers. The striped bass fishing was still good but slowed some from the previous week. Live bait, large crank baits, umbrella rigs and top water lures all produced a few stripers. Fishing for catfish at the upper end of the lake was very good for anglers using shrimp, liver and cut bait. ESCONDIDA LAKE: There were no reports from anglers this week. GILA RIVER: Water on the main river was flowing at 149cfs as of Monday morning. We had no reports from anglers this week. GLENWOOD POND: This pond is regularly stocked with rainbow trout and should provide some good fishing action. Most popular baits are salmon eggs and power bait. LAKE ROBERTS: Fishing was slow with a few trout taken on worms, wooly buggers and power bait. PERCHA DAM: Fishing was fair for anglers using crank baits, live bait and grubs for white bass and walleye. QUEMADO LAKE: Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using spinners, power bait and worms for trout. There were no reports on other species. RIO GRANDE: Water flow below Elephant Butte was 1,650cfs on Monday. Fishing for walleye was fair for anglers using white and chartreuse grubs on ¼ ounce jig heads. A few trout were taken on night crawlers and wooly buggers. SNOW LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week. BATAAN LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species. BONITO LAKE: Fishing was good using power bait, salmon eggs, worms, spinners, bead head nymphs, prop flies under a bubble and small spoons for trout. The best reports came from anglers working the upper end of the lake. SOUTHEAST AREA BOSQUE REDONDO: We had no reports from anglers this week. BOTTOMLESS LAKES: Fishing was slow. BRANTLEY: Fishing remains slow for all species. CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL LAKE: Fishing was slow for all species. GRINDSTONE: Fishing was good for anglers using power bait, salmon eggs, worms, spoons and spinners for trout.
LAKE VAN: There were no reports
from anglers this week. PECOS: Below Sumner Lake, water flow on Monday was 103cfs. Fishing was fair-to-good for anglers using worms and spinner/worm combinations. They caught mixed bags of blue gill, walleye and rainbow trout. PERCH LAKE: We had no reports from anglers this week. RUIDOSO RIVER: Water flow as of Monday was 41cfs. The water was still murky and fishing was slow. SANTA ROSA LAKE: The lake is full and the water is starting to clear a bit. Fishing was slow but there were a few bluegill taken by anglers fishing from the bank and using worms. A few smallmouth bass were taken on top water lures. We had no reports on other species. SUMNER LAKE: Good reports again this past week from anglers fishing for walleye. They caught several in the two-to-four pound class. The best method was drifting spinner/night crawler rigs across points in 8-to-15 feet of water. Best locations were up the Pecos and Alamogordo arms of the lake. We had no reports on other species.