CATCHES OF THE WEEK
Matthew Medina and Chris Francia of Albuquerque caught and released multiple cutthroat and brook trout at Cabresto Lake using ice jigs tipped with wax worms or mealworms Dec. 10.
Frank Jaramillo of Albuquerque caught a 26-inch rainbow trout on the San Juan River using a size-20 red larva fly Dec. 3.
If you have a catch of the week story, send it to funfishingnm@gmail.com.
NOTES FROM GAME & FISH
Northeast fishing report
Fishing for brook trout and cutthroat trout at Cabresto Lake was good using ice jigs tipped with wax worms or mealworms. Anglers reported lake ice was about 10 inches thick.
Charette Lakes is closed to boating and fishing until March 2023.
Streamflow on the Cimarron River near Cimarron on Monday morning was not measured due to ice.
Clayton Lake is closed to boating and fishing until March 2023.
Conchas Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
At Costilla Creek, the department recently stocked 90,000 Rio Grande cutthroat trout, including 1,000 catchable-sized fish, into Costilla Creek and its tributaries as part of a long-term project to expand the distribution of Rio Grande cutthroat trout in 120 miles of the Costilla watershed in northern New Mexico. The department anticipates stocking Rio Grande cutthroat trout into this area over the next several years to assist with establishing a self-sustaining population of Rio Grande cutthroat trout. The public is reminded of the existing catch and release regulation for streams on the Valle Vidal and to release all fish at their point of capture – do not move fish above waterfalls, culverts or other fish barriers. The Valle Vidal remains open to fishing through Dec. 31.
Cowles Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.
Coyote Creek had no reports from anglers this week.
The lake surface at Eagle Nest Lake is closed to boating and ice fishing. Ice is beginning to form on the lake, but is not yet safe for ice fishing. Parks staff will monitor the ice on a weekly basis and provide updates when the lake is open for ice fishing. For updated lake conditions, visit the park’s webpage or call the park office at 575-377-1594.
Eagle Rock Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
National Forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access on the Gallinas River. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information.
Hopewell Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Alice had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Maloya had no reports from anglers this week.
Los Pinos River had no reports from anglers this week.
Maxwell Lake 13 is closed to boating and fishing until March 2023.
Monastery Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Morphy Lake is closed to boating and fishing until March 2023.
Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Monday morning was not measured due to ice.
Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 56 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using pink-collared Frenchie flies on the lower section of the river.
Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 478 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using Joe’s Flies, streamer flies and nymph flies.
Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Monday morning was not measured due to ice.
Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Monday morning was not measured due to ice.
Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Peñasco Monday morning was not measured due to ice.
Fishing for trout at Santa Cruz Reservoir was good using light-colored Pistol Pete spinner flies.
Shuree Ponds had no reports from anglers this week. The Valle Vidal remains open to fishing through Dec. 31.
Springer Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Storrie Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Stubblefield Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Ute Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Northwest fishing report
Abiquiú Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Streamflow on the Animas River below Aztec on Monday morning was 206 cfs.
Albuquerque Area Drains had no reports from anglers this week.
Bluewater Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Brazos River had no reports from anglers this week.
Canjilon Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.
Cochiti Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
El Vado Lake can be accessed at Hargroves Day Use Area off State Road 322 and the Main Park area off State Road 112. The Rio Chama can be accessed at the North El Vado Day Use Area on State Road 95, 10 miles west of U.S. Highway 84. Lake levels are steady but expected to drop as crews work on the El Vado Dam. The Dam Day Use Area is closed due to the ongoing construction. State Road 112 over the dam will experience periodic closures. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Park’s webpage or call 575-588-7247.
Fenton Lake is closed to fishing due to unsafe ice conditions.
The city is in the final stages of repairs at Grants Riverwalk Pond and stocking will resume soon.
Heron Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near Jemez Srpings on Monday morning was 27 cfs.
Laguna del Campo is closed to fishing until March 2023.
Lagunitas Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Farmington had no reports from anglers this week.
Stocking efforts have been suspended at McGaffey Lake due to extremely low water levels and unstable ground conditions. Lake conditions will be monitored and stocking will resume once conditions improve.
Navajo Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake and below Abiquiú Lake Monday morning was 105 cfs and 390 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below Abiquiú Lake was very good using egg-pattern flies, streamer flies, nymph flies, nightcrawler worms, salmon eggs and Rapala lures. 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 two trout only.
Rio Grande had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1) was fair to good using streamer flies.
San Gregorio Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Monday morning was 357 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was fair to good using black and olive midge flies, size-18 cream egg-pattern flies and size-20 red annelid flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was good using nightcrawler worms and black leech-pattern flies.
Seven Springs Brood Pond had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Tiger Park Reservoir was very good using purple and green leech pattern flies, black and tan Woolly Bugger flies, and black, olive and tan streamer flies.
Fishing for trout at Tingley Beach was good using Pistol Pete spinner flies and olive leech-pattern flies. Fishing for trout in the catch-and-release pond was good using single-barbless-hook, black streamer flies.
Trout Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.
Southwest fishing report
Fishing for trout at Alumni Pond was fair to good using red salmon eggs, salmon-peach PowerBait and live worms. Fishing for bass was slow to fair using floating hard lures.
Fishing for rainbow trout and crappie at Bear Canyon Lake was fair to good using size-10, barbless hare’s ear jig flies under an indicator.
Fishing for trout at Bill Evans Lake was good using gold Panther Martin spinners with an orange and black tail and Flicker shad lures. Fishing for bass was slow.
Fishing for catfish at Caballo Lake was good using cut bait.
Fishing for catfish at Elephant Butte Lake was good using cut carp bait and cut shad bait.
Escondida Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Monday morning was 391 cfs. Anglers reported fishing for trout was slow near the Gila Hot Springs and the Catwalk.
Glenwood Pond had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Lake Roberts was fair to good using chartreuse PowerBait and flies.
Percha Dam had no reports from anglers this week.
Quemado Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Rancho Grande Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.
Streamflow on the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam on Monday morning was 0 cfs. Fishing for catfish was good using cut bait north of Elephant Butte Lake.
Snow Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Trees Lake was fair to good using salmon eggs, PowerBait and homemade garlic dough bait.
Fishing for trout at Young Pond was good using salmon-peach PowerBait, green PowerBait mixed with anise, corn, Velveeta cheese and chunky cheese PowerBait. Fishing for bass was fair using white and gray, weedless lures.
Southeast fishing report
Fishing for trout at Alto Lake was good using worms fished with a bobber and PowerBait.
Bataan Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for bass at Berrendo Creek was fair using plastic creature baits. Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on this property.
Streamflow on the Black River at Malaga on Monday morning was 9 cfs. Fishing for trout was very good using worms and PowerBait.
Blue Hole Park Pond had no reports from anglers this week.
Bonito Lake is closed until further notice by the City of Alamogordo due to fire damage.
Bosque Redondo Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Bottomless Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.
Brantley Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Carlsbad Municipal Lake was fair to good using worms.
Fishing for trout at Chaparral Park Lake was good using sweet corn.
Corona Pond had no reports from anglers this week.
Eunice Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Green Meadow Lake was fair to good using worms fished with a bobber.
Greene Acres Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for trout at Grindstone Reservoir was good using nightcrawler worms, black Pistol Pete spinner flies and pink, egg-pattern flies.
Jal Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Lake Van had no reports from anglers this week.
Oasis Park Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Monday morning was 0 cfs.
Perch Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Fishing for brook trout on the Rio Bonito was fair to good using size-16, pheasant-tail flies and size-14, hand-tied rainbow warrior-variant flies a few hundred yards above the closed reservoir.
Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Monday morning was 7 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair using size-12, black stonefly flies near Hondo.
Rock Lake Hatchery Kids’ Pond had no reports from anglers this week.
Santa Rosa Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Sumner Lake had no reports from anglers this week.
Timberon Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.
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