This fishing report, provided by the Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers, anglers, guides and local businesses. Conditions may vary as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.

 

East-Central, including the Pecos River

Coyote Creek — The flow is 1.7 cfs. No report.

Pecos River — The flow is 42 cfs. The river is continues to fish well. The water is very clear, so go to long leaders, fine tippets and a smaller flies. Some midges but blue winged olives are the only dry fly game left on the Pecos. Nymphing with a dry dropper rig can end your slump if they aren't coming up on your dry fly. Try flashback pheasant tails or a tungsten micro may.

Conchas Lake — Fishing at Conchas lake is reported as slow overall. North Dock reports that white bass are being taken in 40 to 45 feet of water when suspended at 15 feet with jigs and slabs and when trolling. No report on other species.

Morphy Lake — The lake has closed for the season and will reopen next spring.

Santa Rosa Lake — No report.

Storrie Lake — Fishing is fair to good for trout using Power Bait, cheese balls and worms.

Sumner Lake — Sumner Lake is open to boating. The East Ramp is open for launching. Before we re-opened the ramp, Walleye were biting from the bank, down near the dam, and along the rip rap. But we need some anglers to stir them up.

Weekly tests at Sumner Lake have indicated the lake is free of quagga mussel larvae, an aquatic invasive species that can cause enormous problems for fisheries, boaters and others who use the lake water, the Department of Game and Fish and the State Parks Division announced Friday.

Tests in May had indicated the possible presence of quagga mussels in the lake, which led to a temporary boating closure, hourly restrictions, and subsequent requirements that all boats be decontaminated upon leaving the water. Further weekly tests since Memorial Day, however, showed no evidence of the mussels.

“This is great news for park visitors who enjoy boating, fishing and other recreation at Sumner Lake State Park,” Parks Director Tommy Mutz said. “There is plenty of water and the fishing should be good through next spring.”

Ute Lake — The fishing is starting to pick up a bit. White bass are being caught in 30—40 feet of water near steep structure in the main part of the lake. Walleye were caught in the same places. All fish were caught on the White Leprechaun slab. Fishing pressure remains on the light side.

 

Northeast

Cimarron River — The flow below Eagle Nest Dam is 2.7 cfs and 6.6 cfs near Cimarron. The release out of Eagle's Nest Dam has dropped significantly and is really not worth fishing at these low levels. Check the flows before you go. Releases below 25 cfs makes for slow fishing. If the release doesn't go back up, wait until spring next year to fly fish.

Costilla Creek — The flow is 12 cfs near the town of Costilla. Fishing is reported as slow below the Valle Vidal boundary. Anglers are having success with dry droppers and various bed headed nymphs close to the banks. Check the flows before you go, water levels are very low and fish are spooky.

Red River — Flows are 13 cfs near Questa and 45 cfs below the hatchery. Fishing for trout is reported as fair to good with better fishing on the lower stretches. Fish are being caught with all methods working.

Rio Grande — Flows are 548 cfs near Cerro and 743 cfs below the Taos Junction Bridge. Water levels have come up and fishing is reported as slow to fair. Trout still seem to prefer the faster aerated water. Nymph the pocket water or strip streamers for the feistier pre-spawn browns. Cover the deeper slower runs for the bass with streamers or crayfish patterns.

Rio Hondo — The flow is 16 cfs and fishing is reported as fair from mile marker 8 up to mile marker 16 when using dry flies, small spinners and worms.

Rio Pueblo — The flow is 13 cfs. The fishing is fair for trout when using flies, small spinners and worms.

Cabresto Lake — The lake is closed for repairs to the dam.

Charette Lakes — The lake has closed for the season and will reopen next spring.

Clayton Lake — The lake has closed for the season and will reopen next spring.

Eagle Nest Lake — Fishing remains the same and continues to be good. The perch are reported as good from shore and better from anchored boats. Trolling is great for trout using lightweight tackle. Trout fishing is good when trolling top water gear and hit and miss from the bank using Power Bait. Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season Oct. 1 - Dec. 31. Check the NMGF Proclamation for the details. Salmon snagging is still hit or miss with a few fish landed and reported as slow overall.

Lake Alice and Lake Maloya — Fishing is good on Lake Maloya for trout. Fish are being landed using Power Bait and salmon eggs from shore. Fly fishing is reported as good in the early mornings and late evenings. Lake Alice has been effected by runoff from the fire and no fishing is reported there.

Maxwell Lakes — The lake has closed for the season and will reopen next spring.

Shuree Ponds — The water level on the upper pond is reported to quite low. No report.

Springer Lakes — No report. As a side note, Springer Lake is closed to ice fishing.

 

Southeast

Rio Ruidoso — Flow is 0.39 cfs in town and 4.4 cfs at Hollywood. Fishing is reported as fair to good on the lower stretches of the river where the flows are a bit higher. Best bet is to fish the deeper holes were fish will be holding in the low water conditions..

Bonito Lake — Trout fishing continues to be good in the mornings and evenings. Green and yellow Power Bait, spinners and black woolly boogers our reported working well. The lake closes for the season 11/30 and will reopen next spring.

Bottomless Lakes: No report, but winter stocking has begun and fishing should be good at Cottonwood and Devils Inkwell.

Brantley Reservoir — There has been light pressure and no current report. A mandatory catch and release is in place at Brantley Lake because pesticides have been found in the fish. Do not keep or eat them.

Grindstone Reservoir — Fishing is reported as good for trout using worms, Power Bait and Pistol Pete's.

 

Northwest

Animas River — The flow is 368 cfs. Flows have come up from runoff and the water is murky. The river is reported as good for trout using various bead-headed nymphs, spinners and worms.

Chama River — Upper section flow is 78 cfs. Below El Vado Lake, the flow is 123 cfs and the flow below Abiquiu Lake is 122 cfs. The upper Chama flowing downstream to the village of Chama and into El Vado reservoir is good with all methods reported working. Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season Oct. 1- Dec. 31 — Chama River from El Vado Lake to west boundary of Rio Chama Wildlife and Fishing Area. Check the NMGF Proclamation for the details. The river below El Vado is fishing good to excellent. The water is at a perfect flow. All methods are catching fish with limits of rainbows being taken. Brown trout are reported being landed using black and gold Panther Martins. Below Abiquiu Lake fishing is reported as fair to slow using Power Bait, worms, spinners and bead headed nymphs.

San Juan River — Upper section — Catch and Release flow is 350 cfs. Good midge hatches during the mornings and blue winged olive hatches in the afternoons. In the mornings, use a red midge larva as your point fly and trail a size #24-26 black or gray midge pupa. As the afternoon progresses, change your flies to baetis, such as a gray or chocolate RS2 or foam wing emerger.

Abiquiu Lake — Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season Oct. 1-Dec. 31. Check the NMGF Proclamation for the details. Not much has changed at the lake and conditions remain the same. Fishing is slow for all species including walleye with smaller-sized fish being caught. No report on salmon or other species.

El Vado Lake — Trout fishing is reported as slow to fair with better reports from the Chama River inlet and the dam. Fish are being landed with worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait and spinners. The main boat ramp is open but the primitive ramps are closed due to low water. Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season Oct. 1-Dec. 31. Check the NMGF Proclamation for the details. Salmon snagging is continues to be fair to good on the north side of the lake. Park at the gate just below the Stone House Lodge and walk down to the dirt boat ramp for the best access.

Heron Lake — Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging — Snagging Season is closed Oct. 1-Nov. 10 at Heron Lake and Willow Creek. It is unlawful to possess kokanee salmon at Heron Lake and Willow Creek during the closed season. Snagging season will open at Heron Lake and Willow Creek Nov. 11-Dec. 31. Reports of trout and lake trout are good from shore when using roe sacks. Trout are also fishing good with spinners and worms. If you hook into a salmon be sure to release it.

Jackson Lake — Trout fishing is reported as fair using Power Bait, salmon eggs and worms from shore. Spinners and black wooly buggers are reported working well on the back side of the lake.

Lake Farmington — Trout fishing is reported as good using Power Bait, salmon eggs and worms. Best success is reported close to the dam.

Morgan Lake — Fishing is slow for bass with very little traffic at the lake.

Navajo Lake — Special Kokanee Salmon Snagging Season Oct. 1 — Dec. 31. Check the NMGF Proclamation for the details. Salmon snagging continues to be reported as good at Simms Marina and at the dam. No reports on other species.

 

West-Central, including the Jemez Mountains

Jemez River, East Fork, Guadalupe and San Antonio — Flow on the Jemez River is 17 cfs. Fishing is fair for trout ranging from 10 to 12 inches. The East Fork and The San Antonio still remain slow due to the conditions left by the fire. The Cebolla and the Rio de las Vacas/Guadalupe watershed continue to be good choices for anglers to catch fish. All methods are reported working.

Metro Drainages — Stocking has started on the drainages: Albuquerque was stocked with 301 triploid rainbow trout; Belen with 200; Bernalillo 80; Bosque Redondo with 304; Corrales with 120and Peralta with 251. fishing is reported as fair with most methods are catching fish.

Bluewater Lake — Fishing for trout is reported as fair to good. Some anglers are reporting success with most methods working. The tiger muskies are fishing good for the smaller juvenile fish. The fish reported were caught on rattletraps while trolling and jerk baits from shore. Catfish are reported as fair with several landed using stink baits and chicken liver.

Cochiti Lake — Reports of a few catfish and bluegill being taken, but traffic is light. According to sources water quality is still an issue. Water clarity is also a problem with the ash from the fire being swept into the lake by runoff from rain.

Fenton Lake — Fishing for trout is reported as fair to good with worms and power bait.

Tingley Beach Trout fishing in the Tingley Beach Children's and Central Ponds has been good. Best reports are from anglers using lures. No reports from fly-rod anglers at the South/Catch and Release Pond. The ponds were stocked last week with 2,399 triploid rainbow trout.

 

Southwest

Gila River — The flow is 32 cfs and fishing is slow with the best success in the upper reaches of the river on the West, East and Middle forks.

Rio Grande — The flow is 4.7 cfs below Elephant Butte Dam. No report.

Bill Evans Lake — The lake was stocked with 2,072 triploid rainbow trout last week but no report on fishing as of yet.

Caballo Lake — Fishing is slow. Water levels are very low. Best bet is below spill way on the Rio Grande at Percha State Park.

Elephant Butte Lake — Fishing for white bass is reported as fair in 20 — 25 feet of water. White bass are reported as hit and miss. Anglers that are catching fish are having success with shiners, slabs and spinners. No report on stripped bass. Catfish are report as good on the north end of the lake on trot lines baited with liver and stink bait. No report on other species.

Glenwood Ponds — Fishing is fair for trout when using Pistol Pete's, worms and Power Bait.

Lake Roberts — Fishing is reported as good for catfish with liver and worms. Trout fishing is reported as fair with worms. No report on other species.

Quemado Lake — Trout fishing is reported as fair. Anglers are having success using green Power Bait. No report on the tiger muskies.