3-11 Fishing report
This fishing report, provided by Department of Game and Fish area offices in Albuquerque, Raton, Roswell and Las Cruces, has been generated from the best information available from officers and anglers. Conditions may vary, however, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.
NORTHWEST AREA
ABIQUIU LAKE: Fishing is slow with minimal reports from anglers.
ALBUQUERQUE DRAINS: Trout fishing in the Albuquerque, Corrales, Belen and Bernalillo is steady using Power Bait, worms, spinners. The drains were stocked last week.
JACKSON LAKE: Closed to fishing due to unsafe ice conditions.
BLUEWATER LAKE: Closed until sometime in April. Call State Parks for updates.
CHAMA RIVER: Fishing is still reported poor above Chama. Everywhere else below the village is reported fair. Recent snows and cold weather are making for some tough fishing conditions.
COCHITI LAKE: Closed to fishing due to unsafe ice conditions.
EL VADO LAKE: Fishing is slow
NAVAJO LAKE: Fishing is slow
SAN JUAN RIVER: Fishing on all parts are reported good with most people catching fish on black or olive bunny leaches and Johnny flashes in the quality section. Below quality waters, salmon eggs and power bait seem to be the answer.
FENTON LAKE: The lake has been closed to fishing and will re-open in the spring of 2010.
NORTHEAST AREA
CIMARRON RIVER: Frozen.
CHARETTE LAKES: Opened March 1. No reports.
CLAYTON LAKE: Opened March 1. No reports.
CONCHAS LAKE: Very slow.
EAGLE NEST LAKE: Fishing is slow for trout using jigs, power bait, and roe sacks. Fishing is good for perch using worms. Fishing pressure is light due to recent snows.
LAKE MALOYA/ LAKE ALICE: Lake Alice is closed due to thin ice.
McALLISTER LAKE: Closed indefinitely.
MONASTERY LAKE: Closed to ice fishing.
PECOS RIVER: The upper Pecos has some open water, but water temps are in the low to mid thirties and fishing is quite slow. The only other fishable stretch is all the way down at Villanueva State Park. Villanueva was stocked finally and probably for the last time this last week. Get it while it's good.
RED RIVER: No report.
RIO GRANDE: Fair for pike, slow to fair for trout, poor for smallmouth bass. The Rio Grande is somewhat clear at 2-3 feet of visibility. For trout, show them a crane fly larvae, stonelfy nymphs, or work streamers around structure. Pike fishing has been a little slow. I think it may be due to pressure and it might be time to explore and find a new honey hole.
SHUREE PONDS: Closed until July 1, 2010.
SPRINGER LAKE: Closed to ice fishing.
STORRIE LAKE: Ice has melted and fishing is good.
UTE LAKE: Fishing is slow. Very light pressure due to continued cold weather.
SOUTHEAST AREA
WINTER TROUT WATERS (Carlsbad Municipal, Bataan, Higby Hole, lower Pecos River, Lake Van, Green Acres, Oasis, Roswell Kids Pond, Green Meadows, Chaparral, Jal, Bottomless Lakes, Carrizozo Pond): Fishing has been good on Power Bait and salmon eggs.
GRINDSTONE LAKE: Trout fishing has been good on Power Bait and salmon eggs.
BONITO LAKE: Closed until April 1.
PECOS RIVER BELOW BRANTLEY LAKE: Anglers have been catching a few catfish on worms, chicken liver and shrimp.
CORONA POND: Closed due to ice.
SANTA ROSA AND SUMNER LAKES: Fishing has been slow due to cold weather. Anglers will have best results deep jigging on outside main channel bends for walleye at Santa Rosa and near the spillway at Sumner. Use silver jigging spoons or minnow tipped jig heads.
SOUTHWEST AREA
BEAR CANYON: Fishing has been good using green and white Power Bait and Panther Martin lures for trout.
BILL EVANS: No report.
BURN LAKE: Fishing has picked up and been good for rainbow trout, using Power Bait, cheese and salmon eggs.
CABALLO LAKE: Fishing is fair for walleye in Caballo Lake using worms or soft plastic lures.
ESCONDIDA LAKE: Fishing has been slow for all species. Socorro County Fishing Day will be on Saturday March 20. For information and registration contact the Socorro County Chamber of Commerce at 575-835-0424.
ELEPHANT BUTTE: Fishing has been slow for all species.
GILA FORKS AREA: Fishing has been slow for all species.
GLENWOOD POND: No report.
LAKE ROBERTS: Fishing has been slow using Power Bait and salmon eggs.
PERCHA: No Report.
QUEMADO LAKE: Quemado Lake is frozen 12-16” with only openings still near the Solar Bees. Jigs at 5 to 8 feet depth are working best. Yellow Power Bait is also working well. The trout are about 16-18” and heavy. There have been no reports of people ice fishing for Tiger Muskie’s.
RIO GRANDE: Fishing is fair for walleye in the Rio Grande from Elephant Butte Dam to Caballo Lake using worms or soft plastic lures.
SNOW LAKE: Lake has been inaccessible due to snow.
