New Mexico Fishing and Stocking Reports for January 22
OutdoorHub 01.22.13
This fishing report, provided by Bill Dunn and the Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.
Check out the latest stocking report.
CATCHES OF THE WEEK:
- Navajo Lake: Jan. 19, Joe McElreath from Farmington caught and released two northern pike in the 30-inch range. He was using a Rat L Trap.
- Eagle Nest Lake: Jan. 19, David from Angel Fire caught a 27-inch northern pike. He was fishing out from the Visitor Center using a Swedish Pimple.
- Bluewater Lake: Jan. 19, Robyn Manley of Albuquerque caught and released a 32-inch tiger musky. She was using a fire craw colored Dynamic HD Ice jig.
If you have a catch of the week story or just want to tell us about your latest New Mexico fishing experience, send it to us at fishforfun2@hotmail.com. We may include your story in our next report. For catches of the week, include name, date, and location, type of fish, length and weight if possible and bait, lure or fly used.
Jan. 22
Northeast
- Cabresto Lake: The lake and campground closed May 14 and will stay closed while the dam is being rebuilt.
- Charette Lakes: Closed for the season.
- Clayton Lake: Closed for the season.
- Conchas Lake: Fishing pressure was extremely light and fishing was slow for all species.
- Coyote Creek: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Eagle Nest Lake: As of this past Saturday the ice thickness was 15 to 18 inches. The lake is open to all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles. Through Saturday, fishing was very good using ice jigs tipped with worms or night crawlers for perch. Fishing for trout was fair using worms and Power Bait. Fishing for northern pike was slow.
- Lake Maloya: Ice conditions over the weekend ranged from a depth of 10 to 13 inches. Fishing was good using homemade dough baits, salmon eggs and Power Bait for trout up to 12 inches.
- Los Pinos: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Manzano Lake: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait and wax worms.
- Maxwell Lake 13: Closed for the season.
- Monastery Lake: The lake is iced over and unsafe. It is off limits to fishing until there is open water accessible from the bank.
- Morphy Lake: Closed for the season.
- Pecos River: Trout fishing was slow with very light pressure.
- Red River: Water flow below the hatchery was 17 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Red River City Ponds: Closed for the season.
- Rio Grande: The water flow Monday at the Otowi Bridge was 411 cfs. Ice affected flow readings farther upstream. Fishing was slow with just a few trout taken by anglers using copper John Barrs and salmon eggs.
- Rio Hondo: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Rio Mora: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Santa Barbara: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Springer Lake: We had no reports from anglers.
- Storrie Lake: A layer of ice covers the entire lake and it is closed to fishing at this time. For updated conditions contact the Storrie Lake State Park office at 505-425-7278.
- Stubblefield Lake: The lake has reopened with a new agreement reached with the Vermejo Conservancy District. However, with the current low water conditions, fishing is discouraged at this time.
- Ute Lake: Fishing pressure was light this past week. Fishing was slow but there were a few walleye taken by anglers using slab spoons and jigs tipped with minnows. We had no reports on other species. The surface water temp was in the low 40s.
Northwest
- Abiquiu Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Animas River: Monday morning water flow at Aztec was 212 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Albuquerque Area Drains: Trout fishing on the drains was good this past week. Anglers did well drifting salmon eggs, Power Bait, wax worms, small copper John Barrs, parachute adams and Griffith’s gnats.
- Bluewater Lake: Ice thickness as of Sunday was about 12 inches. Fishing for trout was fair using Power Bait and jigs tipped with wax worms and worms. Fishing for tiger musky was slow but anglers were managing one or two each day. They were using ice jigs. For updated ice conditions contact the Bluewater State Park office at 505-876-2391.
- Canjilon Lakes: We had no reports from anglers.
- Chama River: Monday morning water flows below El Vado and Abiquiu were 155 cfs and 65 cfs respectively. We had no reports from below El Vado. Below Abiquiu, fishing was good using salmon eggs, worms, small wooly buggers and copper John Barrs.
- Cochiti Lake: As of Monday there was thin ice covering the entire shoreline and most of the main body of the lake. For updated conditions contact the Corp. of Engineers office at 505-465-0307.
- El Vado Lake: There is a thin layer of ice on the entire lake which is considered unsafe for ice fishing. For updated information, contact the State Park office at 575-588-7247.
- Fenton Lake: The lake is off limits to fishing at this time. Plan on heading here for great ice-out fishing in the spring.
- Heron Lake: There was a layer of ice on most of the lake considered unsafe for fishing. For updated ice conditions contact the State Park office at 575-588-7470.
- Jackson Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Jemez Waters: Water flow on the Jemez River as of Monday morning was 14cfs. Trout fishing on the lower Jemez was slow to fair using small copper John Barrs and salmon eggs. We had no reports on other streams in this area.
- Laguna del Campo: Closed for the season.
- Lake Farmington: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Navajo Lake: Fishing pressure was light and fishing was slow for all species. There were a few northern pike taken on Rat L Traps and swim baits. This is a good time of year for light line trolling for big browns here. Bundle up, give it a try and let us know how you do.
- Ramah Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- San Juan: Water flow below Navajo Lake as of Monday morning was 345 cfs. Fishing in the Quality Water section was good using egg patterns, red annelids, dark colored leeches, dead chickens and small streamers. Fishing through the bait waters was fair to good using, wax worms, salmon eggs, small spoons and San Juan worms.
- Santa Cruz Lake: The boat ramp has been closed due to low water conditions. We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Tingley Beach: Trout fishing at the Central Pond was fair to good using wax worms, Power Bait and garlic cheese. We had no reports from the Children’s Pond and when we visited on Monday it was void of anglers. Fishing at the Catch and Release Pond was slow to fair for anglers using zebra midges, red annelids and small streamers. The warmer weather has opened a bit more water to fishing.
Southwest
- Bear Canyon: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Bill Evans Lake: Trout fishing was fair for some and very good for others. Best baits were Power Bait, homemade dough bait and worms. We had no reports on other species.
- Caballo Lake: All boat ramps have been closed and will remain closed until such time as water levels rise and is deemed safe for launching. Fishing pressure remains very light and fishing was slow for all species.
- Elephant Butte: Fishing was slow for all species with just a few black bass and white bass caught by anglers using jigs and spoons. The Monticello, Dam Site and Rock Canyon boat ramps remain closed due to low water conditions. The lake level has risen more than 2 1/2 feet since the first of the year.
- Escondida Lake: Trout fishing was good using garlic cheese, salmon eggs, Power Bait and homemade dough baits.
- Gila River: Water flow on the Gila as of this past Monday was 63 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Glenwood Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Lake Roberts: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait, homemade dough baits, worms and salmon eggs.
- Percha Dam: The water was low and fishing was slow for all species.
- Quemado Lake: The lake was covered with a layer of ice which was unsafe for fishing.
- Rio Grande: Water flow below Elephant Butte as of Monday was .70 cfs. Fishing was slow for all species.
- Snow Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
Southeast
- Bataan Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Black River: As of Monday stream flow above Malaga was 8.4 cfs. Trout fishing was fair for anglers using small bead head nymphs and salmon eggs.
- Blue Hole Park Pond: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Bonito Lake: Closed.
- Bosque Redondo: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait, salmon eggs, wax worms and homemade dough bait.
- Bottomless Lakes: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- 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: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait, worms, homemade dough bait, salmon eggs and small spoons.
- El Rito Creek: Trout fishing was fair using salmon eggs and worms.
- Greene Acres Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Green Meadow Lake: Trout fishing was fair using salmon eggs, Power Bait, homemade dough bait and Pistol Petes. We had no reports on other species.
- Grindstone Reservoir: The lake has iced over and is closed to fishing at the present time.
- Jal Lake: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait, homemade dough bait and salmon eggs.
- Lake Van: Trout fishing was good using Power Bait, garlic cheese, homemade dough bait, salmon eggs, worms and Pistol Petes. We had no reports on other species.
- Oasis Park Lake: Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait and salmon eggs.
- Pecos River: Water flow on Monday below Sumner Lake was 20 cfs. Trout fishing was fair using Power Bait, homemade dough bait and wax worms. We had no reports on other species.
- Perch Lake: We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Ruidoso River: Water flow at Hollywood on Monday was 2.5 cfs. We had no reports from anglers this week.
- Santa Rosa Lake: Ice around the shoreline kept anglers away from the banks again this past week and we had no reports. The boat ramp remains closed to motorized craft.
- Sumner Lake: Fishing pressure continued to be very light and fishing was slow for all species. The Violation Canyon boat ramp remains open at this time and will remain open as long as lake levels permit.
